Odd gear "feel" - Cassette recommendation please

[bennyboy]

Hi chaps,

Have a slightly odd one here, well to me anyway.
When I am in the smallest two gears at the back, it's almost like I can feel every tooth as I pedal??
The gears are NOT slipping or crunching in anyway and the chain line seems fine. The chain has UG and Narrow on it and the cassette is Shimano, with Interactive glide 2 on it.
Anys ideas appreciated, it seems like it must be simple but I haven't come across it before.

The shifters are XT thumbies, XT rear mech (739?) and some aftermarket jockeys which aren't badly worn or anything.

Help!

erm... Ta

 

[hamster]

Check the vertical clearance: is the top jockey just touching the cogs? B-tension would fix this.

 

[bennyboy]

No it's a fair bit lower - funny you mention as I don't seem to get a lot of adjustment from the B-tension screw, yet all the springs feel strong and the main spring hasn't been out. You think it's lost it's grunt?

Ben

 

[dyna-ti]

Replace the cable and re tension,reset the gears and start, again before throwing things out ,might even be the cable slipping through the bolt on the mech or some other crazily simple solution

Clean the entire drivetrain ,jockeys,chain and relube ,check all the bolts and check the axles firmly seated in the drop outs
Just today i thought i was needing a rear hub service as the cassette would stick if i back peddled dropping a gear.
Turned out to be the skewer not tight enough, simple problem ,easily fixed for nothing

 

[elite504]

I have had this feeling before. Often with "all new" drivetrains. But after a bit of bedding down its all ok. Usually seems to be with HG73 or HG93 chains as the common denominator though. . .. not the best keen on shimano chains, ut properly joined, they're as good as any other.

 

[bennyboy]

Thanks folks.

Dyna - You are of course right, so often is is the little things that are overlooked, but I have actually done all of the things you mentioned as I stripped and rebuilt the bike a short while ago.
I used to have a 48t Middleburn and thought that it was possibly contributing, but during the rebuild I put a 42t on and it's still there.

I think you might be right though elite, I think it is becoming less noticable if you know what I mean, maybe it is bedding in? after all the chain and cassette probably only have a couple of hundred miles on them at a guess.

Ben

 

[silverclaws]

Just wondering, if you want it to 'bed in' faster, go and plug some mud, either that or bung a big of valve grinding paste in there.

 

[perry]

itl be the probability you use the last two smallest sprockets least ?

the teeth wont be worn to the wear of the chain . itl be more noticeable than the chainring as there are very few teeth in contact with the smallest sprockets whereas enough teeth on the chainring will take up the discrepancy

thats what my 5p is on

 

[bennyboy]

Thanks Perry, I know what you mean, I should have mentioned that both chain and cassette were replaced at the same time.

 

[perry]

damn , im down 5pence

must just be a manufacturing tolerance