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X9 Type 2 Derailleur: Is this some kind of joke (enduro race content)?

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
So I have my shiny new enduro, and the guy at the resort tells me they are just about to start an enduro race this day. This is after I already rode to the top of the lift and down, since I was waiting for the lifts to open. The "enduro" race is more of a dirt-crit with a straight-up vertical climb followed by a short back and forth in the twisties. Each "lap" can be done in maybe 7 minutes, but the climb is straight up suffering. Different categories are different numbers of laps. It's basically the bunny-slope lift with some nice short trails to ride. So as I'm starting out and shift to the easy ring (yeah, could solve this by just going with one ring...soon) and the freaking derailleur locks up, clutch engages, it's just swinging freely in the "extended" position. WTF? This is not the most precise derailleur I've owned, my X5 10spd actually is more reliable at hitting the gears, supposedly this is due to the factory overtorquing the clutch bolt? (read on some other boards). Still passed everyone except the leader from the last place and got 2nd place and a free lift ticket, so I guess it was successful, but I had to spend a minute or two trying to get the damn thing un-clutched or whatever. The way this manifested is the clutch engagement caused the chain to fall off the front gears, due to the slack and free-swinging derailleur. Then, later in the day, I try a similar maneuver to head back up the trail a few feet and take a trail I missed and it does it again. Derailleur locks up, chain falls off front rings. WTF? Isn't this what the damn thing is supposed to PREVENT? And don't get me started about the rattle, the mechanism rattles all day long like ovalized RM9 pivots. What kind of derailleur is this? The bike comes with a semi-chainguide, so it's obvious they don't trust the derailleur alone to keep the chain on the rings. I was thinking about going to XO in a month or so, now I'm thinking this is just a kraptastic idea.

Oh well, I think I could have won the race if I hadn't lost those minutes, but I can't complain about a free lift ticket too much. Especially if they have races each weekend (lift ticket covers race-fee). Make it kind of a rolling-freeride.

The bike rips anyways. It doesn't give up much to a DH bike and the pike completely erases braking bumps. Impressive.
 
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Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Shimano. Of course then you'll be snapping cables but at least then you can change them after a couple strands fray, before the thing snaps. I like the adjustable clutch in Shimanos too.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
GEDC0158s.jpgGEDC0166s.jpgYeah, I guess I had gotten my hopes up that there'd be no major problems with it.
 
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gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Yeah what's the deal with shadow derailleurs and snagging cables. I've snapped two in three weekends with my saint. I can't figure out if I'm doing something wrong.

Shimano. Of course then you'll be snapping cables but at least then you can change them after a couple strands fray, before the thing snaps. I like the adjustable clutch in Shimanos too.
 

weedkilla

Monkey
Jul 6, 2008
362
10
Seriously thought the shimano cable snapping thing was me going nuts.

My SRAM clutch derailleur has been faultless, so far.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Yeah what's the deal with shadow derailleurs and snagging cables. I've snapped two in three weekends with my saint. I can't figure out if I'm doing something wrong.
This summer on the enduro circuit a lot of racers have been snapping the cable right where it goes through the slot to the anchor bolt. Consensus is the cable bends back and forth a little as the derailleur goes through the gears and this stresses it. The clutch also puts mote tension on the cable during downshifts. I'm now keeping a close eye on it and replacing the cable when 3 strands are broken.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
I lived in Girdwood for a year and a half. Cool to hear there is a bike scene with races.
Yeah, it's pretty good, they run 2 lifts and the tram, lots of fun trails, no blown out northstar powder :) There are some guys there that maintain and build trails and they have a nice fleet of Konas from full on downhill to XC bikes and stuff in between. DH race next weekend. If I place high in that I can ride the next weekend for free too!
 
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Dec 7, 2009
197
0
Cloud Kiwi
All I hear is wah wah wah!

I thought you were a bike mechanic JM! Teach you for riding a wagon wheeler:weee:

Pop the clutch cover off, use an 8mm Allen key and pull that thing apart and grease it with high quailty thin viscosity synthetic grease don't over tighten the clutch when re-installing and it will run smoother than anything you've ever had before, unfortunately someone at Sram forgot to order this stuff or fell asleep on the job. Similar issue with my XX1 sweet as butter now.

No accounting for the pos routing on the Specialised though, my worst shifting bikes ever were all Specialised, they all bind out of the internal chain stay routing, and the under the down tube under BB route is just ****, why the hell they don't run down the top of the down tube and on top of the chain stay I can't work out, but they won't back down, they are right lazy bastids! even Danny Hart zip ties his cables this way even though Giant insist it works yeah right BS! Cheap and nasty road bike crap, one day they will realise they're bikes get ridden on dirt, mud and in rocks!
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
All I hear is wah wah wah!

I thought you were a bike mechanic JM! Teach you for riding a wagon wheeler:weee:

Pop the clutch cover off, use an 8mm Allen key and pull that thing apart
It's a T55 Torx, not an allen. I have to go find one.
 
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wood booger

Monkey
Jul 16, 2008
668
72
the land of cheap beer
Common problem with x9 it seems, the bolt that goes thru the upper pulley is too long. When the der reaches max rotation, it locks and binds. I had one do the same thing.


You can call SRAM and they will send out a new one, or you can take the bolt out and shorten it by about 1mm with file, belt sander, grind it on the concrete, etc.

There is a metric or std size allen that works in lieu of the correct size torx for adjusting clutch action also. Lube that thing up!

x9.jpg
 
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Casey-Ryan

Monkey
Jan 2, 2012
142
1
Gloucester, MA
I tried posting the video of S-tec provides but here is the skinny.

The Saint and XTR frist gen clutch are over torqued, the tool you need and the spring need to be lubed and adjusted.

Here is a video that should describe how to adjust.


I have not frayed many cables but I have switched to ripcord cables on my bike just because I hate shredding cables and I just replace depending on riding.

Hope this helps.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
^That's Joe Lawwill. He told me to tighten up my clutches a little after a dozen rides because they break-in and after i adjusted them he felt and approved of the tension of all 3 of my derailleurs. He said the only downside of too much tension is increased downshift effort. The breaking cables is more because of the sawing action they experience while going up and down the cassette. i'll check out the ripcord cables and i think there's another company making kevlar cables, right?
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
Still Girdwood. Not many riding pictures, but the riding overall is pretty fantastic. Lots of big epic colorado-trail type rides on the Kenai Peninsula, as well as fun city-trails with berms and jumps in Anchorage.

After adjusting the clutch, still a little lazy on the downshifts. Haven't gotten the grease in there yet though. Better for the rattle/racket...
 
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