Clunky gears after 1x10 set up?

Mattcee

I got rid of my dual front rings a while back and added a narrow wide chain ring where the old outer ring was, got a new XT cassette so I could remove a smaller ring and added an expander sprocket. I got my local bike shop to fit a new chain too as the old one was to short. So, in all the drivetrain is pretty new plus i have an SLX rear derailer with clutch which came with the bike which is only a few months old.

I just can't seem to sort out the clunky gear changes when going through the middle of the cassette. It often takes one or two clicks on the lever to get it to change gear then have have to click once the other way for things to run smooth - or one click does nothing and another changes it who gears up or grinds slightly.

Indexing top and bottom gears seem ok and theres no trouble at all when shifting into the top or bottom two gears. Its purely in the middle of the cassette/gears.
I tried playing with the cable tension at the derailer end and on the lever but just can't get things smooth.

I gave the drivetrain a good clean today (degrease/chain cleaner, jockey wheels nice and clean, GT-40, Lube) and tried indexing etc again but its still no better.

Any ideas why the shifting is bad in the middle gears only? Rear mech seems inline and not bent and I don't recall bashing it or leaning it on anything.

The Rookie

Using a double crankset isn't the best, but that would show up at the Lowe gears.

Sounds like you have a simple issue that is strictly nothing to do with using a single ring, could be lots of things, worn jockey wheel, bent hanger or mech, freehub bearings, cassette needs a spacer on the freehub etc etc.

cooldad

Or not indexed well enough.

Herdwick

cooldad wrote:

Or not indexed well enough.

probably this,

bad chainline will cause some weird angles on the chain at the top of the cassette or at the bottom, highly unlikely in the middle. check for a bend/damaged shifter cable.