pendleton somerby electric bike

[Julie Bailey]

Hello,
I am looking for some help/advice. I am new here and am hoping this is the right place for this.
My electric bicycle, only moves when I pedal, but my pedaling action does not actually make the bike move, the rear sprocket seems to be spinning? Does this make sense to anyone? If I turn off the power, the bike does not move just spins the rear sprocket?

Help me please
Julie

 

[Nealh]

Hello Julie and nice to see another lady user on board.
Your issue is mechanical rather then electrical, the rear gear cluster mounted (a freewheel or freehub) mounted on a e-hub motor relies on a pawl system to catch on a saw tooth mechanism. As the wheel spins clockwise they catch and turn the wheel, spinning anti clockwise they disengage hence the freewheeling when you stop pedalling or pedal backwards.
Obviously there is an issue, if it is under warranty take it back to the shop for repair ( Halfords I assume), if not in warranty they will advise and repair or take it to another (LBS) local bike shop. Remedy is straight forward and requires new gear cluster to replace the faulty/damaged one.

 

[davell]

Looks like the pawls may be sticking. You could try a few drops of oil in the end of the free wheel where the motor cable exits. If you look in there while moving the wheel you will see a small gap between where the wheel moves and the static axle. This is where the oil needs to go.



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[Julie Bailey]

Neath,
I have just been to Halfords, for what use they are, I have to bring the bike down, to get it booked in to take it home and bring it back some 2 weeks later. They can't book in a bike like a car!! Mad I say. I am going to look at what 'Davell' was saying and see if a little lube will do the job.

Thanks

 

[LeighPing]

It's nice that you took the time to make an avatar Julie. Thanks.

 

[Nealh]

If using oil don't try and put any in where the cable enters the hollow axle in to the hub.
Pawls can stick and may be possible to loosen them but also a pawl spring may have broke or a pawl become dislodged, often the job is removal to simply repair or replace.
Which part of the world do you live in ?

 

[Julie Bailey]

I am near to Huntingdon, I have tried to lube all around, missing the cable entry point. still no joy as you advised, Nealh, I am going to give it a wash dry it off, and try and get it in the car... But I think it's going to involve dis-assembly too.

 

[Julie Bailey]

Does anyone have a PDF on the motor for my bike, is it easy to open or is there a bucket of springs waiting to fly in all directions?

 

[wheeliepete]

No need to touch the motor to replace the cassette/freewheel, but you will have to remove the wheel from the bike. Any decent bike shop can do this for you if you don't have the tools.

 

[Sturmey]

Looks like the pawls may be sticking. You could try a few drops of oil in the end of the free wheel where the motor cable exits. If you look in there while moving the wheel you will see a small gap between where the wheel moves and the static axle. This is where the oil needs to go.



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I agree.
I had the exact same problem on pendleton and thought the pawl spring was broken. I ended up removing the wheel and then the freewheel and dismantling freewheel to investigate. The freewheel (DNP) has caged bearings and these, along with the pawls are lubricated with what appears to be a very dry and sticky grease. Anyhow, I cleaned the grease off pawls and re lubed with a light 3 in one oil. I also removed one of the shim washers (freewheel was loose/noisy) when reassembling and freewheel is OK now.

The above is a lot of bother and I suppose if I was to do again (in the first case) would be to put (carefully) bike on its side and try to get plenty of thin oil into freewheel to soften and flush that hard dry grease out of pawls.

 

[davell]

I agree.
I had the exact same problem on pendleton and thought the pawl spring was broken. I ended up removing the wheel and then the freewheel and dismantling freewheel to investigate. The freewheel (DNP) has caged bearings and these, along with the pawls are lubricated with what appears to be a very dry and sticky grease. Anyhow, I cleaned the grease off pawls and re lubed with a light 3 in one oil. I also removed one of the shim washers (freewheel was loose/noisy) when reassembling and freewheel is OK now.

The above is a lot of bother and I suppose if I was to do again (in the first case) would be to put (carefully) bike on its side and try to get plenty of thin oil into freewheel to soften and flush that hard dry grease out of pawls.

That’s how I fixed mine. Didn’t have to dismantle anything.


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[DynatechFan]

Tend to use decent chain oil myself for this job as I always have some in a handy dispenser, or engine oil would probably work too (3 in 1 had a reputation for holding moisture and causing rust in closed stuff like this - don't know if its true), but adding oil usually works. Same with old Shimano shifters, the grease hardens over time and they stop working. Oil softens it up again - where as WD40, GT85 et all only do a temporary fix as they don't actually mix with the grease

Pressure washing, and even those strong bike cleaner / degreasers can cause this if they find there way in to the wrong places

 

[Julie Bailey]

I think I am being a bit thick, but how much oil are we talking here? and where do I apply it? to the actual gear assembly? Or shall I take it up to Grafham bike shop and let them fix it for me? hmmm what about warming it up with a hair dryer? would that soften grease up?

 

[DynatechFan]

A few drops, maybe half a teaspoon - ideally you want to let it drip out again so you know there is enough in there

Inside the splined component (inside the cassette) are all the springs and little metal pawls. Freewheels work the same way but look different - see pic

I would lay the wheel on its side, cassette up and drip oil in to the space between the axle and the cassette, not the splines but closer in to the axle. Gravity will draw it in. A few spins of the cassette will move it about, leave to soak. If oil starts running out the back just catch it in a rag/kitchen roll. The sound of the cassette should change when it starts to work.

Warmth wont permanently soften the grease but the oil should. Grease is just oil mixed with a soap and over time things seem to harden

 

[Julie Bailey]

Awesome DynatechFan I took the wheel off and with the cassette up put a few drops at a time into the freewheel, after about 4-5mins of spinning and slightly putting the wheel off centre the oil stated to come out the rear nearest gear 1, a couple more mins the pawls free'd up. Thanks to you all for your idea's and patience with me. "I have fixed me ride" thanks to you guys.

 

[Nealh]

A good ending to a sticky job, happy riding.

 

[Marty]

Hi folks, I'm new here and found your forum through google search. I had freewheel problem on my ebike (pendalton). Gonna try what you guys have suggested so many thanks for this info. Cheers all !

 

[vfr400]

Hi folks, I'm new here and found your forum through google search. I had freewheel problem on my ebike (pendalton). Gonna try what you guys have suggested so many thanks for this info. Cheers all !

I just fixed one. Its freewheel was jamming rather than slipping. The freewheel is a DNP 8 speed 11/32T. They're only available from certain sources. I doubt that any bike shops would have them and I reckon that if you took the bike back to Halfords, it would take them a long time to get a replacement. They are available on Ebay and Aliexpress. I still have half a box of them left over from when I used to buy them from the factory, so if you get stuck for one, send me a message. It'll be cheaper than from anywhere else. I also have a few of the special DNP tools needed to get them off.

 

[Neil55]

I just fixed one. Its freewheel was jamming rather than slipping. The freewheel is a DNP 8 speed 11/32T. They're only available from certain sources. I doubt that any bike shops would have them and I reckon that if you took the bike back to Halfords, it would take them a long time to get a replacement. They are available on Ebay and Aliexpress. I still have half a box of them left over from when I used to buy them from the factory, so if you get stuck for one, send me a message. It'll be cheaper than from anywhere else. I also have a few of the special DNP tools needed to get them off.

Hi vfr400 l have tried the suggestion to free the pawls without success and would be interested in purchasing one of your cassettes and tool if these are still available kind Regards Neil55