I hate rear mechs!!!

[Gari]

Having built up the new bike, I am trying to get the gears set up. Same issue as with the WTF when I was building that, can't get it to shift well. It will shift up nicely, or it will shift down nicely, but not both!!! When it's adjusted to shift up nicely the bloody thing won't go down, and vice versa, best I can get is shifting up OK if I "over shift" a little, and then have it grudgingly drop down after a few " tick-tick-ticks, though not always......
Pretty poor cable run on the frame so I am going for a walk to the LBS for some outer, and shall try a full run zip tied to the frame to see if that helps. For those that will ask, or offer advice: 3cassettes tried(2brand new, 1 about 1000km old maybe) new chainring, new chain, new rear mech and new cables. Obviously new frame set too.
Ok, rant over, off for a walk

[HopeValleyPaul]

Bent derailure hanger? Get the lbs to check.

[Gari]

I have a squarey thing and checked that, cheers. New outer seems to have helped, as I say the internal cable run is quite"convoluted" TBH. I shall be ordering some of those sticky cable zip tie things in another thread I think. As I said also, I am quite OCD about these things, I can't ride behind a bike that has that tch-tch-tch of a mech that is trying to up shift up a little, no matter how little! I have to overtake/drop back or, if its someone I am riding with, adjust it So possibly being a little over sensitive doesn't help. It's a lot better now so I am gonna take it out for a quick spin.
Apologies for the over use of technical terminology

[HaYWiRe]

Ive had a similar problem on 2 bikes and both were down to cables and tension.

First was badly worn outer and inners so new fixed that, the second...which admittedly I'm still working on (waiting for time) was from fitting brand new cables, where I had cut the outers (using correct cable cutters) I had managed to bur the ends meaning the inner rubs ever so slightly, hardly noticeable but wouldn't index at all. Put the old outers on and problem solved, just waiting to tidy up the new outer cable ends. And maybe it was just me...but using the wrong size ferrules didn't help either...oh well, live and learn.

A question myself though, as I once considered it, doesn't full length outers create more friction than partial? Obviously at the the advantage of less places for dirt to enter.

[ScotRoutes]

doesn't full length outers create more friction than partial? Obviously at the the advantage of less places for dirt to enter.

Correct. A newly fitted, well-routed partial outer has a LOT less friction.

Gari - if you don't have one then it's well worth investing in a mech hanger alignment tool. You'd be amazed how much difference it can make.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/x-to ... prod122319

[Gari]

Cheers Colin, that's the squarey thing I was talking about. Clearly not the correct term at all
Re the outer, it's more about the fact that the internal routing has some pretty narrow radius kinks in it, esp from the chainstay to mech. With the full outer I can go along the TT and straight down the seatstay with short, open radius bends, as it were.
Been considering getting a Gevenalle BURD for a while now, may order one and put this mech in the spares box.

[cyclingtiger]

Bar end friction shifters FTW?

[Kumquat]

Hi
I use fibrax universal inner and outer ptfe cables.
They last about 2 or three years.
The trick is not to lube them.
Approximately 4 squids from spa cycles I think.
They are good.

[Gari]

Not sure that would help, given that the cable had/has too much friction for the mech to "pull" the cable on the downshift. And they have the looks only a mother could love, as they say, and this mummy thinks the're pretty fugly
Talking about bar end shifters, rather than Fibrax cables.

[Lawmanmx]

i Hate Sram mechs! nowt but trouble

[padonbike]

Don't been to be unhelpful but it's not something that can be diagnosed without seeing the bike. But, if as you say, all is new equipment, the problem shouldn't be too difficult to resolve. Good luck.

[Gari]

Cheers, more of a rant TBH, felt better afterwards least ways
I quite like SRAM mechs actually, though that's not the problem here.

[PaulB]

Gari,

What mech and cassette are you using?

[ScotRoutes]

Cheers Colin, that's the squarey thing I was talking about. Clearly not the correct term at all
Re the outer, it's more about the fact that the internal routing has some pretty narrow radius kinks in it, esp from the chainstay to mech. With the full outer I can go along the TT and straight down the seatstay with short, open radius bends, as it were..

I run a 9-speed MTB rear mech on my 10-speed STI'd tourer. I've recently "upgraded" it with a XT Shadow version as the cable routing from chainstay to mech is much straighter.

[Gari]

XT 9spd shadow mech, praxis works 11-40, sram 11-36 and an XT 11-36, 105 STIs.
A lot better after a shortish ride, though still not great. I am going to have another look at the cable ends and ferrules etc, to make sure the cuts are clean and the likes.
Bloody bottom bracket area is creaking quite badly too, gonna need to strip and clean the drive train up before tomorrow's ride as well. I hate the first few rides of a new build

[PaulB]

Gari,

I presume it was worse with the Praxis cassette? Wide range cassette + standard rear mech = more noise than normal due to the larger chain wrap and out off design parameters. I assume it gets noisier on the easiest three cogs and pretty noiseless on the rest. I think things would improve hugely with a 'mtb 10 speed goat link' there, but I am sure a link will not work on a 9 spd mech though as the link is slightly different shape.
With the more standard range cassettes it should work well. 1 notch at a time on the adjustment, clean cable cuts, straight hanger etc as you have said. It will probably come right after a short shake down ride and a small re adjustment.
New chains have more stiction with the manufacturers grease which doesn't help the down change.
Not sure this helps, hope it goes well.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I had something similar a few weeks ago ... then realised I'd fitted a 10 speed shifter to a 9 speed drivetrain*

*I realise this isn't your problem.

[fatbikephil]

Thats a symptom of a sticking cable but full length outers should be fine so maybe a kinked outer?? I went through this recently and discovered I'd arsed up the stop screw position - take it all to bits and start again?

[Gari]

Gears are fine now, full length outer and made sure all the cuts were clean etc. Just need to sort this creaking out now. BB and seatpost/ saddle I suspect. Completely stripped, cleaned and greased the BB but still making a noise. Fortunately I have lots of spare chainset and bottom brackets etc.... A day of bike Meccano tomorrow I feel!

[Zippy]

Once all the main points are covered - I've been in a similar situation where the stop screws are all fine, but i can only make the shifting work smoothly in one direction (and just about ok in the other) - a bit of wearing in and it all played nice. Just being a bit of a case that it's almost meshing a bit too well and being reluctant to change.

Basically what Paul said:

New chains have more stiction with the manufacturers grease which doesn't help the down change.

Can't wait for Di2 to be more affordable! Then stuff like Stu's 10 speed 9 speed mis-match can be sorted with a laptop