What am I doing wrong?!

[Barbelier]

Done 1,000 miles since new and the chain was starting to slip/gears changing without being asked too!
Bike is the Evolution Country Explorer, 9 speed with Shimano HG50 11-32 cassette and a ? Shimano chain.

So decide to change the chain. Want to go for something a bit better/hopefully longer life, without spending a fortune. Read the reviews and opted for the KMC X9-L (Chain), which is Shimano compatible.
Fitted chain taking care to make sure it was the same length/no. of links as old chain. Gave everything a good clean and relub.

Now the gears are worse that before. I change up, they drop down again soon after. I change down, they go up. Seems to happen when I'm on the middle 4-5 gears and on the middle chain ring, which is where I do 80% of my cycling.

Bit of research on here, chat with a bike savy work colleague and decided to try changing the cassette. Guilty of not checking for chain wear since I had the bike and some of the teeth seem to display the shark fin smyptoms.

Again decide to go for a bit of an upgrade and opted for the Shimano HG80 (Cassette). Fitted with no problems. I haven't messed with anything else.
Road tested the bike and no improvement.

So what do I do now?
My thoughts are:

1. Are the cassette and chain compatible?
2. Is the chain length correct? Could it be the old one has stretched and by making the new one the same I have not solved the problem?
3. Could the chainset be worn? Hope not, because that would start to get expensive!
4. Could the rear mech (Shimano Deore) be worn/need adjusting

I'm quite happy to keep working at the problem because I'm enjoying learning how to maintain/work on the bike.

However, I don't know what to look at next, so all suggestion would be gratefully received.

 

[MJN]

Have you indexed the derailleurs? (The rear in particular if that's where the issue is occuring)

I dare say that if you're getting the same issues despite renewing the chain/sprockets then it is, and possibly always was, just an indexing or other alignment issue (e.g. bent hanger or derailleur cage) - both of which could cause the symptoms you describe.

Mathew

 

[HLaB]

Barbelier, The cassette on your bike will have worn to match your old chain and the new chain wouldn't sit right on it, so your colleague advised you right wrt the new cassette. The new set up assuming things are fitted right only a little adjusting of the cable tensions would be required.

 

[NormanD]

I think this could sure your problem Here sounds like an indexing problem




Norm

 

[Barbelier]

I think this could sure your problem Here sounds like an indexing problem


Norm

Many thanks everyone for the very helpful replies.

So that's my evening sorted now - indexing!

Hope it's a better experience that when I was learning how to adjust the front derailleurs. Spent hours messing about trying to get the gears to run smoothly, using the BicycleTutor and other videos, without success. Finally gave up , took it to the LBS who took all of 60 seconds to discover that the cable was frayed & two thirds broken under the shifter hood!

 

[on the road]

Many thanks everyone for the very helpful replies.

So that's my evening sorted now - indexing!

Hope it's a better experience that when I was learning how to adjust the front derailleurs. Spent hours messing about trying to get the gears to run smoothly, using the BicycleTutor and other videos, without success. Finally gave up , took it to the LBS who took all of 60 seconds to discover that the cable was frayed & two thirds broken under the shifter hood!

An expensive mistake

Although after 1000 miles you would have been wanting to think about changing the chain, but not necessarily the cassette.

 

[Barbelier]

An expensive mistake

Although after 1000 miles you would have been wanting to think about changing the chain, but not necessarily the cassette.

Not really. I stil have the old chain & cassette and can and will refit them at some point (if the problem was indexing then I assume the cassette and maybe the chain will still run okay). Same with the new tyres I fitted - rear has had it, but the front is hardly worn and I have kept if for future use.

Also I need to learn how to mainatin the bike and wanted to upgrade it a bit, so the time spent definately isn't wasted. I have gone from knowing virtually nothing about bike maintenance to having the confidence to have a go at most jobs.

Sometimes you have to learn the hard way though!

 

[MJN]

Sometimes you have to learn the hard way though!

Not only that, but often it is the best way to learn!

Some might even say that buying bike components is always good - whether they are needed or not! Let's not jump the gun however, as whilst it sounds like an indexing issue that may have been the case all along it is not necessarilly a foregone conclusion and given you're clearly racking up the miles they will need replacing at some stage anyway.

Check out Norman's link regarding proper setup and shout if you need a hand. As frustrating as it can sometimes be you're on a well-trodden path in this area!

Mathew

 

[Barbelier]

SORTED!

Followed the Bike Tutor video, which is very good.
Checked the B-Tension, high & low tensions, which were pretty much spot on.
Then adjusted the cable tension as per the video, but still couldn't solve the problem.

Next decided to try the method set out in the Hayes Bike Maintenance book (much simpler):
- change down one from top gear
- while spinning the pedals increase the cable tension until its starts to clatter
- back the tension off until the clatter only just stops
Hey presto everything running like clockwork!!

Feeling very pleased with myself. So much so I went on to sort out a problem I had with my disc brakes, where the caplier was misaligned.

Short test ride and running like a dream.

So it clearly was an indexing problem. You guys know your stuff - thanks a lot.

Will run the new cassette and chain for a couple of hundred miles to bed it in and make sure I'm happy with it.
Will then refit the old cassette & chain (replacing the chain if worn) and use it for training.
Couple of weeks before setting off for JOGLE with refit the new stuff.

Piece of cake this bike maintenance stuff!