New cluster - running in?

Rob Woozle:

Quoted message said:

I just had a new rear cluster put on my MTB. The guy in the shop said something about letting it
"mesh" for a while.

Your cassette meshes with your chain as a matter of routine operation. That's how your drivetrain
works. There's nothing to "run in" or "bed" before optimal operation.

Forget about what the guy said and ride your bike how you like.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jose Rizal
Rob Woozle:

Quoted message said:

I just had a new rear cluster put on my MTB. The guy in the shop said something about letting it
"mesh" for a while.

Your cassette meshes with your chain as a matter of routine operation. That's how your drivetrain
works. There's nothing to "run in" or "bed" before optimal operation.

Forget about what the guy said and ride your bike how you like.

Agreed.
In fact, the drive train will never work as well or be as smooth as when it's brand new.

Of course, this is assuming your chain is new (or nearly new) also?... If the chain isnt new, you will certainly "mesh" the cluster soon enough, possibly along with the family jewels!

(Rob Woozle) said:

Greetings all,

I just had a new rear cluster put on my MTB. The guy in the shop said something about letting it
"mesh" for a while. I know I should have asked him what he meant but the store was pretty
busy....so.....what does it mean? Go for a nice easy ride before hitting the trails again at my
regular breakneck speed??

You should have replaced the chain too. The old chain may stuff the new cluster if it is stretched
to much. I think if he meant let it bed in the chain was pretty cactus.

Regards,

Neil.

Cool - I got a new chain and gear cables as well ;-)

Quoted message said:

Agreed. In fact, the drive train will never work as well or be as smooth as when it's brand new.

Of course, this is assuming your chain is new (or nearly new) also?... If the chain isnt new, you
will certainly "mesh" the cluster soon enough, possibly along with the family jewels!

[email hidden] (Rob Woozle) wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Greetings all,

I just had a new rear cluster put on my MTB. The guy in the shop said something about letting it
"mesh" for a while. I know I should have asked him what he meant but the store was pretty
busy....so.....what does it mean?

It means you should find a bike shop that understands how bikes work, and that doesn't repeat myths,
or, in this case, make up new ones.

Name and shame, please, so the rest of us can avoid this muppet.

"John Stevenson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Rob Woozle) wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

It means you should find a bike shop that understands how bikes work, and that doesn't repeat
myths, or, in this case, make up new ones.

Name and shame, please, so the rest of us can avoid this muppet.

I recently had a new cluster and chain put on my bike and I had the chain jump a tooth on the rear a
few times in the first couple of weeks. It was always under high load like when you start off on
hill. After a couple of weeks it just stopped happening so I think there might be something to this
"meshing" thing.

Jeff Westwood

Jeff Westwood said:

I recently had a new cluster and chain put on my bike and I had the chain jump a tooth on the rear
a few times in the first couple of weeks. It was always under high load like when you start off on
hill. After a couple of weeks it just stopped happening so I think there might be something to
this "meshing" thing.

A chain that's a smidgen too "short" (ie, average pitch just under 1/2" over a few consecutive
links) can do that. Just a little wearing-in fixes it. And yes, it makes for a slightly noisier
chain (under load) while the chain's having trouble meshing where it feeds onto the sprocket at the
rear derailleur.

John

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Jeff Westwood

I recently had a new cluster and chain put on my bike and I had the chain jump a tooth on the rear a
few times in the first couple of weeks. It was always under high load like when you start off on
hill. After a couple of weeks it just stopped happening so I think there might be something to this
"meshing" thing.
Jeff Westwood

Maybe "meshing" is the new trendy term for "wear pattern". Other that that, I concur with opinions expressed above. Sounds like bike shop twaddle.

cfsmtb said:

Maybe "meshing" is the new trendy term for "wear pattern". Other that that, I concur with opinions
expressed above. Sounds like bike shop twaddle.

Meshing is what a chain and sprocket do when they engage for power transfer. It's an old use for
an old term.

Components with correct specifications and good tolerances will not have meshing problems.
Absolutely perfect tolerances are never achieved in practice - there's always a trade-off between
price and function.

In today's CAD/CAM world, component tolerances are often vastly better than they were 50 years ago
when I started cycling - even for really cheap items.

John