Front Mech Protection (MTB)

meanredspider

Anybody know if there's a way to protect the front mech on an MTB? It's right in the firing line of all the crap from the wheel which, at this time of year, includes a lot of salt and other shite. I'm completely fed up with it seizing up unless I keep it surgically clean which, frankly, on a commuter bike, is unrealistic. I don't have any of these issues with my road bikes. The mech is Shimano XT.

Help please!

MTBUK

Mudguards

meanredspider

Full length I guess you mean. Is that really the best solution? Seems like overkill for something the size of a matchbox.

rolf_f

Yep - full length mudguards. You could try the trials bike style mudguards and match that with a low mounted Crudcatcher but I don't know how effective it would be. Don't forget that the mudguards also reduce the crap thrown onto the chain which is a good thing.

As to cleanliness - I tend to clean my commuter most days it gets mucky (since it runs Campag Centaur!). It takes about 10 minutes if you do it regularly like that and about 2 hours if you don't. A spray over the cleaned item with GT85 tends to discourage the crap from hanging round.

meanredspider

Hmmm - I've made a bit of a gaiter to cover it to keep as much off as possible for now.

The problem is I ride the MTB in sub-zero temps (that's its key job) - that makes washing it hard (the hose is frozen) and counterproductive (water in the mech will freeze for sure)

I will look at full guards - just seems crazy that a mech completely in the line of fire isn't more robust & protected

Agent57

Problem solved if it's in the line of fire. That'll soon melt the ice away, meaning you can wash it.

meanredspider

Agent57 wrote:

Problem solved if it's in the line of fire. That'll soon melt the ice away, meaning you can wash it.

I don't understand. What will soon melt the ice away? There's not anything like enough salt to do that job. There's plenty of sand, mud, cow dung, pine needles etc however

anton1r

Agent57 wrote:

Problem solved if it's in the line of fire. That'll soon melt the ice away, meaning you can wash it.

It's terrible, but it's there...

Anyway, getting back on topic.
If the frame has underside bottle mount fixings on you hang something down off that?

Drfabulous0

meanredspider wrote:

Agent57 wrote:

Problem solved if it's in the line of fire. That'll soon melt the ice away, meaning you can wash it.

I don't understand. What will soon melt the ice away? There's not anything like enough salt to do that job. There's plenty of sand, mud, cow dung, pine needles etc however

I guess he means the fire.

meanredspider

Ah - fire - that was wasted on me

I've made an innertube gaiter to hang over it for now and given it a coat of grease to keep the damp out.

I'll look at a mudguard

Agent57

My genius is severely under-appreciated!

I assume you've asked in the MTB section for suggestions. They must have to deal with this stuff.

veronese68

I thought someone like Lizard Skins may do a neoprene boot to go over it, but a quick look at the CRC website didn't bring it up.
I think an inner tube gaiter as you've done is a good idea. To protect it from what comes off the back wheel I think you could fashion a guard out of plastic sticking up from the chainstay bridge, but that won't stop what comes from the front wheel.
I have just replaced the front mech on my MTB, they do knacker themselves faster than almost any other component it seems.

rolf_f

Does it have seat post bottle cage mounts? Might be able to use that as a mount for a guard.

roger_merriman

is it freezing up or getting jammed by road muck? i have used anti freeze before now.....

my MTB is remarkably tolerant working when I can hardly see it under mud and grot...though it has frozen and become sticky if i've gone from wet to freezing, ie up and over hills so the water has got in and then frozen in the mech.

meanredspider

roger merriman wrote:

is it freezing up or getting jammed by road muck? i have used anti freeze before now.....

my MTB is remarkably tolerant working when I can hardly see it under mud and grot...though it has frozen and become sticky if i've gone from wet to freezing, ie up and over hills so the water has got in and then frozen in the mech.

Both. If it gets wet, it freezes. If I don't clean it (get it wet), it sticks. I don't think it jams so much as seizes somehow. It will move up to the big ring but often needs a kick to drop down. The Gore Ride-On cable is nice and free.

@ Rolf and V68 - yes - I will look at options for something. Maybe something out of aluminium. It just seems daft being so close the the rear tyre

The Rookie

Is it muck that is seizing it, or the salty road cr@p causing it to corrode?

I've never had a decent MTB mech seize up, just the cheap ones, get it inside and defrosted, don't use water to wash it as that will just get in the joint and freeze later, use a spray on grease to work into the joints and it will add a coating round the outside to stop more getting it.

meanredspider

The Beginner wrote:

Is it muck that is seizing it, or the salty road cr@p causing it to corrode?

Both do it. I've tried lubricating it with everything in my armoury - dry lubes, wet lubes, spray grease, heavy grease. It's always been problematic. I suppose it might be faulty or damaged in some way. It works ok in the summer in the dry and warm though :roll:

The Rookie

Does sound like it's a poor design OR defective...

If it's that bad it may be worth replacing, but I would try a gooey wet lube as a last resort, once it's free moving fom a light one, Muc-Off wet lube is the stickiest I have found!