I have recently replaced the rear cluster, chain and front chainwheels, but the transmission still skips periodically. It sounds more like a clunk or click than a typical slipping chain noise and is nearly always when I go to pull away from a standstill, especially if I have freewheeled to a stop or backpedalled to get the cranks in the right place to start.

Seems to me it could be a problem with the freehub – original one on an old bike, has been taken off and lubed but never stripped. Does this seem the right diagnosis? – if so can they be fixed or is it a case of replacing it?

Probably getting old, that freehub.

Easy to replace, but you can try taking off the cassette, taking out the axle and bearings, then removing the freehub witha 10mm allen key.

Then take the freehub, gently dig out the rubber seal in the wheel side of it, hose it through with WD40 or similar, then run some thickish oil through, then re-assemble.

Dismantling a Free hub isn’t hard, just 48small ball bearings in the deore one i pulled apart which like to go around everywhere! but can get away with the above, but mine was covered in crap grease inside and so the things didnt’ engage as the grease was too sticky…

Thanks for the replies. Once the cassette was off it was obvious that the hub was the problem, spinning it by hand it sometimes wouldn’t catch. It came off easily enough, flushed it thoroughly with WD40 and lubed it with 10w40 and it all seems fine – much smoother now. It is getting old but the local shop couldn’t get another one a while ago, so it looks like I am stuck with it until its new wheel time. The problem was cack inside rather than wear so hopefully it will last a bit longer.

Multigrade oil shouldn’t thicken too much in the cold, which should be an advantage in the winter – plus I had some in the garage, it wasn’t that carefully planned. Other choices were ATF or EP90, neither of which seem right for that job.

Weather’s too nice to stay in, off to give it a try now.