Derailleur help.....

[schmalex]

I have just bought a new Trek 6000 series. Having not ridden for ages, I decided to go with the cheapest in the range, as my talent doesn't really justify anything more expensive than £500!!!!

The bike is fitted with a Shimano Deore drivetrain.

I am riding every day on a couple of local trails between 6 & 7 miles of mostly bridleways & fast dirt track. Whenever I come back from a ride, the indexing for the rear derailleur seems to be shot, with horrible clicking noises coming from the rear end. I & the bike shop I bought it from have tried to set it up (which I have done before numerous times on Shimano Deore LX derailleurs) & just can't get the set up correct (even if I do get it right, by the end of the ride the next day, the indexing is shot to bits again!!).

I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the derailleur is st & I am I best off just upgrading the rear derailleur to LX or XT. Would this be an appropriate solution?!?!?!

[Moose.]

When you say shot, what exactly do you mean? Can't get top/bottom gear? Keeps "ghost" shifting? Shift levers out of sync with the selected gear?

The indexing is controlled from the shifter levers, so that's where I'd be looking. However, the biggest improvement I experienced was after I'd swapped to XTR cables.

[snotrag]

Check the Derraileur hanger is straight. The shop should have the correct tool to do this (no its not some mole grips) and should check this automatically... But then not all shops are equal.

[mat205125]

Cheap stretchy cables could be a problem maybe??

[Tim.s]

Sounds like cables, the rear loop often gets muck in which would cause this. You would get the same problem however much you spend on a mech.

Try dropping a little oil into your cables every now and then with a 'cable oiler' looks like a pen with a point on one end for getting the oil in, availible from your bike shop for about a fiver. Also worth getting your gear cables changed once or twice a year.

I had some expensive Transfil cables last year but they soon rusted up all the same, i just go for the cheapy standard ones now, there isn't a great deal of difference.

[schmalex]

Thanks for the replies folks. Going to take it to a different bike shop this morning & get them to have a look at it (the bike shop I bought it from don't exactly inspire me with their customer service) - the damn thing is only 2 weeks old & has only covered 50 miles!!!

Re. one of the previous replies, where I gave my highly tecnical description of "the indexing is shot", I mean that when I select a gear, I either hear the grating sound from the sprocket that you listen for when you are tuning the indexing, or it jumps straight off the chosen rear cog onto the next one down. This happens every time after a ride & I then have to re-tune the indexing for the next day, repeat ad infinitum!

[Tim.s]

Ah, you shouldn't need to oil cables that new.

Sounds like it needs a gear service, did the place you bought it from not offer you a free first service?

[mat205125]

Tim.s said:

Ah, you shouldn't need to oil cables that new.

Sounds like it needs a gear service, did the place you bought it from not offer you a free first service?

Probably muppets

[Tim.s]

Takes time and patience to find a good bike shop, i moved towns a few months ago and had to try a few before i got the service i was after.

I find the inner city ones really don't understand that you are handing over your pride and joy for them to work on.

[mk1fan]

Sounds like the cable outer stop ends were piss poorly fitted on set up and the cables are seating themselves properly - usually refered to a cable stretch. Alternative problems could be a bent mech hanger, broken shifter or crud getting in the cables.

If you're not happy at the supplying LBS then take it somewhere that fills you with some more confidence. If you can take it in on a week day morning or afternoon (ie not lunch time or straight after work) then the guys may look at it and sort it for free - if all that's needed is a simple adjustment.

Deore is quality stuff - it maybe perceived as poor quality given the number of ranges above it - but I ran a Deore mech on my commuter for 3000 odd adjustment free miles. Then sold it on e-Bay.

[Parrot of Doom]

I would guess that the cable isn't moving as slickly as it should. Maybe it's tight somewhere around the frame. Once the indexing is set it should remain roughly perfect for months.

[rhinochopig]

It could also be the length of cable into the derailleur. Too long or short can affect shifting.

If it was a bent hanger then the problem would be the same all the time. The OP seems to suggest that he can get it indexed before the ride.

[schmalex]

rhinochopig said:

The OP seems to suggest that he can get it indexed before the ride.

Correctamundo. However, the bike is now with the shop I bought it from with the strict instruction of not to phone me until they have fixed it, tested it & tested it again. Bit of a pisser really, as I have been enjoying my lunchtime 7 / 8 mile rides & can really feel the benefit already.

[gorisan26]

I'd say cables too, put some good ones on (xtr) give them a ride or two to settle then they shouldn't need much attention till you use it in alot of wet weather!

[snotrag]

snotrag said:

Check the Derraileur hanger is straight.

Seriously. Lots of good advice, but cables, cables cables... Check the hanger is straight first!

RE Deore - No its not crap at all. Properly setup Deore groupset will be quick and smooth.

[rhinochopig]

snotrag said:

snotrag said:

Check the Derraileur hanger is straight.

Seriously. Lots of good advice, but cables, cables cables... Check the hanger is straight first!

RE Deore - No its not crap at all. Properly setup Deore groupset will be quick and smooth.

But if the hanger was bent the problem would be the same before and after. Indexing that drifts is a symptom of cables sticking or stretching (or even possible a dodgy shifter although very unlikely)

You're right on the Deore stuff - as functionally good as XTR IMHO just not as pretty or as light.