Continuous shifting issues WTF

[Thaleia]

Bike is an old Trance ~2012 with with a three speed derailer in the front and 10 speeds in the back.

Cassette (XT), Shifters (both XTR), cables and derailers (XTR) are relatively new upgrades (cables new last fall, rest is roughly two to three years old and look new. Bike is kept clean and well lubed). Crank (XT) up front is original. (LBS inspected and suggested replacing the small chain ring which I did.)

Was working flawlessly last fall when it went into storage for the winter.

This spring on my first ride out I had two issues - chain would slip off the small chain ring when emergency shifting to the lowest gear, and chain would skip around on the cassette. Took it to my primary LBS - to fix they shortened the chain a bit, replaced the small chain ring as mentioned, and adjusted both derailers.

Took it for a ride and it still skips around in the back and had problems shifting into the lowest chain ring.

(this is where I'll mention I'm ok with most mechanical bike stuff - ignore my recent fucked up rear triangle post please lol - but I have an embarrassingly poor time adjusting shifters / derailers. In fact I can't even spell derailer..)

I got the front working ok but it would fall off the lowest chain ring when down shifting maybe once per ride. Can't get the rears to stop skipping.

Took it to a new shop, never been but they have perfect reviews online for what that's worth. Got it home, out for a ride and the front wouldn't down shift twice in a strenuous 1.5 hour ride, and the rear skips around the #2 and #9 gears. Played with the barrel adjusters constantly throughout the ride but can't find a good spot.

WTF - am I just having really bad luck with these guys could there be something less obvious going on?

EDITING TO ADD - Didn't mention the chain, it's a SRAM 1051, installed when I got the cassette a couple years ago. Also, I've got it on the stand now - gears work good on stand, but shifting fails when I'm riding - so I sorta see why it left both LBS's not working perfectly.

[toast2266]

Sounds like a worn chain. A couple year old chain could easily be worn out. Cassette and rings may also be worn.

[Dantheman]

Yeah, check the chain for stretch first (if the shop didn't do this that's a big demerit). If it's stretched more than 1/16th the cassette probably needs to be replaced as well. Did the shop check to see if the hanger is straight?

Definitely weird that this developed over the winter in storage. Any possibility it got roughed up moving it around at some point?

[Thaleia]

Sounds like a worn chain. A couple year old chain could easily be worn out. Cassette and rings may also be worn.

Could a chain measure ok but still be worn enough to cause these issues? (first lbs measured the chain, said it was ok)

[toast2266]

Could a chain measure ok but still be worn enough to cause these issues? (first lbs measured the chain, said it was ok)

If the rings or cassette were worn, then yes. But if you replaced all that at the same time, they should be ok.

I'd have someone else re-check the chain. If that doesn't worth, replace the cables. If that doesn't work, sell the bike and run away.

[Thaleia]

Yeah, check the chain for stretch first (if the shop didn't do this that's a big demerit). If it's stretched more than 1/16th the cassette probably needs to be replaced as well. Did the shop check to see if the hanger is straight?

Definitely weird that this developed over the winter in storage. Any possibility it got roughed up moving it around at some point?

First LBS did measure the chain, said it was ok. First LBS did check the hanger (by eye IIRC, not sure if that counts) not sure about second LBS as I left it over night with them.

RE storage, besides sitting in a cold garage, noting I can think of, the bike wasn't touched, moved, leaned on something etc.

[SB]

Might be your rear wheel bearings or axle alignment.

[dcpnz]

More than likely a bent hanger i reckon. Can look ok eyeballing but be way off measured with the ridiculously overpriced but invaluable alignment tool.

[XXX-er]

the park tool is really nice to use IME I didnt even have to adj the cable tension after straightening the der it was right on

But you can site down the chain/der from 3 feet behind the bike and do the same thing, the der has to come off to form the hanger with a cresent wrench which is a pain but once I figured out how much to form the hanger I can usually get it in 1 try

when you charge lots of money to fix stuff you never say bend ... you form

[Dantheman]

First LBS did check the hanger (by eye IIRC, not sure if that counts)

Nope, doesn't count.

The FD kinda sounds like a bad limit screw adjustment, but I haven't run a FD since Obama's first term and never had to fiddle with them much before that so I'm not much help there.

Assuming the hanger checks out, in the rear I'd replace the cable and, much more importantly, the housing. Once that's installed, turn the barrel adjuster all the way in, hand tension the cable and tighten the anchor screw. Start adding 1-2 clicks on the barrel adjuster just until it will shift up the cassette clean. If it's still whack after that...I got nothing.

[Supermoon]

Could definitely be cable stretch if the cables are new.

Do you have a 10 speed chain (don’t know the model # you reference)?

Bad shifting on only one or two gears is usually a bent hanger though.

Park Tools has good tutorials on mechanic stuff. I always struggled with derailleur adjustments until I watched their video walking you through it.

[detrusor]

Classic bent hanger or gummy cable. The 2nd and 9th is the clue. Have hanger straightened professionally and replace cable and housing.

Then post nekkid pics of GF etc


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[plugboots]

8th or whatever on bent hanger. I recently crashed, bike shifted bad on the way home, and I suspected bent hanger and was right, (it's happened before). If you don't have a hanger the frame could be off.

[stuckathuntermtn]

The other day, I noticed the derailleur hanger somehow got loose on my commuter. No idea how that could have happened. Of course, the reason I checked the screw was because the hanger didn't eyeball straight (when I finally noticed).

[SJG]

90% of new bikes have a hanger which isn't even straight. Check it.

[Thaleia]

Well props to all who mentioned the hanger sounds bent, it was, slightly. (props to all who have replied actually). And yes chain is ten speed.

So LBS#3 bent it back - sorry, formed it back into position - readjusted, but there is still intermittent skipping in the second to last smallest cogs.

Question - can I assume I should just buy a new hanger? I'm a heavy dude, ride hard and 'don't trust' the hanger after being rebent. (I asked LBS dude and he said it should be fine but I'm desperate to get this working better).

I will replace the cable and housing, easy peasy.

Will likely replace the chain and cassette sooner rather than later.

Thanks all for chiming in.

[plugboots]

By having a bent hanger the chain has been off-line and you prolly chipped, bent, (somehow screwed up), that cog or all of them. If you know what to look for, you can file, bend back, whatever that cog. But prolly not. Also, with the chain at that angle, the chainring may be compromised slightly. Fun, huh?

[Andeh]

Yes. Hangers are cheap (~$25) and drivetrains are incredibly sensitive. I go so far as to keep 1 brand new one spare in my parts box (buy it with a new bike) because it solves so many issues.

You can even throw the "reformed" one in your backpack as an emergency spare if you tend to break stuff. Its not perfect but can get you back to the car.

[toast2266]

An event that will bend a hanger may also bend the derailleur in ways that are pretty difficult to eyeball, but will affect shifting.

Replace hanger first, because that's cheap. But replacing the derailleur might be necessary.

[buttahflake]

True that, the b-knuckle can easily get slammed hard enough to make it sloppy as fuck.

[Thaleia]

Makes sense, thanks again guys. Will get a new one, keep the old as a spare, and consider the derailleur could be off too.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Is it one of those little, (intentionally) flimsy jobs? Yes, buy a new hanger. Maybe 2. Unlike Trade Wars, they are cheap and easy to win (fix).

[XXX-er]

The aluminium hanger is the "fuse" in the system so the idea is that the Hanger bends or breaks instead of the der or the frame, i have kacked ders but most of the time it does work IME

[stuckathuntermtn]

That's what I meant by intentionally flimsy

[Dexter Rutecki]

You could take some kaopectate or some other anti-diarrhea thing for that because...oh, wait, shifting. Never mind.