Gears skipping mid way through the cassette

gcwebbyuk

I have SRAM X0 9 speed shifters and mech with an XT cassette.

Shifting through most of the gears is fine, but roughly in the middle of the cassette there is a hesitancy to go into gear, and sometimes it will jump back out of gear.

What would cause this?

I have ruled out the L or H screws, as the chain does not jump off of the largest or smallest sprocket.
The chain is clean and lubed.
The cables are Gore ride-on, so should not need lube.

Should I be looking at the b screw? Or maybe the indexing at the shifter?

Any advise would be welcomed

The Rookie

Sounds like basic indexing.....just the cable tension.

kajjal

The cassette may be worn through the chain stretching or just damaged. If you tend to use the same gear a lot like me it is most likely just wear.

aldo45

Wrong shifter?

cooldad

aldo45 wrote:

Wrong shifter?

gcwebbyuk wrote:

I have SRAM X0 9 speed shifters and mech

I don't think so.

aldo45

I had a similar problem. Had been sold some 8 speed shifters as 9 speed on ebay and it gave me skipping issues.

cooldad

Pretty easy to spot as you'd be missing a gear.

CitizenLee

Tighten your cable, either properly at the mech or by adjusting the barrel adjuster on the shifter. Might need to tweak the L and H screws after though.

markhewitt1978

As said it could be indexing or cable tension, but it's just as likely to be a worn cassette, or worn chain.

I had a similar issue on my road bike with the chain skipping on some middle gears, replaced the chain and cassette with new, problem solved.

njee20

A chain and cassette has to get very very worn indeed before they start skipping. Unlikely to be the problem unless either part has recently been changed.

IME Ride-On cables are over rated, once they start to go a bit gritty you totally lose all hope of being able to change gear properly - what state are yours in?

gcwebbyuk

The chain and cassette are relatively new in the grand scheme of things. The bike has been sat for 4 years in the garage though. The cables are pretty much the same age as the chain and cassette (from memory).

I have a set of XTR cables that I have had on the shelf. I might try replacing the Gore kit and give everything a checking over at the same time. Hopefully it won't need anything else new.

Thanks for the info

cooldad

99.9875458754198859% of shifting problems are due to cruddy cables. Fact.
After four years of moisture they are fubared.

steelo

How about if they skip after replacing the chain and cassette and re-setting the L and H screws and getting everything running sweet on a stand? Out on the trail, bit of pressure and whammo, gears start jumping.

The Rookie

Could just be debris between the sprockets lifting the chain off the teeth, skipping only happens under load, whatever the cause, not spinning on a work stand.

gcwebbyuk

Went for a ride today and adjusted the indexing from the shifter, a few clicks and all better. Back to the X0 I remember!

I will be replacing the ogre cables in due course though, but not immediate hurry now.