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N asked in SportsCycling · 1 decade ago

Mountain bike became tougher to pedal?

Has anyone encountered this before? My bike used to ride nicely, gliding pretty well. But for some reason, its become much harder to pedal. Heck, I actually have to pedal to move it on a small downhill slope (when I first got it, it used to just glide down by itself on the very same slope)...

Its started screwing up after I repaired a puncture (took the wheel off) but I've taken a look at it many times since, I still cant find where the excess resistance is coming from... My chain's gone a little rusty too since I haven't used it in a while now (due to the resistance problem). Would some WD40 on the chain fix that?

Any help is greatly appreciated :) thanks all!

6 Answers

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  • John M
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Pick up the bike and spin the wheels. They should spin freely and not rub on the brake pads. You need to maintain your chain by cleaning and oiling it often. I would replace a rusty chain and start out anew. WD-40 is not a chain lube and will make things worse, buy a chain lube. The last thing to check is your tire pressure. You want to keep it in the range printed on the sidewall of the tire.

    http://bicycletutor.com/

  • David D.
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Both Old Hippie & John are right. WD-40 is not a lubricant. The WD stands for Water Displacement.

    Is it the front or rear wheel you took off? I'm guessing the rear. Yes, something may be binding or not aligned properly. Click on link from Bicycle Tutor. How To Remove and Install Your Wheels.

    Source(s): http://bicycletutor.com/remove-install-wheels/
  • OldHippie
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    "Would some WD40 on the chain fix that?"

    NEVER - EVER use WD-40 on a bicycle chain. If it's just a "little" rusty, clean & re-lube it. If it's a lot rusty, replace it. See video links below.

    Source(s): http://bicycletutor.com/chain-lubrication/ http://bicycletutor.com/no-wd40-bike-chain/
  • High Voltage
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    You got the bearings squeezed toooo tight from taking off the wheel to fix it...

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  • Fanny Glasscock
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Turn it upside down and spin the wheels by hand. One of them is tight isn't it? Loosen the bearing.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Change the gear, of course!

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