JohnJ80

Then I'm not understanding what you are describing. It's either something way wrong with the bike or the RD is out of adjustment and is relatively easy to fix. If they don't find anything at the bike shop, get one of them to come out with you while you ride and demonstrate.

Too, I did have a bike with a flexy frame back in the day (Basso steel racing frame circa 1985), I could get out of the saddle and honk on the bottom bracket and force it to shift. It was an easy deal to get the FD to rub with sudden pedal pressure. That was a case of the bottom bracket flexing under load and twisting the crank around the chain and causing it to rub. You had to be smooth with that bike. Rode like a dream otherwise.

J.

roadwarrior

...or they can ride the bike themselves and try to replicate what he is saying...which is generally (if the bike is not broken to the point it cannot be ridden) what is done. If it shifts badly and is overly noisy (for whatever reason) that's where is can be sorted out.

If the mechanic cannot make that happen, he can stand and watch and listen while the owner rides the bike.

this is not that complicated.

wphamilton

Going back to the original post:

This bolded part, reading between the lines, tells me that your mechanic just picked the most likely culprit, adjusted the RDR and hoped that it fixed it. Unfortunately, many people don't realize that replicating the problem is the first, and sometimes most important step. That's probably even more prevalent with something as simple as bike mechanics since they can probably get by most of the time with just following a formula without any actual troubleshooting.

If the issue has been escalated (to the shop's top mechanics) and still not resolved, I'd personally give up on the LBS and take it to another shop of work on it myself. There's no use in wasting time on a shotgun approach.

thefredelement

When I get the call that it's done I will get it on a trainer there and hopefully it's all good. There is only a small street behind the shop to test it out.

Shuffleman

You don't get mutually beneficial relationship? Not much happens if this does not occur. At this point, the OP wants something from the store. The store has already been paid. Please tell me what you will accomplish by telling them that you have started a thread on a forum about them? This will persuade nobody to help you.
What if this is a situation of him not shifting properly under load? There is a good chance that this is the case. If it is, what have you accomplished by starting out with a threat? Not only do you look like a fool but you will never get that shop to help you or go beyond the norm for you. My LBS is not perfect. They make mistakes. They also go above and beyond far more often than they make mistakes. Blowing up relationships or starting a conversation with a threat will never end well. You can't take that back.
My bike is in the shop right now for a creaking noise. It has been there 3 times in 3 weeks for this reason. It has not diminished my relationship at all. They are struggling to find the issue. It is not lack of effort. I understand that as understanding goes a long way.

Stucky

That's what I was going to say.

As long as they can replicate the problem, then they should either fix it, or give OP another bike, if they are too incompetent to efficiently fix his.

This is disgraceful- we're not talking about some complex and delicate can-o-worms here...just a simple basic bicycle; after OP's many visits, if the shop can't find and fix the problem- be it mechanical or user error[which I don't think it is] then they TOTALLY suck.

As someone who has spent a good number of years in the automotive trades, I can say that when I suspected user error, I'd always find it and confirm it, or eliminate the possibility of it on the first encounter with the customer- and cars and trucks are much more complex than bicycles! There's just no reason that this should be going on so long.

JohnJ80

Agree. This isn't rocket science and a bike isn't that complicated of a machine.

J.

thefredelement

Well I dropped it off yesterday they were supposed to call me back yesterday but didn't so I just gave them a ring.

They're trying to find a new derailleur hanger for it. I do not know if these are standard things bike shops store but Amazon has a ton. I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt but after a no call back and sending me home twice before saying I need a new part now is a little sucky...

I am starting not to like them.

JohnJ80

A bent RD hanger could do it. Not the first thing I'd look for so it's great they found it. I think this is pretty positive news for you and I'd be glad they found it.

J.

thefredelement

Thanks - that makes me feel better. I didn't know it was a hard thing to find. The person on the phone didn't say it was bent he just said I needed a new one, if it was bent how does it get bent? I've never fallen or smashed the bike into anything. I hang it up in my garage as well. I've put it in the back of my car a few times but always with the chain side facing up. I'm wondering if it was bent from the start. - I don't know if me using it more and more aggressively would make it worse as I go?

Either way thanks, turning what I thought was a negative into a positive is good stuff!

thefredelement

I just got it back but my g/f had to go for me because I'm stuck at my desk. I took it for a quick ride, I think it's getting better but it's not like it used to be, it also sounds like a slow crappy lawn mower as I get faster. I think the bike shop totally sucks. JohnJ80 said maybe the rear derailleur hanger was bent, now it looks bent - I don't know what it looked like before but here are some pics. I can't tell if anything is new. I'm going to call them in a bit and ask what they did.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-...HlvMDg0akxMXzg
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-...0NhbWQ2cVFzc3M
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-...E5nOXRqM09KUTQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-...UZMRUJ4U295LTQ

Edit: Got off the phone with them, they did a warranty tune up and a gear adjustment. Guess it didn't need that missing part after all.....

If I call Trek would they be able to put me in touch with someone who can fix this thing?

Seizedpost

Do you have a Youtube account? I'm guessing no but if you did you could post a video. That would help.

thefredelement

I thought that but have no good way to take it while I'm riding it. I can probably do it by taking a video while I"m pedaling it while it's hung up. I can try to do that later or really early tomorrow AM.

JohnJ80

This is the part where it needs to be on a trainer with you riding it to figure it out.

If the chain is not lubed well, it can be pretty noisy. I'm really picky about noisy chains so I have mine lubed to the point where they are almost silent. So my tolerance for chain noise might be different from yours and the only way to tell is to hear it. If the have fixed the "stuttering" problem and it's the sound of the chain rubbing, then it could be adjustment or it could be chain lube. Easy to tell - get a good quality chain lube and the chain should quiet right down.

If that's not it then there is still something wrong. If that is the case then it's one of two things:

1. The bike is damaged in the sense that the derailleur hanger is bent, the RD is defective or damaged/bent, or there is something wrong with the frame.
2. The bike shop is incompetent in their ability to service the bike.
3. You are way more for the bike than it was designed for. I.e. that bike is a bad choice for you and you should consider trading up.

That means it's time to have a sit down with the bike shop manager/owner on what to do about this. If there is a problem with the bike, then it's time to get the Trek rep involved. Hopefully, you can get to some closure with the shop locally - same bike model but not this one (trek replacement), trading up, top end mechanic on it, someone who works with you while you ride it to see what the problem is. Any of those would work. But after all this, I can't believe that they failed to properly adjust it - that' a pretty simple thing to get right. That leaves either operator error (you) or shop error (them) in terms of warranty issue or service issue. Getting this thing up on a trainer and showing them the problem is going to be the fastest way to solve the whole problem. If it's you, they can show you what you're doing wrong. If it's normal, they can explain that to you. If it's a problem, they should be able to fix it through adjustment and see if it gets better or worse.

If you can't get cooperation, then it's time to call Trek HQ and work it through with them.

Again, this should be pretty simple. These are not complex machines. That said, some things like defective parts can be confusing to find the problem especially by the guy riding the bike.

J.

JohnJ80

There's no good way to do what while riding. Best to put it on a trainer or have the mech ride alongside you or have them ride the bike while you're there.

J.

Stucky

OP, do the mechanics at the bike shop look like this?:

thefredelement

It was a bent and now broken (after an attempt at straightening) tiny piece of aluminum on one side of the rear wheel that holds the wheel in. I don't know if this has some type of cascade effect, I don't know if they bent it when they were trying to fix something, I don't know if I bent it by riding or if it came bent and then got worse. I think the latter because it's just been feeling and sounding worse and worse as time goes on.

I walked in and told them I want to put it on a trainer right now and that I had enough at this point. They gave it to someone to work on and two minutes later he walks out with a bent piece, 4th time is the charm - I think it's total BS that this guy found that in two minutes after it's been there so much. I actually took it out for a hilly 35 miles today and it sucked because in my easy gears the chain kept popping off the gear causing the tension in the pedal to go away and my foot to go sideways. I'm pissed they sent me back out with this bike twice and told me it was fine and that I could have actually gotten hurt. I probably should have stopped but just suffered through the climbs in the big ring.

I told them take as long as they need but they better put it on a trainer AND test ride it before they call me and that they'll do both with me when I pick it up.

I felt bad but left a 1 star Yelp review, I'll change it to a 3 if it all gets resolved but there's no way this guy solves this in two minutes the 4th time it's in the shop and that's a good experience.

Edit: I did take a video this morning but now that it's back in the shop I won't bother posting it.

Tpcorr

So that sounds like the drop out that's broken. Someone with more knowledge than me will surely chime in, but I don't know that that part can be repaired, the frame may need to be replaced. Good luck.

Tom

goenrdoug

^^ THIS

If they balk, at all, call Trek, directly, and get them involved.

JohnJ80

I agree. I think this needs to be replaced at this point. If this was a demo bike and if this was happening right off the get go when you took the bike home, it's probable that it got damaged in one of the demo rides. This might be a great opportunity to trade up to a non demo 2015 bike they still have that is better than the one you have now. If you are going to ride that much, and if you intend to keep doing that, then you probably need a better bike anyhow. You would have found that out in another year and they you would have had to pay more for the upgrade. This way, you find it out on this bike, you get the upgrade bike that now would suit you better anyhow. Everyone wins.

Good job in standing up for yourself on this and in pulling them into the right troubleshooting process.

J.

Fly2High

Show us photos of the new bike. I am surprised it took that long. I have dealt with them before and never was it like this. At this point I would do whatever it takes for at least a new frame or better yet, trade up. For myself, I have a Sora setup and am very happy with it. I would say to get at least a Sora if not Tiagra drivetrain.

thefredelement

It wasn't a frame piece, it was small with a tiny loop on one end - I believe it was referred to as some type of liner (I could be mistaken here). If it's an easy fix then I'll just take the original bike in working order - that's all I ever wanted lol!

I know I'll have to upgrade eventually (cycling is addicting and fun when you don't think your bike sucks) and wanted to give this one to my brother.

Tpcorr

Well, if it's just the derailleur hanger, that is an easily replaceable part. I would of thought the mechanics at Brands would have checked for that right from the start. They're a pretty good shop. Good luck

Tom

MagicHour

Did part look like this?


If thats the part FWIW says it fits Trek 2015 1 series:
Wheels Manufacturing Derailleur Hanger 176

WalksOn2Wheels

Could you be talking about the cable housing?

Seriously though, none of this is difficult. This is a 10 minute fix WITH parts. I would begin to look into finding another shop, it doesn't even have to be a Trek shop, just one that can work on bikes and actually communicate with you. The worst I've ever seen on an out-of-the-box bike was when the cage holding the two pulleys was slightly askew. We checked the hanger first, then when that didn't help much, we gave the derailleur a little muscle to get it straight and it was perfect. (This was on an entry level hybrid bike with Sora)

In my experience, cheaper drivetrains do produce more noise. So you may not be able to completely get around that. But it should shift perfectly fine and not "ghost shift" which is where it tries shifting up or down due to misalignment or improper cable tension.