Derailer frustrations
 

First off: I made the mistake of leaving my bike outside this weekend, in New England. Don't all jump on me at once: my college expressly prohibits taking bikes into your dorm room. Something about a fire hazard. But yes, not the brightest idea.

So. My rear derailer is back to jumping and clutching and "floating", not grabbing the gear, and shifting like s***. I took it in for an adjustment, and it runs better, but still like c***. It no longer switches gears without me doing anything, but it still jumps, clutches, and floats. (LBS in fact warned me it would do this). But I can't take this. I'm told that my rear derailer... well, the teeth are worn down, as well as rusty, and the chain probably needs replacing. My bike is a 1998 (or '99) Specialized Hardrock, which is slightly too small for me, but still quite sturdy. Is it worth it to just outright replace the derailer and chain altogether? How much would it run me? I can't afford a new bike, or even a used one.


--Badger, frustrated

go to ebay and look up dura-ace rd

=)

good luck !!!

Dura-ace! On a 8 year old Hardrock! That's like putting a $10000 set of wheels and tires on a Yugo! You need to look for an LX or Deore derailer and don't get it on Ebay! Since you've 'taken it in' for adjustment, I'll assume that you don't do a lot of your own work. Also, does this bike still have the original drivetrain (derailer, chain, cassette, etc.)? If it does, or if the drivetrain is a few years old, it's not the derailer that is the problem. Most likely you have worn teeth on the cassette and/or a worn chain. I'd suggest getting a new chain and cassette as well as cables (those are probably original also:rolleyes: ). Get them for a bike shop which has friendly people and ask them questions about how to change this stuff. You can also read about how to do it at Park Tools.

This will not be cheap. Expect to pay around $60 for the cassette, $10 to $20 for a chain and about the same for cables. You will also need some tools for removing the cassette (a chain whip, a lock ring remover and a large wrench), a chain tool for getting the old chain off and some cable cutters for working on the cables plus a 5mm allen wrench.

Good luck.

Does sound like the Derailler, cassette and chain need replacing and hope the chain rings are still good. Seems unusual for a derailler to wear out after just a bit of rain, So I would look at the cables first of all. 7 or 8 years old and can almost guaranty that they are rusted in the outers. In Fact- I think I would look at these first. Simple job to check providing you can release the outers from the frame and move them back from the cable.

The rain over the weekend was some 10 to 13 inches. But anyway, I think it just exacerbated an existing problem, although it was shifting fine before the weekend.

So if I did need to replace the cassette/chain/derailler etc., it's cost-efficient enough? As long as the rest of the bike is ok?

I'll take it to the LBS again soon and ask what they can do for me. (me = lacking knowledge of the bicycle innards).

Actually, they are bicycle 'outnards':D

I recant. 'Components'. ;)

Fire hazard? Will your bike catch fire?

Get a freewheel cog and make it single speed.

I wondered that myself. No, it's because apparently you'll trip over it running out of the building during a fire/fire alarm.

What can I say, it's a state college.

The cassette is probably toast. This happens when you don't replace the chain when it needs to be replaced. Although the chain doesn't actually stretch, the holes where the pins are wear, causing a stretch effect. This causes excess wear on the chain rings and cassette. It shows up mostly in the cassette because the chain is traveling over it in a smaller radius than in the chainrings. More than likely you need both a chain and a cassette. It's probably not the deraileur, although the teeth on the wheels there can get worn too. You should be able to replace all three for about $100 I would think. Cheap Deraileur about $35, chain maybe $15, cassette under $30, and some labor.