[one4teen]

Here's the setup. Need some help
SLX Double up front 22-36
11-34 cassette
x.9 med cage rear der. (x.9 front also)

The problem I'm having is the chain is dragging on the chainstay (terribly slack) in the little little combo.

This is an all new setup on my first build.

I did size the chain correctly, big big + appropriate.

How do I remove the slack? Is this a B adjustment issue?

 

[AndrwSwitch]

The B screw should have little effect on this. You have to either remove some links or get a long-cage rear derailleur. Or use a narrower gear range. You can try backing it out all the way and see if it works, though.

Is it a full-suspension bike? If I'm sizing a chain from scratch, I usually do big-big +1. But I have a hardtail and road bikes - I understand FS owners often leave another link or two to account for chain growth.

 

[riiz]

You dont do little+little combo when you ride in the first place, the slack is normal.

 

[one4teen]

It's a hardtail. I did bigbig+1. I don't plan on the little little during riding, just don't care for it on the initial setup. And if I turn the B screw in (bigger gap, between cog and ring) it clears it up. But with a significant gap.

Maybe switch out the granny to a 24T?

Any other thoughts?

 

[PissedOffCil]

Given you have some slack and the med cage theoretically can cope with 37T difference (your setup has 37T difference), you shouldn't have any problems.

If there's a lot of slack, either change to a longer cage derailleur or lessen the teeth range. A 24T would do that and given your description it would probably be enough

I suspect you chain sizing is off though because the RD specs state your setup should be fine.

 

[AndrwSwitch]

If it's only your smallest cog that causes a problem, don't worry about it. Since you're using a two-ring crank, though, I imagine you want to be able to cross-chain fairly significantly, unless the small ring's only a bailout gear for you.

You're not too likely to damage the bike with a little slack in little-little, although you may experience chainsuck around the cassette, so if you're really stomping, it can be a problem. People at 'cross races sometimes pull their rear derailleur through their cassette because of that. If you don't have enough room for big-big, though, you can break a chain accidentally trying to shift to that gear.

Is it a chain with a removable link? The removable link counts as the +1 in those cases...

 

[one4teen]

Yeah, I used the powerlink as my +1. It's at the shortest without breaking on the big big. I have no plans of crosschaining to the extreme. It's just initial setup right now. You never know what could happen in the big race. I'd like peace of mind.

 

[big_papa_nuts]

Shift to big big and see if there is enough chain to take a link out. Otherwise either crank down the B or get a long cage.

 

[one4teen]

Anyone have a 24t inner that will match up with my SLX crank (64bcd i think)?

 

[AndrwSwitch]

Most aftermarket 24t rings should be okay. Depending on where you're located, consider Blackspire, Middleburn, Specialites-TA, and, of course, Shimano. Their 24t ring is for a 10-speed crank, so do some homework - I don't imagine you'd need to do more than add some washers, at the most, if it didn't fit, but sometimes Shimano's rings are a little funny about going on cranks other than the specific one they're sold for.

 

[bikerboyj17]

My 2x9 conversion has a similar issue, I am running a 36-24 up front with an 11-34 cassette out back and a long cage xtr rear derailleur. When playing around with the set-up in the stand I noticed that when in the 24-11 combo (little-little), my chain barely clears the chainstay and can be prone to chainsuck quite easily.

I would never use this gearing combo on the trail, but should I be concened about this? Is it a sign of other problems?

The chain cannot go any shorter or I would not be able to have the 36-34 (big-big) gearing, which is much more important to me.

Thanks guys, sorry for the hijack

 

[one4teen]

Sorry to hear (but glad to see) someone else dealing this. I'm between what to do right now. It's on the stand and there's snow on the ground, so I'm not in a time crunch. Cheapest, is turn in my B-screw and the slack is gone. But I'm not sure what affect that will have to shifting quality. Next price point is changing the granny from 22t to 24 or 26. This means I loose the creeping ability, but I'm not too worried about that. It also will take the slop out for sure. Biggest price is long caging, which isn't what i want.

We'll keep plugging along here until we figure it out. I just wanna ride!

 

[highdelll]

why do anything (get larger CR, tweak B-screw out of adjustment, get long-cage, etc)?
If it's only doing it on the stand, and not under normal riding conditions, who cares
You're looking for a solution to something that is not a problem.

 

[one4teen]

It's just a thing I have. I work in prevention management. This topic is to alleviate the issue that could occur, and save me a 10 mile walk home. I've got time on my side and a forum full of guys that have more experience than me.

 

[highdelll]

well, I fail to see how a slack chain on a "oops" occasion would even make you walk home, but whatev'

 

[floydlippencott]

It's just a thing I have. I work in prevention management. This topic is to alleviate the issue that could occur, and save me a 10 mile walk home. I've got time on my side and a forum full of guys that have more experience than me.

The management would be to not use the little/little combo therefore preventing a long walk home .

 

[one4teen]

thanks guys. got your points.

 

[PissedOffCil]

FWIW, I ran a 26-36 with a 11-34 and a short cage RD without problems for a while.

Worst that could occur was chainsuck in 26-11 or 26-13 but I could hear the slack chain and quickly shifted to the big ring (and bigger rear sprocket) on the odd occasion where I ended up in that gear combo.

 

[one4teen]

I just ordered a 24t ring to try out. For less than 10 bucks, I'll see if that clears it up. I'll let you know.

 

[shiggy]

I just ordered a 24t ring to try out. For less than 10 bucks, I'll see if that clears it up. I'll let you know.

If your 22x34 low gear is important for you, the 24t ring is a poor solution.