Major problem

[jeigoe]

Hi there,

21 speed "cell" bike (from "cell cycles" in sydney)
So I went for a ride today on my bike, which has been in the garage (under cover, dry, nothing resting on it etc) for about 2 months. Now, on todays ride, I went about 17k before I ran into the problem. I couldn't pedal any more. It was like the pedals just got very tight very quickly, and I couldn't push at all.

I got the thing home and had a look, it pedals for as long as you want going backwards, and even alright forwards, until it stops. It's not in the same place every time, usually about 1-7 full rotations after going backwards for however long.

Any ideas what's wrong? Even better how to fix it?

Thanks a lot!
James.

[Bill]

(06-05-2010, 02:24 AM)jeigoe Wrote:  Hi there,

21 speed "cell" bike (from "cell cycles" in sydney)
So I went for a ride today on my bike, which has been in the garage (under cover, dry, nothing resting on it etc) for about 2 months. Now, on todays ride, I went about 17k before I ran into the problem. I couldn't pedal any more. It was like the pedals just got very tight very quickly, and I couldn't push at all.

I got the thing home and had a look, it pedals for as long as you want going backwards, and even alright forwards, until it stops. It's not in the same place every time, usually about 1-7 full rotations after going backwards for however long.

Any ideas what's wrong? Even better how to fix it?

Thanks a lot!
James.

Hi James,
Welcome to the forums. To start you off try lubricating the chain and deraillers pivot points . After, pedal it by hand a few times going in the rear direction then go in the front directions looking for a stiff link as shown in this video... http://bikeride.com/stiff-chain-link/ . If this does not help come back.


Bill

[cyclerUK]

Check for tight bearings in the pedals, wheels and bottom bracket etc.
With pedals and bottom bracket, if the locknuts come loose, can tighten themselves up. When you reverse pedal then the bearing would come slack again. Start to turn normally and again the bearing will tighten up.
I doubt it's the wheels as you say it frees off when pedaling backwards?

[jeigoe]

Yeah it frees right off when pedaling backwards.

And Bill, checked for the tight link, couldn't see one, fairly certain it's not that. Thanks for the idea though!

cyclerUK, I think it could be something in the bottom bracket, it sort of feels like i'm screwing the pedals and the crank in so far that they get stuck, but this should NOT be the case when riding!

[GeorgeET]

Did you take off your chain and see if its in the crank or in the rear?

[trevgbb]

Apart from the obvious causes which you have already investigated, (stiff link, bb loose and tightening on rotation, freewheel ditto, wheel bearings ditto,wheel out of line, brakes binding,) another possible cause is the rear mech out of line or a damaged or bent link in the chain.

Either of these could cause the chain to ride off a jockey wheel in the rear mech and jam between the plates.
Or if you have fitted a new chain recently, it is not routed through the mech properly.
Or the front mech not set up properly allowing the chain to jam when changing.