Drivetrain Stiffness

I gave my chain a clean and re-grease over the weekend, and since then I've found the drivetrain has been feeling really stiff - as if I'd changed up to a bigger gear ratio. The really odd thing is that it isn't constant, I can ride into work and it feels really bad and then ride home and it feels okay, and today it changed over the course of the ride in.

The chain was scrubbed in warm water and fairy liquid, then wiped down, oiled and given a light coat of GT85. I've tried putting a bit more oil on and loosening the bb cup very slightly (it's an old racer with the original cup and cone/cottered setup) but that hasn't made much difference.

Any ideas? My legs are starting to complain about the extra work...

did you break the chain when you removed it to clean
check each linky and make sure there isn't a tight one ?
i wouldn't have thought it would make much of a difference though

Stupid question but you made sure the wheel is on properly, so it's not rubbing the frame or anything?
Is your chain tension good? (not too tight)
Brake rubbing?
Headwind? (it's been pretty windy recently, it's made my commute a right slog!)

take your chain off and spin your wheel, check it rolls true and well. maybe your cones are up to tight. if the stiffness alters when you loosen/tighten your track nuts then i'd look there

Cheers guys.

I didn't break the chain, and it feels stiff evenly round, so I'm pretty sure it's not a stuck link.

Wheel alignment and chain tension are fine, I've taken the wheel off and put it back on. I don't have a back brake and the front isn't rubbing.

Hahaha, I did consider headwind but I'm sure it's not that as I can feel when it frees up even when there is wind.

Checked how the wheel was rolling and it did feel a bit gritty, but they're shit hubs and they've never run amazingly. Would be odd that it coincided with cleaning my chain though...maybe I'll try overhauling the hub this weekend and see if that helps.

My first instincts would be chain tension too tight but it seems as if you have covered that one. Otherwise I think you might just be tired.

I've had this problem with mine too, I tightened up my cog though and it was fine.

How far does the chain move when you grab it and move it up and dow?

Now, spin the wheel a quarter turn and do it again - any looser or tighter?

Now another quarter turn and try again?

You can do this while look from behind the bike to check for any sideways movement or twisting too. Your chain should move up and down 10-15mm from where it natural sits.

The chain definitely isn't binding anywhere, and the chainring slots onto raised bolt holes on the spider and the bolts are loctited in, so it's not wonky chainring.

I think it's probably shit hub syndrome. I'll have a closer look this weekend.

Did you touch the axle cones at all? Try loosening them.