Hoping someone can diagnose this video

[Lee c]

Hi guys so bike is a few weeks old, when free wheeling made this horrible noise , put on the bike stand and it was replicated straight away, spin the cranks let go and this happens…..

 

[Lee c]

 

[Lee c]

Annoyingly the video isn’t sharing …

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Hi Lee,

where is the video hosted?

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Think it’s fixed now.

 

[RustyMTB]

Your cassette isn't rotating with the wheel which suggests it's not secured to the hub correctly if at all & tha is unusal, goven the way they're designed to go on the the hub. Need to take the wheel out & check the cassette is secured & if it is, then move on to checking the hub itself as your next port of call & where I suspect you'll find the issue.

 

[Lee c]

Your cassette isn't rotating with the wheel which suggests it's not secured to the hub correctly if at all & tha is unusal, goven the way they're designed to go on the the hub. Need to take the wheel out & check the cassette is secured & if it is, then move on to checking the hub itself as your next port of call & where I suspect you'll find the issue.

thanks mate will give that a go and see what we find I have read a few negative reports about the nova tech hubs

 

[Lee c]

Think it’s fixed now.

Thanks Rob

 

[Konanige]

Sounds like freehub issues!

 

[Lee c]

Do you think so mate, any idea what could have caused that so early , it’s only done 60 miles

Sounds like freehub issues!

 

[Konanige]

Not unusual for something to be loose or broken from new. Check that there's nothing between spokes and cassette that could be catching, if not pull off the freehub and check if the pawls or springs are showing any signs of damage.

 

[ChillyWilly]

Pull the cassette and freehub off. Maybe one of the pawls broken. You should be able to pull the cassette and freehub off one one piece.

 

[Mikerb]

stuck or broken freehub pawl.

 

[Landy Andy]

My Nova hub. Now replaced with Hope items.

 

[RustyMTB]

What was on the clock by the time that happened, Andy? Pretty clear the seals aren't up to much but the lad above says his bike has just 60 miles on the dial.

 

[Mikerb]

My Nova hub. Now replaced with Hope items. View attachment 83890 View attachment 83891

dear lord!! For one reason or another that hub was not sealed at all!!

 

[Lee c]

Thanks for all the replies guys , wow that was filthy !! I’m going to be taking the wheel off and have a look this weekend and I’ll let you know what I find,

 

[Mikerb]

Thanks for all the replies guys , wow that was filthy !! I’m going to be taking the wheel off and have a look this weekend and I’ll let you know what I find,

I am not familiar with the way in which the Novatec hub is assembled but from the photos above the large circular seal on the face of the freehub that sits on the hub ratchet surround, was clearly not doing anything! If the design is such that the freehub is secured into the hub by cone nuts on the non drive side of the axle, then those cone nuts were not properly adjusted to make the face of the seal sit tight on the hub face. So worth checking when you strip yours.

 

[Landy Andy]

They rely on the centre ring to keep the teeth out. The ring is very weak and very much a budget design. It wouldn’t take much for any part of it to fail as it they aren’t well sealed.

 

[Lee c]

Well had a look at the wheel and free hub and the seal was rubbish it had let loads of muck in which had affected the paws moving , cleaned it all out and re lubed it now working spot on, think I’ll be replacing that hub though … worth changing just the hub or upgrading to a hope fortus rear wheel ?

 

[Mikerb]

My 2019 Levo had Formula hubs which were also not well sealed and a similar design.......although nowhere near as bad as the pics a bove. I did need to clean/service it very regularly though.

By contrast the DT Swiss 350 hub with ratchet drive XD freehub on my Whyte E 180 ( DT Swiss H1700 wheel) is completely clean and dry whenever I check it. It is just a far better design.

As I said I do not know the Novatec hub but on the basis the Novatec hub is similar............the seals on the Formula hub ( drive side) were a) the circular seal that sits on the ledge of the freehub behind the pawls, and b) a seal that fitted the end of the axle on the drive side.

The hub axle was secured in the hub by 2 cone nuts on the non drive side. The adjuster nut needed to be tightened until some resistance was felt in the axle rotation, then loosened a quarter turn and the locknut applied. That adjustment needed to be repeated after a couple of rides if the axle and bearing faces had been greased ( as a service or when newly assembled) because once the grease had been displaced the axle play would be excessive. That play would impact on the seals.

The freehub was secured using a single cone nut reverse thread. It was important to make sure the seal on the axle was not damaged ( and the right way a round). The cone nut was tightened hand tight plus half a turn.
All of that made sure the seals were effective...or at least reasonably effective!

Note any axle play or bearing wear will mean the seals will cease to do their job.

 

[Lee c]

My 2019 Levo had Formula hubs which were also not well sealed and a similar design.......although nowhere near as bad as the pics a bove. I did need to clean/service it very regularly though.

By contrast the DT Swiss 350 hub with ratchet drive XD freehub on my Whyte E 180 ( DT Swiss H1700 wheel) is completely clean and dry whenever I check it. It is just a far better design.

As I said I do not know the Novatec hub but on the basis the Novatec hub is similar............the seals on the Formula hub ( drive side) were a) the circular seal that sits on the ledge of the freehub behind the pawls, and b) a seal that fitted the end of the axle on the drive side.

The hub axle was secured in the hub by 2 cone nuts on the non drive side. The adjuster nut needed to be tightened until some resistance was felt in the axle rotation, then loosened a quarter turn and the locknut applied. That adjustment needed to be repeated after a couple of rides if the axle and bearing faces had been greased ( as a service or when newly assembled) because once the grease had been displaced the axle play would be excessive. That play would impact on the seals.

The freehub was secured using a single cone nut reverse thread. It was important to make sure the seal on the axle was not damaged ( and the right way a round). The cone nut was tightened hand tight plus half a turn.
All of that made sure the seals were effective...or at least reasonably effective!

Note any axle play or bearing wear will mean the seals will cease to do their job.

 

[Lee c]

I’m going to keep an eye on it over the next few rides and see how I get on with it but can definitely see an upgrade coming haha crazy on a 5k bike to have such budget parts though, that being said the rest is superb !

 

[RustyMTB]

When you find out about the headset on those, you're gonna flip.

 

[Landy Andy]

Well had a look at the wheel and free hub and the seal was rubbish it had let loads of muck in which had affected the paws moving , cleaned it all out and re lubed it now working spot on, think I’ll be replacing that hub though … worth changing just the hub or upgrading to a hope fortus rear wheel ?

I replaced my entire wheel, well obviously I can’t have odd, so a pair of new Hope Fortus. Very happy with the change. Can recommend.

 

[James_C]

I have Hope fortus (pro 4 hub) and after a wet/sandy day out it started to sound rather unusual. When I eventually pulled it apart it was full of sandy muck like above and the springs had broken, bearings full of grit.

I think you just need to service them often, particularly after a messy day out.

 

[Lee c]

Yeah I’ve been looking at the hope fortus tbh, are the headsets poor ? @RustyMTB at least they cheaper than hubs ha

 

[RustyMTB]

Yeah, it's an FSA caged race cheapy & will get gunked up soon enough. Cheap fix though, just ride it until it goes notchy & get rid then.

 

[Lee c]

No problem mate I’ll do that

 

[Silver fox]

No problem mate I’ll do that

60 m. and it’s doing that? I be back where you purchased it and have them repair/replace it. That’s what warranties are all about!