Shop or Me?

[dbotha]

Hi Hubbers,

 

I have a questions for you guys who are mechanical smart!

 

I recently had to replace a hub axle (The part that the thru-axle goes through) as i damaged it in a turn or just before the turn, so what happened i replaced the axle and everything was fine, so i thought.This axle unfortunately, I had to do this whole story a week before K2C. 

 

I received the wheel back and thought everything was fine - This is where everything went wrong. After receiving the wheel, at a test ride it felt like the chain was slipping, I then didn't think much of it (Stuipd me), i thought the chain needed some lube or it was a stiff link (Stupid me, i know) - So time went and we drove to Uniondale. Long story short, i lasted 7km, and then the driver went or something inside - What happened is the body froze and then when it was unfroze, the body was slipping and i couldn't pedal. 

 

I just want to ask, is this my fault or the shops fault? When the axle was replaced i was charged for a hub service, was the hub reassembled badly or was the checks not done, Should the shop have noticed this? Its easily noticed when pedaling down the road with some force.

 

I do understand i should've took action to the slippage, but due to a busy week of exams and work, i kind of forgot about it and thought it would be okay, but I unfortunately learnt the hard way, in the back of a vehicle in the feeling cold wind and rain. Learning experience for sure.

[Me rida my bicycle]

Not sure who's to blame but, if they did a hub service it should have been noticed if something was wrong.

[Twaatie]

What cycle shop?

 

When my bike comes back from a service it feels like a brand new bike. Don't think you should have to cross check when you bike comes from the shop.... Well that's my opinion at least

[IceCreamMan]

My opinion. You.

 

Ultimately you ended up the big loser here so you should make sure the equipment is 100 percent.

 

Shop of course should fix it for free an apologise.

[ChrisF]

My dad had two very bad experiences with having cars serviced just before a holiday.  Just "over the mountain" a small item would then require mechanical assistance .... this was before cell phones and road side assistance, effectively ruining the holiday or at least the first few days.

 

 

Thus we grew up with the moto to NEVER have a vehicle serviced just before a long trip !!

 

 

I follow this moto on my bike as well.

 

 

Sorry about your "lost race".  I know we plan our year and leave around these events, and it sucks when a mechanical item messes it all up .....

 

 

EDIT - impossible to say if it is the shop or you .... things happens.  and when you fiddle with mechanical stuff, sometimes something else acts up .... best to test it over a few rides, if at all possible (and yes, I note that in your case workload made this very difficult)

[MudLark]

It's very much a golden rule to never change *anything* on a bike just before a major event. Or as Chris says, on any machine for that matter.

 

But it's also quite clear your bike shop screwed something up pretty badly.

[Martin PJ]

Unfortunately this is a common story. Happened to me a few times that a bike part broke in a race after being serviced or repaired by a reputable shop. Bikes need to be ridden a few times before a major race, applies to road and mountain bike.

[porqui]

Did you send in just the wheel?

 

You should have had the problem sorted out when you noticed it which was basically straight away.

 

It's called a learning curve.

Some are steep.

[DieselnDust]

sounds like your freehub isn't engaging properly. This isn't always noticeable on the workstand. as there not a prior symptom? Im also no sure why you had to replace the axle as it as damaged in a turn? What does this mean? Can you explain it a little better please. Maybe post some pictures.

 

At the moment it sounds like you gave the incorrect diagnosis to the mechanic.

[dbotha]

sounds like your freehub isn't engaging properly. This isn't always noticeable on the workstand. as there not a prior symptom? Im also no sure why you had to replace the axle as it as damaged in a turn? What does this mean? Can you explain it a little better please. Maybe post some pictures.

 

At the moment it sounds like you gave the incorrect diagnosis to the mechanic.

 

 

Maybe some more context will help. Will also attach an image. 

 

Less than a week before leaving for Uniondale for K2C, I was riding in some turns and felt like a break or snapping feeling, and i knew it wasn't a good feeling. Immediately went to the car (Luckily 400m away) and checked over the bike, didn't see anything but still decided to go home and wash the bike to make sure everything was fine as I didn't like the feeling. When at home I took my rear wheel off and that when the cassette fell off the hub along with the driver attached, to say I was shocked is an understatement, as I didn't even know that could happen. I'm not sure if it was previously damaged and that is when it decided to snap or if it snapped during that ride. 

 

Long story short, phoned the shop and asked what I needed to do as I had to leave in less than a week. They told me it wasn't a huge issue and due to it being a Novatec hub, those axles are easily ordered and replaceable. Took the wheel to them on the Monday and got it back on Tuesday afternoon. Rode 20km easy on the Wednesday and started to feel the slippage and i thought it was a stiff link, i was very wrong and I understand I should've maybe taken action, but had a hectic week and forgot about it.

 

Then during the race it went all wrong, lasting only 7km until i couldn't even pedal. 

 

In the image you can see that the axle that snapped is where the Thru-Axle goes through the hub.

 

What I'm trying to figure out, after have been charge for a hub service, is this slippage something they should've picked up or is it maybe due to bad reassembly of the hub?

 

[Edge_Design]

Take it apart and see why it is slipping now then you will know...

 

It could be bad assembly (shop), faulty parts (manufacturer) or just bad luck/timing (you?)

 

Take it back and they will probably fix it for free but you might never really know what went wrong (if it was poor workmanship)... Whether or not you really need to know is up to you.

[DieselnDust]

The pawls don't look like they're lifting up sufficiently so that should have been picked up. It needs a service. Maybe new springs

[Pure Savage]

 

 

 Took the wheel to them on the Monday and got it back on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

I always take the whole bike in for this exact reason so they guys at the shop can ride and test it. An engaging freehub may be rather tricky to check without bike.

[dbotha]

The pawls don't look like they're lifting up sufficiently so that should have been picked up. It needs a service. Maybe new springs

 

I didn't notice that... Makes sense 

[dbotha]

I always take the whole bike in for this exact reason so they guys at the shop can ride and test it. An engaging freehub may be rather tricky to check without bike.

 

I did take the whole bike in, sorry, didn't mean to say just wheel

[Pure Savage]

I did take the whole bike in, sorry, didn't mean to say just wheel

Then I feel this should have been picked up by the shop.