Ghost shifting Joker - the usual suspects?

[johnbryanpeters]

OK, I just assembled a Joker and am in the shakedown riding phase.

I'm suffering from two ghost shifting problems:

1) When in the middle ring and big cog, chain wants to drop to granny. It also drops if I'm banging downhill on rough stuff.

2) Ghost shifts in the rear when pedaling hard.

I think 2's probably just derailleur hanger alignment.

Shimano XT rear shifter and cluster, LX cranks (splined) and rings, Shimano chain, BB-ES70 Bottom bracket, Deore front derailleur. Everything's new enough that wear probably isn't an issue.

Followed Ellsworth's recommendations to establish 110 pins for chain length, but haven't tried cranking up rear derailleur spring tension.

Any suggestions, especially from Joker riders?

J

[VTinCT]

Not a Joker, but I do ride an Isis, and there may be some suspension induced down shifting under hard compression, but I'd check cable tension (as simple as a barrel adjustment). One thing that I swear by is my Roll-a-magig, it shortens the cable loop massivley! Smoothed out the shifting quite nicely for me.

Another thought: is the BB the right size?

Good luck. Ripping bike man!:thumb:

[johnbryanpeters]

Well, I went to LBS, burrs on center ring seemed to be most of it, and a little tweak of the hanger.

BB's 73 x 113 per factory recommendation.

I might try Roll-a-magig, the dr's trying to reel in a lot of chain.

Thanks, J

[rfemurfx]

if you are having problems with the chain falling of the middle ring to inner while in the easiest cog, that is usualy a sign of chainline issues. see if you have enough room to try a shorter spindle or try adding a 1mm spacer behind your cassette. just make sure you have the room to do it. find out what is your bikes chainline number from the factory and them make sure your cranks and bb are for that bike. the chain line is a messurement from the center if the bb shell to the center of the crank spider. something like 47.5 or 50mm. the rear shifting problems sounds just like breaking in kinda stuff, just adjust it with your barrells.

[Surly]

I'm having similar issues. Where would I go to get a 1mm spacer?
Thanks.

[rfemurfx]

most bike shops should have them. just ask for a 1mm FREEWHEEL spacer, eventhough it is not for a freewheel. keep in mind that you may not have the room to do it. look at the rear drop-out and measure how much room you have to the cassette. if it seems like a the distance of the full width of the chain then you are o.k. next remove the cassette lock ring and take note how many threads were engaged. if it took MORE than two turns then you should have the room. dont forget to re-adjust your der. and make sure your cables are clean and move freely. some rear d's have a hard droping the chain to the smallest cog if it is too close to the frame. it's spring simply comes to a full resting position. so that wont always fix it. fixing the chain line at this point is the way to go.

[johnbryanpeters]

Well, after having two LBS wrenches whose competence I trust go over it, it was still skipping on all five cogs in back, so I took a deep breath and replaced middle ring, chain, and cluster. That calmed it down a lot; I can now climb standing without whacking the stem with my knees.

I still have some annoying clicking going on; if I put the bike in the stand, middle ring in front, little cog in back, and turn the pedals, the cage twitches every once in a while; I can't find tight links, twists, protruding pins, etc. To top it off, the top "pulley" (I would call it an idler sprocket) broke yesterday on a ride.

I am beginning to understand the single speed lunatics.

J :rolleyes:

[rfemurfx]

sounds that when you assembled the bike the first time you might have used some new and old parts. if the skipping stopped just from replacing the cassettte and chain, there was a wear issue. or maybe there was something very wrong with it and you should warrantee it. (the cassette)
as for that annoying click in the rear d check the bottom pulley (tension pulley) to see how worn out it may be. also i am assuming you replaced the top one(guide pulley). pedal backwards very slowly and watch the chain as it goes thru the pulleys, if there is a stiff link youll see it. it may not show every time, so be patient and really make sure that there are no stiff links. good luck!

[johnbryanpeters]

Thanks. Warranty is not an issue, all the parts were used, moved from my old bike to the Joker. Every time I have gotten into phantom clicking, groans, and creaks before, it has been some part that's cracked and waiting to fail at some inopportune moment.

I will take a good look at the tension pulley.

J

[VTinCT]

Originally posted by johnbryanpeters

I still have some annoying clicking going on; if I put the bike in the stand, middle ring in front, little cog in back, and turn the pedals, the cage twitches every once in a while; I can't find tight links, twists, protruding pins, etc. To top it off, the top "pulley" (I would call it an idler sprocket) broke yesterday on a ride.

I am beginning to understand the single speed lunatics.

J :rolleyes:

Dude, the clicking a shifting in the back sounds like a cable tension issue...let out some slack from your barrel adjuster and the twitching shoud go the way of the dinosaurs...of course I can't see what you're seeing to know. Glad the chain lione thing worked for you tho!:thumb:

[johnbryanpeters]

Another round of careful adjustments and yet another straightening of dropout got rid of the ghost shifting, for a while, I hope.

I then had some residual noise, which turned out to be left crank wanting tightening.

To the bicycling gods: May I please just ride for a while now? Please? :confused:

:oink: