Sticky gears advice

RebelButtMunch · 19-12-2016 10:33am #1

Hi
Currently my rear derailleur click-shift gears need two clicks down and one up to get it to drop down into the smaller cog. I suspect it's a buildup of oil and gunk. I use it for city commuting and I've never cleaned it in 4 years!

What's the advice on cleaning it? I was going to power wash it at the garage and then bring it home and give it lots of drip-oil

Thanks in advance.

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 10:35am

Sounds like your bike need a new gear cable (inner and outer cables ) along with a good clean!

cython · 19-12-2016 1:46pm

RebelButtMunch wrote: »

Hi
Currently my rear derailleur click-shift gears need two clicks down and one up to get it to drop down into the smaller cog. I suspect it's a buildup of oil and gunk. I use it for city commuting and I've never cleaned it in 4 years!

What's the advice on cleaning it? I was going to power wash it at the garage and then bring it home and give it lots of drip-oil

Thanks in advance.

Please do not do this, unless you are exceedingly careful about where you point the power washer! Pressure washers should never be pointed at any part of the bike that contains greased bearings, i.e. wheel hubs, freehub, headset, bottom bracket, etc. as they will flush out grease, and cause water ingress, which in turn causes corrosion. With this in mind, they are completely the wrong thing to use to clean the drivetrain (whatever about careful use on some areas of tubing).

As already mentioned, new cables and a careful but thorough clean of the chain and cassette with degreaser, followed by a relube will probably have the bike feeling like new. Pressure washer will likely make crap of it though

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 2:04pm

How to clean your bike:

https://youtu.be/5ak4AzlUz5Q

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 2:39pm

After 4 years you might need a new chain and cassette too!

magicbastarder · 19-12-2016 2:57pm

i replaced my jockey wheels today - and one definitely was past the point of rescue - but the chain is still very chatty. i think some salt got into it on the last spin, and when i got home i didn't have the chance to clean it.
probably time for a new chain anyway.

RebelButtMunch · 19-12-2016 3:02pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

How to clean your bike:

https://youtu.be/5ak4AzlUz5Q

Great vid, thanks for that. I'll be giving those techniques a go.

smacl · 19-12-2016 3:11pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i replaced my jockey wheels today - and one definitely was past the point of rescue - but the chain is still very chatty. i think some salt got into it on the last spin, and when i got home i didn't have the chance to clean it.
probably time for a new chain anyway.

Possibly one or more stiff links. If you have a quick link and can take the chain off, clean it and then take each link through its normal range of motion. That said, no harm changing the chain (and maybe cassette too if its getting on).

magicbastarder · 19-12-2016 4:11pm

it's consistently chatty, so most links are stiff - would that noise result from excess wear? as mentioned, it's about time it was changed anyway.

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 4:38pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's consistently chatty, so most links are stiff - would that noise result from excess wear? as mentioned, it's about time it was changed anyway.

Are they definitely stiff links? a "Chatty" chain (which i'm assuming is a noisey chain) could be due to an adjustment issue. Even a worn chain will run smoothly if it is adjusted correctly. Maybe the cable is worn and needs replacing? when was the last time the cable was replaced? (inner and outer cables)

magicbastarder · 19-12-2016 4:48pm

have tried playing with the adjustment on the RD, and simply cannot find a position where it's not chatty. will give it a good clean - i have a chain splitting tool somewhere - and see if that makes a difference.
is soaking a chain in hot soapy water considered to be a good or bad idea? i suspect there is salt in it - i found loads of little salt grains crystallised on the bottom of the downtube and bottom bracket, clearly as a result of me not washing the bike.

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 4:55pm

No you need to use degreaser:
Use Soap and Water AFTER you've degreased the chain.

Here's a demo video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM6mzE5lQ0w

tip: spray the foam onto a scrubbing brush and then scrub the chain and cassette... works better then the method in the video!

smacl · 19-12-2016 5:45pm

07Lapierre wrote: »

Even a worn chain will run smoothly if it is adjusted correctly

Last chain I replaced was getting noisy due to more lateral movement in the chain as a result of being stretched / worn. Noise was due to chain contacting the front mech as result of this and replacing the chain fixed it and also improved shifting. Probably left it too long before replacing it tbh.

07Lapierre · 19-12-2016 8:16pm

smacl wrote: »

Last chain I replaced was getting noisy due to more lateral movement in the chain as a result of being stretched / worn. Noise was due to chain contacting the front mech as result of this and replacing the chain fixed it and also improved shifting. Probably left it too long before replacing it tbh.

Fair enough...I must be changing my chain to frequently!

magicbastarder · 19-12-2016 10:25pm

what's the standard for links on chains these days, in terms of breaking it? i'd gravitate towards a quick link, based purely on the fact that i already have the tool, and they seem like there's less faff involved.

smacl · 20-12-2016 6:50am

I always use split links on the basis that they allow for emergency roadside repair, and generally make servicing easier though a chain pliers helps here too. A lot of the pocket mini-tools include a chain splitter, so in the event of a broken chain you can remove the broken link and replace with a split link. Moved on to 11 speed, and actually using a 10 speed link as the 11 speed links are single use and much more awkward to get on and off.

magicbastarder · 23-12-2016 3:08pm

i never considered that even if i did buy a quick link chain, i'd need a splitter to shorten it anway.

what's the wisdom on replacing the block at the same time as the chain? derek in humphries said i'd probably have to do it. to my untrained eye, the teeth on the block don't look worn.

smacl · 23-12-2016 4:51pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i never considered that even if i did buy a quick link chain, i'd need a splitter to shorten it anway.

what's the wisdom on replacing the block at the same time as the chain? derek in humphries said i'd probably have to do it. to my untrained eye, the teeth on the block don't look worn.

I usually replace the cassette less often, usually at the same time as every 2nd chain. Depends to some extent on funds and how the cassette is looking. Common advice is that if you put a new chain on a worn cassette or chain rings, you'll also shorten the life of that chain.

magicbastarder · 23-12-2016 5:10pm

yeah, it doesn't look worn to me, though i'm just going on youtube videos - i reckon about 6k of 95% dry cycling on it.

07Lapierre · 23-12-2016 7:24pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, it doesn't look worn to me, though i'm just going on youtube videos - i reckon about 6k of 95% dry cycling on it.

It's hard to tell if a cassette is worn by looking at it. Buy and fit a new chain...go for a short spin and stand on the pedals. Do this in a few different gears. If the chain jumps, you need a new cassette.

magicbastarder · 30-12-2016 8:34pm

i ended up washing the chain today in white spirits, and it's far less worn (going by the method of measuring it along a ruler, at least) than i expected - less than 1/16th stretch over 12 inches. it's an old 9 speed chain, so maybe a bit more durable? i'm going to replace it in the next week or two anyway.

quick links are great'n'all, but not when you put them in a safe place when washing the chain and then spend half an hour trying to remember where the safe place is.

Sticky gears advice

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