[bcsnowcat]

OK...some of you guys have helped me out with a few issues while completing the build on my 7/5. The thing rides great...until...I get out of the saddle and REALLY mash hard on a climb. I have been singlespeeding for the last year, and the standing/mashing is what I like to do when climbing, but right now, both of my knees look like groud beef and are black and blue. I thought I was getting some chain skippage under load and replaced my chain (was a bit stretched, but nothing to be super alarmed by) and put on a new cassette too. Seemed to ride great for the first few miles, so I really cranked up the intensity...then it happened...Really mashed hard while climbing and my chain came off the front chainrings, sending my pedals into a spinning frenzy and sending my knees straight into the tops of my DUC...OUCH!! And...I am the genious who did not learn my lesson, so I did it 3 more times on that ride...

So...I came across this today...(posted a while back by Ethan)

"I fully agree with the shorter cage (meduim)
The reason there may be more "chain drop" on the Mavericks is that the rear end is working!
We also have the rear wheel moving and the B.B. slightly moving as well.
All rear der pulley cages can be tightened up to greatly help this out. Shimano and Sram have different spring tension holes in the B-knuckle. I recommend the tightest setting."

I have made those adjustments and I also have a medium cage derailleur on order (am currently running a long one since that is what came on the bike).

Has anyone else experience this, and/or any other advice would be greatly appreciated by me and my knees:thumbsup:

Thanks, Tim

 

[banks]

Tim,
Sounds like that chain ring is not meshing perfectly with the new chain under your high load pedaling style. Replace it!
The small and middle rings wear with the chain, as does the cassette.
Pedal a higher joint friendly gear ratio. High load, low cadence pedaling wears out the drive train faster then lower gearing with a higher cadence.

Single ratio off road riding isn't all about mashin' gears; it's ok to get off and walk.

 

[bcsnowcat]

Thanks Banks, I am in the process of hunting down some new rings too...forgot to add that :thumbsup:

The only other reason I thought it might also have something to do with the long cage derailleur was that I also drop the chain while descending really rocky stuff too, and at the bottom I go to pedal and get nothing but spinning cranks. I figured with the additional tension that a medium cage derailleur would give, that it might help that too.

I am not a big guy, and I can't truly turn any big gears either, I just like to get out of the saddle and sprint to the top of the little hills around the Southeast It gets me to the top faster than my buddies and I only rarely need to be resuscitated once they all arrive But, I must admit, it is very nice to plant my butt in the saddle and cruise to the top of the same hills that I normally nearly kill myself on...I think a lot of that has to do with the Maverick's climbing abilities, too :thumbsup:

any feedback on the dropped chain while descending would be of help too. Thanks!

 

[banks]

If you are descending without pedaling a little bit you will drop the chain; it's totally normal.
I try to descend in the big ring if it's long enough, better touch for pedaling being close to the correct gear and the tension is tighter.

 

[bcsnowcat]

I have noticed that I do not drop the chain while pedaling. That is certainly something I will need to work on, thanks for that bit of info :thumbsup: However, the thought of it kind of scares me since I am already going so much faster on the way down on the Maverick than I am really comfortable doing at the moment I've never ridden a bike with so much travel until now!

Thanks again Banks, and I will give some updates after replacing the front rings and rear derailleur...oh...and learning to go even faster while PEDALING down hill :eekster:

Tim

 

[banks]

Keeps yer legs & calves from cramping

 

[suspex]

Hey Tim,

You may also want to check your rear hub/cassette body. If it's hanging up or dragging it'll cause the chain to slacken and get sucked into your rear triangle by the tire. I'd be willing to bet however, that it's related to chainring wear.
By the way... how's the fork?

KB (Suspension Experts)

 

[bcsnowcat]

2 new questions...

Hey Kevin, I hear ya on the cassette body, but it's good. It is a new Race Lite (I think those are the DT 370's or so), but somehow the combo of my hub/disc brakes/frame combo are not really spot on. No matter how I adjust my Juicy Seven calipers, my disc will rub the adapter slightly and I get a bit of brake drag in corners. I have no spacers between the disc and the hub, nor the tabs and the adaper, yet the disc is still too far towards the frame for proper adjustment with those brakes. Is there a narrower IS to Post mount adapter than Avid's standard one, or will I need to face my tabs on my frame or the adapter itself to get the calipers out far enough?

As for the FORK...UNREAL!!! my favorite feature is the climbing mode. It is stiffer in this mode than I had anticipated (which for me is a WONDERFUL thing, given my riding style). During my first 100 miles on the bike, I am averaging 5mph faster than my SS on the flats, and a bit more on the descents (yesterday while pedaling in the big ring while going down ). Bike is riding great...however...

Yesterday I added a few clicks of adjustment to slow down the rebound on the rear shock. It really made a huge difference on jumps as it didn't kick my rear end up and make me nose over. The rest of the riding benefited greatly too, but...I sounded like a bath-time rubber ducky (or dog's squeaky toy) each time my rear suspension would activate the rebounding. I don't mind the squeaky sound, because the ride was so much better, but hoping that the sound is normal??

Thanks again guys

 

[sxotty]

Thanks Banks, I am in the process of hunting down some new rings too...forgot to add that :thumbsup:

The only other reason I thought it might also have something to do with the long cage derailleur was that I also drop the chain while descending really rocky stuff too, and at the bottom I go to pedal and get nothing but spinning cranks. I figured with the additional tension that a medium cage derailleur would give, that it might help that too.

I had this issue on a kona previously and kept hitting my knees on my DUC. It was chainring wear,but a suggestion that I tried is as follows.

Pedal up next to a tree with your feet clipped in. Press your brakes so you cannot move. Cram on the pedals and cycle the suspension with someone watching to see where it slips.

That is how I eventually figured out what was wrong after a new cassette, new chain, etc...

 

[bcsnowcat]

Yep, chainring :thumbsup: Replaced my middle ring before my last ride...NO slipping whatsoever. I will be tossing the medium cage derailleur on by the end of the weekend and taking her out again to see the difference in chain tension as well.

LOVING my new ride

Tim

 

[ssorgs]

sucking sound

[is] that the sound is normal??

In my experience it can come from rear or front (DUC/SC). Ethan told me it's generally a product of oil quality. Almost always goes away on its own.

 

[bonefish]

mav 2x9

Man did I have chain suck/breakage/falling off issues in Moab this year. Knees into the DUC, knees into rocks, face into stumps. Really awesome. So I totally redid my front transmission. I ride an ML-8.

I went to a 26/36/bash with a chain guide, tightened the rear der cage, re-tubed the chainstay and voila...no more skipping, dropping, and get this, it's almost silent. The silence gives an almost zen quality to DH. I don't notice the increased resistance (you racers might).

I am using the Blackspire rings, which, in my opinion, shift more efficiently and have better spacing against the chainguide (when they shift, they shift firm). MRP bash and chainguide. The folks in Golden (you know who you are) put it all together and did a stellar job.

Hope this helps.