How long should mechs last?

SuperSimon12 · May 2007

I bought a new Specialized FSR XC comp in early February.

I have now done about 1k on it or fairly rough riding.

I clean it once a week, throughly scrub it down with muc off, then de-grease the chain and re-lube.

How long should I expect the moving parts to last before they start to need replacing?

I aks this as I am getting a creak from the rear suspension and the gears are getting a bit clunk.

SuperSimon12
__________
My pride and joy - http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/?op=list& ... rid=155775

ddoogie · May 2007

Mechs can last years if you are careful. If you bash them around a lot then I would only expect them to last 12 months. If you go onto the Park Tool website they have a guide on how to overhaul your rear mech. Give it a propper going over. Check if it, or the hanger, is bent and if it still makes a clunk (Shimano mechs do this regardless) then think about replacing it.

<hr noshade size="1">
S-Works Stumpjumper FSR

haroexone · May 2007

i have a mk1 XTR rear mech on my bike.its had 3 sets jockey wheels but still works great!
im just trying to work out if that makes me old

ddoogie · May 2007

Retro is cool anyway!

<hr noshade size="1">
S-Works Stumpjumper FSR

lacuna · May 2007

cleaning is not the answer

<center>Mythic Meg</center>

gazzer1966 · May 2007

buy cheep mechs and shifters. a cheaper mech like a shimano deore could brake just as much as a sram x.0 mech in the same condition. i learnt this after i had the x.o's on an old bike and it broke so i brought a new x.0 and it broke again. so i just brought a shimano deore and it works just as good, and is just as strong as an x.0 mech. at least you arnt forking out loads for each time one of your mechs brake. the bike shop only told me it wasnt worth getting a deer rear mech when i'd broke the second one. this aplies to seat posts and all the other stuff that isnt realy necesary to spend loads on.
oh and the squeeking could be from the bottom bracket because you can find on new bikes they dont grease them up enough.

hi peeps

ROCHA · May 2007

I have a XT rear mech on my bike for 4 years now and the model itself is even older(pre2000 model). It's one of the last XT's that were not painted so it looks kind of retro. I supose most rear mechs don't usually last that long but this one has a ceramic upper jockey wheel that still looks brand new. It's working flawless and has nothing wrong apart from scratches and a rusty cable bolt, despite having seen some dirt jumping and plenty of crashes. I doubt I could notice much diference if I had this year's model. Before the XT I had a ALIVIO, that lasted less than a year, and a '94 LX, that lasted 4 years and had its jockey wheels replaced twyce before the linkage pins got play.
Almost a year ago I decided to have a single chainring on my cranks, but before that I had a '95 LX front mech since 2001 and it was ok, apart from a bit of rust where it touched the chain.

rubber side up · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gazzer1966

buy cheep mechs and shifters. a cheaper mech like a shimano deore could brake just as much as a sram x.0 mech in the same condition. i learnt this after i had the x.o's on an old bike and it broke so i brought a new x.0 and it broke again. so i just brought a shimano deore and it works just as good, and is just as strong as an x.0 mech. at least you arnt forking out loads for each time one of your mechs brake. the bike shop only told me it wasnt worth getting a deer rear mech when i'd broke the second one. this aplies to seat posts and all the other stuff that isnt realy necesary to spend loads on.
oh and the squeeking could be from the bottom bracket because you can find on new bikes they dont grease them up enough.

hi peeps
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Interesting, considering my sram x.9 has lasted about 6 months longer than the cheaper xt mech it replaced. and theres still not a hint of wear on it.

<hr noshade size="1"><center><blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by EvilAlex

Something round here tastes bad. Could be plain old bad taste.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></center>www.mtb-bitz.co.uk - Bitz for you & your mountain bike. pinkbike

AgedGT · May 2007

The STXrear mech on my GT is over 10 years old!

My Aged GT

My Inbred 29er

My Pompino

And the wife's Diamond Back

KeelKlein · May 2007

Rear mech is almost expendable as they tend to get bashed up on rocks and stuff, always have used Shimano LX, DX or XT (yes i am that old to have used DX kit) depending on how flush i was for cash at the time, now tend to use XT as it seems to last and put up with a lot of abuse, current XT rear mech is 18 months old and still going strong.

Rindle · May 2007

If your gettign a creak i'd recomened cleaning any pivots and greashing any bushings. I'd also revover your crank arms and clean the contacy points between them and the bottom bracket axle as creaks have a tendancy of traveling through bikes. Oh and also remove and clean your seatpost and tighten the saddle as this could also be causing the creak.

Trail_Builder · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rubber side up

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gazzer1966

buy cheep mechs and shifters. a cheaper mech like a shimano deore could brake just as much as a sram x.0 mech in the same condition. i learnt this after i had the x.o's on an old bike and it broke so i brought a new x.0 and it broke again. so i just brought a shimano deore and it works just as good, and is just as strong as an x.0 mech. at least you arnt forking out loads for each time one of your mechs brake. the bike shop only told me it wasnt worth getting a deer rear mech when i'd broke the second one. this aplies to seat posts and all the other stuff that isnt realy necesary to spend loads on.
oh and the squeeking could be from the bottom bracket because you can find on new bikes they dont grease them up enough.

hi peeps
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Interesting, considering my sram x.9 has lasted about 6 months longer than the cheaper xt mech it replaced. and theres still not a hint of wear on it.

<hr noshade size="1"><center><blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by EvilAlex

Something round here tastes bad. Could be plain old bad taste.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></center>www.mtb-bitz.co.uk - Bitz for you & your mountain bike. pinkbike
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

exactly. your bang on.

i used to buy cheap mechs but they broke in a matter of months.

i then bought an X-9 and its lasted 2 years. i havn't been treating it more lightly or anything, its just stronger.

now it needs repalcing cause after 2 years its developed play, but most mechs dont even last that long and it still shifts ok. most wouldn't work after 2 years. so buy x-9. thats the best.

Adam<hr noshade size="1">
<center><-- www.SouthernFreerider.co.uk --></center>

How long should mechs last?

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