AAAARGH! Shortened chain; XT mech; problems!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Merlin
'ello all!...

Need some help please...

Specs are as follows:

1. HG chain
2. Deore chainrings
3. XT mech F & R (Long cage) '03 model
4. HG cassette

I shortened my chain by 2 full links in order to lessen the chain bouncing around on rough terrain.

It all seems to work alright, except for the highest gear ie: large chainring, smallest cassette cog.

When that combination is in force, the chain wants to move up a cog at the back. I have tried all the adjustment screws, cable tension, etc. No luck.

I cannot fit a chainguide due to my frame geometry.

Any suggestions?

Should I try bending my derailleur, or derailleur hanger?

The bike is a Trek VRX.

Thanks.

Check your chain line and Rear Derailer Alignment.
Make sure that you high stop of the rear derailer isn't set too tight. Look through all the adjustments illustrated on Sheldon Brown's site at URL:
http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html
or at Shimano's site at URL:
http://bike.shimano.com/product_images/RD/si_images/SI-6JJRB-En.pdf
DO NOT try bendeing the derailer.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Merlin
'ello all!...

Need some help please...

Specs are as follows:

1. HG chain
2. Deore chainrings
3. XT mech F & R (Long cage) '03 model
4. HG cassette

I shortened my chain by 2 full links in order to lessen the chain bouncing around on rough terrain.

It all seems to work alright, except for the highest gear ie: large chainring, smallest cassette cog.

When that combination is in force, the chain wants to move up a cog at the back. I have tried all the adjustment screws, cable tension, etc. No luck.

I cannot fit a chainguide due to my frame geometry.

Any suggestions?

Should I try bending my derailleur, or derailleur hanger?

The bike is a Trek VRX.

Thanks.

If, by chance, you re-atached the rear derailer cable, you may have put it on too tight. If that is the case, you will never be able to adjust any of the settings to allow the rear derailer to fall onto the smallest cog.

Did you bend the hanger? That symtom has nothing to do with a shortened chain. Either the cable is too tight, the high gear adjustment screw is set too far in, the cable is seizing and not releasing fully somewhere, or the derrailleur hanger is bent.

Thanks for the help guys.

I had another go at it, and failed again.

Eventually I gave up and waited for the LBS to resume ops, and took it in today.

After lengthy discussions, it was proposed to keep my shortened chain, rather than put links back thereby weakening it.

They said it's better to keep a longer chain for n00bs who may ride in ****e ratios, such as big chainring-small cog.

So now the LBS is tuning it nicely for me, and I'll keep my tight chainline.

As it turns out, my derailleur WAS slightly skew from a crash I had in early December. They are straightening my hanger for me too.

How often can you straighten an Aluminium hanger BTW? This is the second time it's being done.

I'll keep you posted.

</saga>

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Merlin


As it turns out, my derailleur WAS slightly skew from a crash I had in early December. They are straightening my hanger for me too.

How often can you straighten an Aluminium hanger BTW? This is the second time it's being done.

I'll keep you posted.

</saga>

A slightly(that is relative) bent aluminum hanger can be realigned. Doing so weakens it.Doing it again weakens it even more. No way to know when it will fail,but it probably will.