Problems with newish bike - advice please!

fat_canuck

Hi,

I am relatively new to mtb'ing (it never was a big deal in the prairies of Canada!) so this may be obvious but here goes. I bought a Claude Butler CW27 in Dec of last year. Over the last 7 months I have built myself up and go fairly regularly now (but for the first 3 months it was only 1-2 short rides a week). So in the time I have had the bike I have probably put about 500miles on it, not hard riding for most of it!

However, from early on I had problems with chain suck. These got worse until the first chain broke - replaced it and then the new one recently broke too. It has become very frustrating, and I know now that I need a new chainring (the one that came with the bike is a truvativ set) - but that came after having the LBS look at my bike and say the rings were mullered. At the time they also mentioned that the frame has been scored enough to cause concern. I approached the place I picked up my bike from (no names mentioned), but they have said that I had not properly maintained the bike, and that as far as they were concerned part of regular maintenance is to replace the chainrings.

So in approx 4 months of moderate riding I have a chainring that is no longer any good and has caused frame damage which the trader will not replace as it is my fault. Is that right? I mean is that a reasonable ammount of time for a chainset to last? I would understand if the problem started at around a year, but to have had it from so early on and getting worse - is this really my "fault" from "not maintaining" the bike? (i clean it weekly and do all recomended maintenence from zimms, I dont know what else I could do???)

Thanks (in advance) for any help and advice!

supersonic

You both have reasonable points. Chainsuck is usually caused by worn and hooked chainrings and/or dirt and grit. Thing is, if you knew it was happening, you should have seeked advice quicker if the change of chain did not fix it, and kept an eye on the chainrings. I would expect the ring to have lasted slightly longer, but some light alu versions do wear quickly, especially in dirty dusty conditions.

Have you got a picture of the frame and chainrings?

fat_canuck

The suck was sporadic at first, only in the past month has it got to the point of being intolerable. I did keep an eye on the chainrings, but they seem to have gone downhill so fast in the last 4 weeks that it has been astonishing.

I took this photo earlier this week - before it was just a bit of paint scuffing but on my ride this time it went just ridiculous which is why I am complaining to them... the worst of the damage here is from just that one ride. Havent taken it out since.

I do understand what theyre saying but I am just in disbelief that the chainrnigs are not expected to last a year, not FFP imho! If the mfr uses a poor/incapable part then surely they should expect issues and returns based on its failure...

supersonic

The frame does look pretty bad - the outer chainring looks fine though. What are the others like?

Parts do wear out - not considered failures unless they crack, break etc. 500 miles does seem a bit short, but in dusty, gritty conditions I have seen alu chainrings last even less! But the shop would argue that you should have stopped riding and prevented the damage from getting worse if it was happening repeatedly.

Do you have any pics of the chain, and inner chainrings. Also check that the chain doesn't have any stiff links.

fat_canuck

ha! the chap at the supplier I was talking to looked at that pic and said the wear was "extreme". The others are actually in better shape than the outer - solid and straight. The outer is where the suck happens, rarely on the inner ones, and it seems to have given the outer a slight wobble - which only came on after this ride. Already checked the chain for stiff links, no joy there. I dont have any pics at this point but I am going to do a photo session tonight just to have some more evidence - after I give the bike a wash.

Bear in mind we have only had a few weeks of dusty conditions, most of my riding has been winter/spring so very moist

I guess my problem is that I bought the bike from an online shop and have had it looked at by my lbs - so the supplier could claim that I have not talked to them about it, while my lbs knows be on a first name basis due to the problems

supersonic

There is slight wear to the faces, but nothing extreme! This is extreme!





Check the ring for any bent teeth. Of course it should run straight.

geordiefreerider

supersonic wrote:

There is slight wear to the faces, but nothing extreme! This is extreme!





Check the ring for any bent teeth. Of course it should run straight.

That looks like my middle ring !!!

benneally

what is chain suck?

geordiefreerider

When you pedal the chain rides up with the chainring from underneath causing the cranks to lock up sometimes jamming the chain.

benneally

oooooh :roll: thanks

stickygreen

My bike is one week old and i got some nasty looking scratches in the exact same place the chain came off once and started it off and since then it has jammed up twice scratching it quite badly is this not meant to happen or is just something that happens with bikes?

supersonic

Not meant to happen, but it can for the reasons outlined earlier.

stickygreen

my chain is immaculate i dont have a chain cleaner but i scrub it with a brush and then oil it the rings also look perfect can it happen when changing gear with pressure on the peddles?

supersonic

It is best to change while easing off the power.

SKS007

I always ease of the power to change gear, i didn't know what chain suck was untill this thread, obviously i've never had it.

stickygreen

It does SUCK i was pedling flat out then just stoped it was as much as i could do to stay on.

balchy88

i have the same bike and have had it since december, i have never had that problem, after dirty and gritty rides i take the chain off and clean it along with the rings, i have noticed that the gears are out but i think that might be from the gear cable stretching

Andy B

balchy88 wrote:

i have the same bike and have had it since december, i have never had that problem, after dirty and gritty rides i take the chain off and clean it along with the rings, i have noticed that the gears are out but i think that might be from the gear cable stretching

Yup sounds like cable stretch. readjust the gears (Parktools tells you how to)

bikeperson45

If your worried about the frame might be worth getting a chainstay protecter and putting it along there.