Changing gear problem

tjwood

I've done about 2000 miles on my Spesh Rockhopper - not done anything apart from regular clean and lube to the SLX rear mech and Deore shifters (or chain or cassette) since new.

Have recently started noticing problems changing gear - sometimes it takes a fair time to change at all or doesn't change at all unless I change two gears at once. I followed the Park Tool guide for checking the limit screws, which seemed fine, and for adjusting the indexing. I found with the bike in a workstand that altering the barrel adjuster one way meant that the chain was rubbing on the next gear up, adjusting the other way meant that some changes down were sluggish, with no clear middle ground. I chose the best option I could but riding around I'm still finding the problem described.

Any suggestions? I guess maybe the cable - is it normal to need to replace after about this distance? Just the inner or the outer as well? Or is it likely to be something else?

nicklouse

slow gears mucky cables.

lube/replace.

tjwood

Great, thanks. I cleaned the outers and replaced the inner, all seems fine now.

stumpyjon

I'm surprised you haven't needed to change the chain. In that mileage I've replaced 5 chains, 2 inner chain rings, a middle chain ring and a cassette due to wear and stretch. Thing is if you need to swap anything now you'll probably need to replace the lot.

tjwood

Have measured chain wear, it's very minimal. And there isn't significant wear to the cassette or chain rings.

(Surely if you're getting through 1 chain every 400 miles you're doing something wrong?)