Lock Ring problem....I think

[IllinoisGbiker]

I'm new here and i hope this is the right place to post this, I apologize if it is not

but i recently bought a second hand (hardly used) mountain bike from a friend and it's been working great...up until today (about a week in to owning it). I was heading out to my usual trail about half way down my block I slip a gear, at the end of the bike my lock ring completely comes lose.

I walked the bike back home removed the rear wheel, set my sprockets back in place, tighten the lock ring and go back to try it out, I change gears and the lock ring pops off again.

I was wondering what the problem might be and if it can be fixed, any help would be greatly appreciated, the bike is a Honda trail pilot

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/pretty_fly_whiteguy/2012-04-09190906.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/pretty_fly_whiteguy/2012-04-09191926.jpg

[DaveM]

In general, I think the options are:
- didn't get it tight enough
- threads on lockring stripped
- threads on hub body stripped

If this is a cassette, you could probably get another lockring and try that. If it's the hub, you could replace the freehub or get a whole wheel unfortunately.

However, I think this may be a freewheel, not a cassette. In which case, probably best to just get a new freewheel. A freewheel that comes apart is usually toast and it's not worth trying to replace individual parts.

This will help identify which you've got: http://sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html

[IllinoisGbiker]

Thanks for the feed back, i can try again to get the lockwheel tighter, but unfortunatly from te site you linked to, i think it's a hub

[DaveM]

That's a freewheel. There is a tool that will fit around the axle that will remove the rest of it from the wheel. You can buy them cheaply, though there are numerous kinds so you have to get the right one. Or go into any bike ship and they should be able to take it off in 2 minutes.

Then I would just need to get a new freewheel. Get one with the same number of gears on it. Shouldn't be very expensive either.

http://bikeride.com/replace-freewheel/

[IllinoisGbiker]

Thanks a lot, I'm thinking about ordering this Freewheel
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-MF-HG37-Tourney-Freewheel-13-28T/dp/B001IORDH0/

[nfmisso]

(04-10-2012, 05:26 PM)IllinoisGbiker Wrote:  Thanks a lot, I'm thinking about ordering this Freewheel
http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-MF-HG37-Tourney-Freewheel-13-28T/dp/B001IORDH0/

The last two Shimano freewheels I owned, both had cog spacing problems, it was possible to get six of the seven to run quiet OR one of the seven. In one case is was the 5th (1st is largest), and the other it was the 4th. Very annoying because I gear my bikes for normal cruising in 4th and 5th.

Since then I was switched to Sunrace freewheels (with Shimano derailleur) and been very happy.

Next, I want to try IRD due to better ratio spacing, but the price is 2½ X....

[IllinoisGbiker]

hmm Sunrace huh? that puts me in quite the predicament, ive heard good things about both now, and the both cost about the same, i guess im gonna be doing some research before I order!

[DaveM]

(04-10-2012, 10:56 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  The last two Shimano freewheels I owned, both had cog spacing problems.

Were you able to actually measure that there was mis-spacing on the cogs? Or was it just that you never got the shifting clean on these freewheels?

I'm not questioning your experience. It just sounds weird that shimano freewheels wouldn't have consistent spacing compatible with their shifters. Interesting...

[nfmisso]

(04-11-2012, 12:30 PM)DaveM Wrote:  

(04-10-2012, 10:56 PM)nfmisso Wrote:  The last two Shimano freewheels I owned, both had cog spacing problems.

Were you able to actually measure that there was mis-spacing on the cogs? Or was it just that you never got the shifting clean on these freewheels?

I'm not questioning your experience. It just sounds weird that shimano freewheels wouldn't have consistent spacing compatible with their shifters. Interesting...

I did not measure the spacing. I could get only six of the seven cogs to run smooth and quietly OR I could get the one of the seven cogs to run smooth.

Switched to a Sunrace freewheel I had; and easily got all seven to be smooth. On the removed Shimano freewheel, the difference in spacing was visible to me (more than 0.5mm or 10% - which is about my limit to tell the difference without measuring).

On the second Shimano with a problem, it was also visually noticeable, but by then I was totally put off by Shimano freewheels.

I can see getting one, and putting it up to bad luck, but two is an indication of a bad trend.

One was a 13-28 and the other was a 14-34; both seven speed.