Rear Derailleur - life expectancy?

[dhd.evans]

My Shimano 105 rear mech has seen approx 3,788 miles of use, two offs and various mashing and tweaks to keep it in working condition. I run a compact double with an 11-28 cassette on the back and the mech has never been serviced bar replacing the jockey wheels.

In the small ring on the front the mech (once the cable was suitable adjusted) flows through the cassette with ease. In the big ring, however, it sticks, lags and generally hates to be pushed up.

Has it had it's day in the sun?

 

[I like Skol]

Probably not. Check your hanger alignment 1st. I had/have trouble getting good shifting when running a similar set up as the distance from lower jockey wheel to big chain ring is massively shorter when on the big-big combinations and this really exaggerates the chain line angles and any slight hanger/mech alignment discrepancies, even with kit much newer than yours.

 

[smutchin]

Why did you replace the jockey wheels? That shouldn't have been necessary for what is essentially still a fairly new rear mech (new in terms of its normal life expectancy).

Have you tried cleaning it? Can you be more detailed about the 'various mashing and tweaks'?

I agree with @I like Skol - hanger alignment is far more likely to be the cause of your shifting problems.

 

[I like Skol]

Why did you replace the jockey wheels? That shouldn't have been necessary for what is essentially still a fairly new rear mech (new in terms of its normal life expectancy).

Even on my fairly neglected commuter where I maybe only clean/lube the jockey wheels every other year the jockey wheels still do around 10,000 miles minimum.

 

[I like Skol]

And just to add....
I replaced the rear mech on my commuter after 17,000 miles. It probably didn't really need replacing but the shifting was getting a bit vague. This could have been a number of things;

• The Deore mech had a small amount of wear/play. Not massive, but definitely not new.
• The secondhand/salvaged jockey wheels I had fitted at about 10k were due for replacement again.
• The cables were getting a bit long in the tooth and also overdue for replacement.

In view of the mech age/distance and the fact I needed to spend on new jockey wheels anyway I decided to throw it in the spares bin and fit a swanky new XT mech and new cables just to make sure. The old one didn't owe me anything at this point and besides, life is too short to be grumbling about poor shifting on a bike used so regularly!

 

[pclay]

my 105 rear derailleur has done 5500 miles, and still going well. I may have changed the jockey wheels once. i take it off every 2000 miles or so, and give it a good clean.

 

[fossyant]

New cables as well

 

[dhd.evans]

Why did you replace the jockey wheels? That shouldn't have been necessary for what is essentially still a fairly new rear mech (new in terms of its normal life expectancy).

Have you tried cleaning it? Can you be more detailed about the 'various mashing and tweaks'?

I agree with @I like Skol - hanger alignment is far more likely to be the cause of your shifting problems.

I wanted green ones. Vanity over functionality

No, but this is all good to hear. The mashing and tweaks are just adjustments to limits, various tightenings of the cable etc. There is play on the hanger it seems, likely up for a replacement?

 

[smutchin]

I wanted green ones. Vanity over functionality

Ha! Fair enough.

There is play on the hanger it seems, likely up for a replacement?

There shouldn't be any play. Try tightening up the bolts first, and if that doesn't help, it may well need replacing.

 

[numbnuts]

My touring bike has done over 40,000 and still on the original rear mech, had a few jockey wheels in that time.