Mystery resistance?

Ok, somewhere in my drivetrain there is a really annoying resistance of some sort. I've been riding along and it feels like I am riding through mud to the point that I was unable to ride up Holland Park Ave. even though I was nearly busting a blood vessel trying to do so. So far I have:

Checked tyre pressure, both at 120psi
Taken chain off, BB spins smoothly and freely, wheel spins smoothly and freely
Thoroughly cleaned and relubed chain, cleaned chainring, cleaned sprocket
Checked pedals, both spin smoothly and freely
Tried various chain tensions throughout the day, from tight as fuck to almost falling off slack.

It was doing my head in so much (amongst other things) that I threw my bike in front of a bus that just narrowly avoided running it over. So before I do something else equally silly does anyone have any ideas why it feels like I am cycling through custard with a flat tyre?

ps. tried the htfu method but my knees will explode if I try another 8 hours of riding like that.

Is it a new build? Has the problem allways existed, or did it ride well until recently? Do you roll your jeans up, or do you wear cycle clips?
These may seem facetious questions, but without the answers I'll probably have no idea what is causing the problem.
What's your chainline like?
It could be that your knees have been mysteriously filled with custard.

It could be that your knees have been mysteriously filled with custard.

mm custard!

Take to your lbs for a professional opinion...but strange though considering you've checked bit's. What are the rear hub bearings like?

Have you been tested for AIDS ?

New bb was installed about 3 weeks ago which seems like the obvious culprit but it spins a LOT better than my old one (it was so fucked it locked up whilst I was riding in an alleycat and caused me to skid and nearly take out the person following me), trousers rolled up as standard. Chainline is spot on, when the chain is taken off and I just spin the rear wheel it spins round for fucking ages and smoothly as well. The chain has always been a bit noisy but I don't know what to put that down to?

Have you been tested for AIDS ?

Yeah I caught it whilst suffrering from a bout of MRSA as it happens, loads of orange juice and positive thinking sorted it right out though, oh yeah and echinacea.

wind?

front brake rubbing?

Definitely not brakes rubbing, not wind either as I had a tailwind going downhill and *still *had trouble accelerating

Yeah I caught it whilst suffrering from a bout of MRSA as it happens, loads of orange juice and positive thinking sorted it right out though, oh yeah and echinacea.

Cool, echinacea and homeopathy pretty much sorts out all your medical problems.*

*[Edit, this could be misunderstood as being serious, it's not - I feel better now that I have said that].

Definitely not brakes rubbing, not wind either as I had a tailwind going downhill and *still *had trouble accelerating

Rear wheel rubbing on a stay when your weight is on the bike ?

Nope, checked that whilst riding along. I've tried holding the bike with the rear wheel off the ground and given the pedals a good push round and can see the wheel slow in a way that show there is some kind of resistance but I can't for the life of me see where...

What a puzzle!
did you check the front hub?

Nope, checked that whilst riding along. I've tried holding the bike with the rear wheel off the ground and given the pedals a good push round and can see the wheel slow in a way that show there is some kind of resistance but I can't for the life of me see where...

Does it (the slowing down) happen in one particular place in the rotation of either the wheel or the chainring ?

Did you create an air-brake hairstyle?
Shoes rubbing on cranks?

Does it (the slowing down) happen in one particular place in the rotation of either the wheel or the chainring ?

Hmm, not too sure and can't be bothered to get out of bed and go downstairs to see right now, what you thinking? Tight spot on the chain?

Hmm, not too sure and can't be bothered to get out of bed and go downstairs to see right now, what you thinking? Tight spot on the chain?

Tight spot on the chainring, misaligned rear cog, something like that . . . .

Definitely not brakes rubbing, not wind either as I had a tailwind going downhill and *still *had trouble accelerating

I'm sorry, you have definitely contracted the rare and incurable condition that is Custard Knee .

Tight spot on the chainring, misaligned rear cog, something like that . . . .

Seems like the best bet so far, I'll have a check tomorrow, cheers for lending your brainpower.

I'm sorry, you have definitely contracted the rare and incurable condition that is Custard Knee .

I'm leaning more towards the Bike AIDS diagnosis at the moment tbh

Where abouts are you Festerban? Come to East drinks tonight and we'll get Dr.Jimbilly on the case.

stupid question, but would having different chain would cause that? (as 3/32, 1/8 etc.).

It's all 1/8th components for me, I wouldn't have thought it would make that much difference though.

I'm SE based but in intensive '2 days before uni hand in date' mode so I probably can't make it down but I may try if the academia gets too much for me.

another solution to find out if it not entirely the rear wheel is to replace the rear wheel with a spare (if you have one that is) to eliminate the suspect.

I completely forgot I have a flip flop with a freewheel on the other side, I'll give that a quick go tomorrow and see what happens.