Opinions please

merkin
merkin Posts: 452
edited February 2010 in Commuting chat
I bought a new bike last July from a large chain of bike shop.
I have since only ridden it about 400 (mostly dry) miles (my cycle computer has less than 300 miles on it and it took me a week to fit it, plus sometimes don't turn it on for a few miles)
The rear SRAM X7 dérailleur has started sticking in the lowest gear and wont select the highest gear. I gave it a good clean and lubed it up but the problem persists. I took it back to the shop today and the mechanic says the spring is too weak and it needs a new derailluer. The assistant informs me it probably wont be covered by warranty as the back end of the bike was dirty. The bike has never been off road, it is a cannondale badboy 700 hybrid on slicks! All the dirt was from a ride out last weekend on country lanes, it doesn't have mudguards. I didn't take it out on the salty roads from the cold snap and the bike lives in a dry garage.
Does this sound reasonable of the shop to you? The assistant has said he will see what the mechanic says about the warranty and call me back tomorrow so I want to know what my stance should be when he calls.
Obviously my view is that 6 months and 400 miles should be well within the expected lifespan of a brand name component used in normal conditions. (in fact compared to the intended use of the same component on a mtb mine is practically wrapped up in cotton wool)

Comments

  • Sounds like it just needs adjusting to me. After a while, cables have been known to stretch causing pretty much exactly what you describe. It's certainly more likely than the spring becoming weak.

    My guide to properly adjusting rear deraillers is here:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... &start=198

    Hope this helps.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    merkin wrote:
    I bought a new bike last July from a large chain of bike shop.
    I have since only ridden it about 400 (mostly dry) miles (my cycle computer has less than 300 miles on it and it took me a week to fit it, plus sometimes don't turn it on for a few miles)
    The rear SRAM X7 dérailleur has started sticking in the lowest gear and wont select the highest gear. I gave it a good clean and lubed it up but the problem persists. I took it back to the shop today and the mechanic says the spring is too weak and it needs a new derailluer. The assistant informs me it probably wont be covered by warranty as the back end of the bike was dirty. The bike has never been off road, it is a cannondale badboy 700 hybrid on slicks! All the dirt was from a ride out last weekend on country lanes, it doesn't have mudguards. I didn't take it out on the salty roads from the cold snap and the bike lives in a dry garage.
    Does this sound reasonable of the shop to you? The assistant has said he will see what the mechanic says about the warranty and call me back tomorrow so I want to know what my stance should be when he calls.
    Obviously my view is that 6 months and 400 miles should be well within the expected lifespan of a brand name component used in normal conditions. (in fact compared to the intended use of the same component on a mtb mine is practically wrapped up in cotton wool)

    Take it into another shop, tbh it sounds like an issue with the cable.
  • merkin
    merkin Posts: 452
    I am pretty sure it is either a weak spring or stiff linkages.
    I have had a fettle with it myself in the garage and the cable moves freely. When it is on the largest sprocket the mech is in an almost straight position, the cable is taut. If I then change down the cable slackens fine but the mech stays put until given a bit of persuasion by my finger (all on a stand, not while riding along!) Then when I try to shift all the way to the smallest sprocket it needs help again to select the smallest wheel. It shifts OKish from gears 2 to about 7 although as it is sticking sometimes it has a slight pause before changing.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    +1 for faulty/sticky cable syndrome.

    The loop where the outer housing enters the derailleur is particularly vulnerable as

    a) it's where the cable follows the smallest radius and is therefore subject to the greatest frictional load
    b) it gets sprayed with all the crap coming off the back wheel

    Sometimes the cables fray within the shifter too, and that is difficult to diagnose without examining it (as the majority of the cable will appear to be moving smoothly). Although this usually only happens after much greater mileage, I have had early cable failure before on one of my bikes, so it's worth checking out.

    It's very unlikely to be the mech.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • cyberknight
    cyberknight Posts: 1,238
    So if my car is dirty they garage will not fix it?

    Utter garbage the Assistant just could not be bothered and was trying to sell you a new part.If it was not designed to handle a bit of muck it would come with a cover, see the manager and threaten to report them to trading standards.

    My hybrid has an sram rear mech and has seen me through a damn site more muddy miles than that and is still going strong after coming on 2 years .
    FCN 3/5/9
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I agree is most likely cables, but check that the mech isn't excessivley gunked up and the pivots stiff (which what can happen from road salt). Weak springs is most likely warranty.

    I would throroughly clean and lube the part.

    I will side with the mechanic on dirty bikes - they are not nice to work on, and the cause of many problems!
  • I'm with cyberknight - what a load of BS! It's well within warranty and they're trying to evade their obligations by in effect saying 'You've been riding it, haven't you?' Doesn't matter whether it's the cable, the mech or the man in the moon - it's up to them to get it sorted. Be firm.
    "If I had all the money I've spent on drink, I'd spend it on drink."
  • Name & shame
    Cannondale Supersix / CAAD9 / Boardman 9.0 / Benotto 3000
  • merkin
    merkin Posts: 452
    My feeling is as paddy says, regardless of why it doesn't work, it is in warranty and has had relatively little use, mostly just Sunday mornings, mostly dry and all on road.
    My main expectation is stiff linkages, a stronger spring would fix that but I would quite like a easy smooth gearchange. I have given the linkages a good clean and soaked them in lube for a day or so and when that didn't work tried soaking them with WD 40 as it is thinner and has better penetrating properties.
    Re name and shame, I will say who it is after I get a bit more of a conclusion as it wouldn't be fair to drag someones name through the mud based on one communication with a sales assistant seeing how things pan out. You never know, the manager may turn up for work tomorrow and sort it out before offering me a load of freebies for the inconvenience! :? :wink:
    Yeah right. :roll:
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    If it affects the lowest and highest gear have you checked the limiting screws?
  • If it affects the lowest and highest gear have you checked the limiting screws?

    +1 or has the rear of the bike had a knock that could have put the hanger out of true?

    Also cables stretch and some derailleurs are just more sensitive than others. You could also have a bit of grit worked its way into the cable housing, doesn't need to have been wet or salty for a bit of crud to get into the sheath and be a problem.

    UE's link is self explanatory and adjusting deraillures is pretty easy with a bit of practice,

    (BTW I ride an Alfine hub on my main bike now as I got fed up of fettling the flaky little bstrds :wink: )

    Mildly OT: Mines a Cannondale too and came with it's own little range of initial teething troubles and C/dales customer service once they'd got the money equated to little more than:- Feck off and find someone else to whinge to we ain't interested.
  • amnezia
    amnezia Posts: 590
    If it affects the lowest and highest gear have you checked the limiting screws?

    this would be the first thing that i would check. Take it to another bike shop
  • merkin
    merkin Posts: 452
    All's well that ends well.
    I phoned the shop today, they were supposed to call me yesterday, and the bike was ready for me to collect. It had been provisionally pencilled in for Thursday but they got it done early.
    I was expecting to have a debate with them but the guy said straight away without me saying anything that it was replaced under warranty, so I am happy. :D
    Btw, the shop was Evans. Overall they were OK. To their credit I called them on Sunday and they said to bring the bike straight in and they would have a quick look at it, which I was impressed with. I expected to have to book it in which would have been awkward if I had to drop it in midweek. The only sore point was the suggestion that it wouldn't be covered by warranty which in the end it was.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Maybe he was just covering his bases - as he said, he was going to get a second opinion, he did, and it was warranty.

    Not bad service that - though in my eyes all staff should be able to do that unless was a trainee.