My thoughts exactly. My gut tells me placing a derailleur pulley in the same location would result in a similar outcome.
Why can't e13...
- Thread starter - seb
- Start date
I have the same problems as Seb. Frankly, a ceramic or plastic bush is far more appropriate. If the extra friction isn't worrying the roadie crowd with their Dura-Ace, then it sure won't worry a bunch of DHers.
I've never and I mean never cleaned my old xt or my Saint jockey bearings. They are still smooth as.
I'll be damned if I have to grease my sealed bloody bearing. It's a good thing E-13 uses a proprietary bearing, cause then they get to charge $25 for a new one. Thanks guys.
I've never and I mean never cleaned my old xt or my Saint jockey bearings. They are still smooth as.
I'll be damned if I have to grease my sealed bloody bearing. It's a good thing E-13 uses a proprietary bearing, cause then they get to charge $25 for a new one. Thanks guys.
While I am not sure about the road bike stuff, IIRC the old LX derrailurs used bushings in each jockey wheel, the XT used one bushing and one bearing, and the XTR used 2 bearings. It's been years since I've pulled one apart though, so I could be wrong.
-KT
By old xt I mean et shadow. They as well as saint use a ceramic bushing in the guide wheel and sealed bearings in the pulley wheel. Really I'd like to see an IGUS bush in there.
I want dw to come change my jockey wheel for me. It would only be fair. Mine has only lasted me five years... I want my damn money back!
I have two E13 guides in the garage right now, both were in good rotation all through the summer last year in the northwest including several very wet weekends in Whistler. I pressure wash my bike carefully when riding Whistler (the border guards get weird about importing caked Canadian mud???) and do routine maintenance but I don't take the time to change my fork oil monthly or pop up my wipers to lube my seals before every ride.
I have had exactly two seized bearings and they both happen to be happily unseized now.
On both the LG1 and the SRS the jockey wheel stopped spinning pretty quickly and on both I took it out, removed the seal with a dental pick, sprayed them out with isopropyl alcohol or brake cleaner or whatever was handy, and repacked them with general purpose synthetic high pressure grease from NAPA, again, it's what was handy and it's purple so at least it was cool last year...
I wouldn't be surprised if I have to repeat this again this year and I won't be upset.
The jocky wheel on the chainguide is in a much worse location than the one on the deraileur. Mud from both the front and rear tires is flung directly at the chainguide and it doesn't have much room to shed the mud and dirt. The rear der. will never catch mud off the rear tire, it's a long ways from the front tire, and short of dunking it in a very deep mud puddle I don't really think it catches as much junk as the chainguide. It's also a much more open design and will shed the dirt easier.
I don't think it's really an apples to apples comparison.
I have had exactly two seized bearings and they both happen to be happily unseized now.
On both the LG1 and the SRS the jockey wheel stopped spinning pretty quickly and on both I took it out, removed the seal with a dental pick, sprayed them out with isopropyl alcohol or brake cleaner or whatever was handy, and repacked them with general purpose synthetic high pressure grease from NAPA, again, it's what was handy and it's purple so at least it was cool last year...
I wouldn't be surprised if I have to repeat this again this year and I won't be upset.
The jocky wheel on the chainguide is in a much worse location than the one on the deraileur. Mud from both the front and rear tires is flung directly at the chainguide and it doesn't have much room to shed the mud and dirt. The rear der. will never catch mud off the rear tire, it's a long ways from the front tire, and short of dunking it in a very deep mud puddle I don't really think it catches as much junk as the chainguide. It's also a much more open design and will shed the dirt easier.
I don't think it's really an apples to apples comparison.
Mines been fine for over a eyar now, and I do pressure wash my bike. Havent ever taken the roller off since I installed it.
I never had a problem with my guides over several years honestly, though I did not ride in mud constantly. If you are worried about the fact you feel e.13 is selling 'tons of extra parts' keep in mind that this is an idler pulley bearing and you could probably buy a box of replacement bearings for 10 bucks and be all set for the next 300 years.
Last time I checked mine the rubber gear was toothless and free floating on the bearing. I took the bearing out, turned a Al "bushing". Mashed it back together ran it for another year. It had seen afew years of use in QC muck and zero maintenance.
A sloppy bushing on a proper shoulder bolt would be better (cheaper, less maintenance) aproch, then a bearing. In my mind...
A sloppy bushing on a proper shoulder bolt would be better (cheaper, less maintenance) aproch, then a bearing. In my mind...
So....You could just remove the idler on an LG/SRS and have zero maintenance?
Keep in mind that the FCKR is not designed for race applications. The FCKR is a member of our price point/ entry level family. Its heavier and has less bells and whistles than the SRS+ and LG1+. It exists solely for riders who want bash plate style retention and aren't going to do any maintenance ever, or until the wheels stop spinning anyway. This thing is AWESOME for drops to flat and the like.So....You could just remove the idler on an LG/SRS and have zero maintenance?
Like everything, you should at least look at your gear every once and a while. I'm not saying to do a complete teardown after every ride... just get a rag and do a quick wipe down after a ride or 2. Stuff will stay clean and its a great way to see if you have any issues before something goes wrong.
Its a good way to keep stuff you've spent your hard earned money on in prime condition.
I hope that service of the "jockey wheels" only took 2 minutes. Because DW said thats how long it would take..................
im just curious why everyone is being such an asshole? how many times is it that you get 3 people from a company responding to a customer service issue? to me this is an example of a company going above and beyond because they truly care about their customers. now that, my friends, is a company i want to give my money to. thank you for the quick response guys! we can only dream that we could get this kind of service from all companies.
Lovebunny I totally disagree, to me this is a company trying to ridicule a customer who has the same problem as everyone else. Rather than address a problem they have turned to internet ridicule to try and belittle the problem. Stupid pinkbike articles don't help either. We have one chairlift in the country and thats only open for a few months in the summer.
The fact is, Seb does maintain his bike. I maintain my bike, and I know other people who have the same problem with e13, and so does he. I only know of Seb in the uk seen, Im not his buddy sticking up for him.
The fact is, Seb does maintain his bike. I maintain my bike, and I know other people who have the same problem with e13, and so does he. I only know of Seb in the uk seen, Im not his buddy sticking up for him.
why the letters FCKR. surely you know it DOESN't get pronounced Free Chucker. some internal joke. clue us up E.13..
I don't have this problem. Also, you seem to be confusing "advice" with "ridicule".
They ARE addressing the problem. There's no such thing as a perfect bearing; exposure to dirt, grit, and moisture WILL shorten the life of a bearing. They require maintenance, plain and simple.
What does that have to do with anything? Red herring.
I maintain my bike and yet sh*t still breaks. If you want a bearing that's gonna last 2 seasons of riding in wet muddy conditions with no maintenance and not fail, be prepared to pay $300 for it.
$300?
The bearings in SPD pedals seem to be pretty much indestructible and they sure as hell don't cost $300. I came off a pretty big log ride and fell into a creek (along with my bike) and the peal bearings were pretty much the only ones still working and they are still going strong to this day... it can be done.
The bearings in SPD pedals seem to be pretty much indestructible and they sure as hell don't cost $300. I came off a pretty big log ride and fell into a creek (along with my bike) and the peal bearings were pretty much the only ones still working and they are still going strong to this day... it can be done.
I was being facetious with the $300 remark.
In regards to your pedals, falling in a creek isn't exactly the same as doing runs where your drivetrain is getting packed with mud.
edit: also, from the experiences I've had with SPD pedals, the bearings are better covered/concealed than those of the idler pulleys in question.
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You’ve got to be kidding me……you guys are continuing to complain about having to do maintenance for a single bearing on your chain guide……it’s going to get hit with the hose while you’re trying to get all of crap out there after a muddy race weekend, it happens. I’ve run e.13 guides since I started DH’n in ’03 w/ zero problems. The e.13 guys make a great product and stand behind it.
Don’t be a slug….do the maintenance.
J
Don’t be a slug….do the maintenance.
J
Not to ridicule you or anything but FreeChucKeR would be to only pronunciation sir. Whatever do you mean?
so what do you want them to say? let me know when you find a maintenance free bearing. it will make you a rich man. i would love to see what your suspension bearing feel like. or your hub bearings. do those ones not need servicing either?
NSK used to do a stainless steel, solid grease bearing. A normal ball bearing, with stainless steel races and balls, with a self-lubricating plastic injection molded around the balls. (hurr hurr hurr - i said balls). I can't remember the name they had for them but I used them in two applications at my work where no amount of sealing would stop grit and grime washing into conveyor bearings.
Those things were expensive but damn near indestructible. Only problem was they were derated in terms of max. speed compared to a standard ball bearing but were still over 1000rpm for most sizes.
If you're really that worried, drop the $60 for a single skateboard bearing and get one of those for your roller.
My complaint to dw is that the LG-1 on my DHR stopped holding the chain properly when I 50-50 cased a 3 metre stepdown. What kinda crappy chainguide can't take a 90kg hack landing sideways on it without starting to rub on the chainring?
Nobody expects a maintenance free guide. What I expect is bearings that have similar maintenance schedule as other parts on my bike. The E13 guide pulley bearing seizes up REALLY quickly, and it's annoying. My hope hubs, shimano BB, canecreek hs, shimano derailleur pulleys, turner mainpivot are all good for a season, at least. My DHR needle bearings only last a half season, which I find frustrating. The E13 pulley seizes up in a week. I have taken to just leaving it seized, and letting the plastic pulley spin around the stuck bearing. I am going to drill out/file down my guide to fit an old school red ano carmichael sealed alu pulley soon. We'll see how that will hold up.
I think there is room for improvement, and E13 seems like a company that usually listens to their customers concerns, and is interested in improving their products. I think the simplest solution would be to make the guide compatible with standard derailleur pulleys. They seem to hold up much better, and everyone has spares kicking around from busted derailleurs.
I think there is room for improvement, and E13 seems like a company that usually listens to their customers concerns, and is interested in improving their products. I think the simplest solution would be to make the guide compatible with standard derailleur pulleys. They seem to hold up much better, and everyone has spares kicking around from busted derailleurs.
No offense but are you retarded? We beat the utter **** out of these bikes and products and somehow seem to demand more and more for less and less. Good lord, how often is it that a company will post here and offer up some good solid advice? Not every often. It's going to be even less often when twats like you try to slag them for offering advice. It's a ****ing part on what is easily the most abused bike on the planet.
Maybe some of you UK guys need to spend a little more time in the pub loosening up or at the very least wash the sand out of your vagina.
Ok guys I can see some of your concerens but in the end this problem can be easly fixed. As Dave Phil and Dereck have all stated good sound advice to help fix this problem it seems that to many people are fixed on the time frame it takes to remove one bolt vipe down the plastics and clean the bearings being two min or ten this in the end is an easy fix compared to some stuff on your bicycle. For that last 4 years I have worked for E-13 as one of their west Coast Tech support mechs. I will say that the older black pulleys did have some issues with swelling due to certain chain lubes and degreasers but as Dave stated the new clear style pulleys are more duable and have not been having issues. I will say that a lot of the time at races the pulleys i do see that have drag are way to tight and usualy jamed with mud. I will also say that in most istances when we have had someone come to us on a RACE WEEKEND we have replaced these pulleys free of charge. Even though it has not always been a warranty issue. We have stated what types of lubes are recomended for chain guide aplications. Certain mineral spirits based lubes as well as some teflon lubes mixed with citrus degreasers have been known to swell plastics and rubbers. This was also a big reason for going to the clear style pulley. While I can not speak for the entire company I would say that at any race in the west that we are at and if you have an issue bring it by the van and we will gladly assist you and fix it or replace it so your RACE WEEKEND is not over before the clock starts. I can not speak as a whole for warranty replacments because this is realy not a warranty issue or my job or say, but we are for bending the rules a bit for our western race race tech support to ensure our riders chain retention systems are in line for race day.
my C$0.02...
just installed a new-and-improved LG1+ on a new frame this weekend. i think i beat my personal best installing it as everything just worked. no hassles, no fiddling, no trying to understand the installation guide, nothing bad to report, only good times. chainguides have come a long way.
by the way, i haven't had an issue with my previous version either. i must be doing something right.
just installed a new-and-improved LG1+ on a new frame this weekend. i think i beat my personal best installing it as everything just worked. no hassles, no fiddling, no trying to understand the installation guide, nothing bad to report, only good times. chainguides have come a long way.
by the way, i haven't had an issue with my previous version either. i must be doing something right.