Talk to me about jockeys

meanredspider

...and I don't mean the small chaps that Newmarket is full of.

Replacing mine and rather confused by the choice and range of expense - from about 3 quid to 60. Went to the LBS (actually went to 3 before I found one that actually stocked them!) then was offered Tacx normal or StSt. Looking on Wiggle, I see lots of very positive comments about FSA ceramic. Given that the Shimano 105 ones have all the sophistication of a hammer and nail, what's the ideal route here?

sungod

they don't make a huge difference, but if you are ok with small improvements you can shave off a bit of weight and/or increase efficiency a smidge or simply add some bling

the cheaper ones - and also some super-light, non-cheap ones - just have a simple bushing instead of ball bearings

with more expensive ones you get ball bearings of various types, some ceramic

materials range from the rubbery stuff, to titanium, even carbon fibre

the tacx ones are a good option, normal is fine, maybe go for stainless if you ride all year round

maddog 2

the TACX ones are good. And the SS ones (T4060) do last longer than the cheaper TACX ones, I've found. The lack of float means shifting is slightly faster and crisper but your gears need to be spot on as their is, er, no float to take up any misalignment. I've also got some ceramic TACX on my 'good' bike but I've not really done big enough mileage on it to say whether they lasy longer than SS. Certainly spin freely...

Just order some alu ones so we'll see how they fare.

flanners1

Replaced my Centaur ones with Tacx far better shifting and quieter to boot; there were some cheap deals on the bay

dennisn

The ideal route is to buy the ones that were made buy the rear D manufacturer for that rear mech. Don't know why you would buy anything else, other than you've fallen for some hype about these or those jockey wheels or some color combo. They're jockey wheels, nothing more. Pay a ton for them if you wish but you won't notice a thing except a little less money in your wallet.

meanredspider

dennisn wrote:

The ideal route is to buy the ones that were made buy the rear D manufacturer for that rear mech. Don't know why you would buy anything else, other than you've fallen for some hype about these or those jockey wheels or some color combo. They're jockey wheels, nothing more. Pay a ton for them if you wish but you won't notice a thing except a little less money in your wallet.

Well that would be the £3 ones. Yet, given that they are rotating at up to 500rpm and exposed to the worst the road and the chain can throw at them, the metal bush & metal cup on plastic arrangement seems just a little bit on the basic side. Going by the 80-20 rule, I've gone for the £15 Tacx ones with sealed roller bearings - the kids will have to go without shoes this year but never mind.

plowmar

Just one question how long did the ones you have at the moment last before you felt you had to change them. ( I've never had to change mine over the last 10 years of cycling).

If a reasonable length of time / distance then the original manufacturer's are perhaps worth staying with as dennisn said.

Your last post indicates that you wanted something that lasts a little longer but that you haven't been overtaken by bling.

Sorry about the kids though. More than one and you spend as much as £15 per year on shoes my God.

meanredspider

plowmar wrote:

Just one question how long did the ones you have at the moment last before you felt you had to change them. ( I've never had to change mine over the last 10 years of cycling).

If a reasonable length of time / distance then the original manufacturer's are perhaps worth staying with as dennisn said.

Your last post indicates that you wanted something that lasts a little longer but that you haven't been overtaken by bling.
.

Err - about 6 months :oops: But that did include commuting in some rather shocking weather. Oh, and to be fair, I bought the bike secondhand (though less than a year old & it had just been serviced & was in impeccable nick) so I can't be sure exactly how old they are.

No - I'm certainly not a bling queen - just seems odd that the fastest rotating part on the bike should be quite so cheap & cheerful.

10 years is amazing - I can't believe they are the metal bush in a plastic wheel style. That or your bike stays cleaner and better lubricated than my contact lenses.

plowmar

I cant have averaged more than 1000 m.p.y on that bike which is now in a damp garage as a trainer. perhaps its a bit like those people that used to smoke 40 a day and never got cancer or emphysema. just luck. newer bikes again no problem with those dérailleur bits.

Never cleaned once the older bike maybe its just kept together with the grime.

meanredspider

plowmar wrote:

Never cleaned once the older bike maybe its just kept together with the grime.

Maybe that was my mistake - taking the thing to bits and letting out the grime that was lubricating it!

In all seriousness, it doesn't seem to take much wear in the plastic before the chain is rubbing on the derailleur arm. I'm sure it would have kept going for a long time yet but hardly as Mr Shimano intended.

meanredspider

Well I'm very pleased with my Tacx jockeys - lovely and quiet and more positive shifting. 15 quid well-spent I think (sorry, kids....)