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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage (Read 2172 times)
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Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
01/29/17 at 3:42am
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Hey guys need ur thoughts. I have an 2015 Trek fuel ex 9 29er, and just converted my rear derailleur from the sram to the medium cage xt derailleur and xt shifter. Doing an 1x11 set up. I think I might need to swap out might chain for a different one cause the sram one I think don't like the xt derailleur and shifter cause it has trouble goin down the gears and no trouble goin up them. I was wondering how this kmc chain would do. Says its mtb compatible with shimano. Thoughts?
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #1 - 01/29/17 at 5:38am
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I have found that SRAM chains work best with SRAM drivetrains and Shimano chains work best with Shimano drivetrains.  Wink

Also it's more important that the cassette and chain match, I have never had issue with a mismatched chain and derailleur. If it's going one direction and not the other it sounds like it could be a cable tension or a b-tension adjustment issue. Good luck figuring it out!
« Last Edit: 01/29/17 at 5:51am by OoHoO »  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #2 - 01/29/17 at 5:41am
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KMC chain works well with my new 1x10 XT set up...
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #3 - 01/29/17 at 10:46am
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Thx buddy
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #4 - 01/29/17 at 2:33pm
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I've never had a problem using a sram chain with a shimano drivetrain.  Was the original drivetrain 10 speed or 11 speed.  Could also be a shifter cable binding or your lower limit screw not set correctly.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #5 - 01/29/17 at 2:36pm
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I would agree its probably best to match brands between chain and cassette. 

If it will shift up the cassette (to a larger cog = easier gear) but doesn't shift well going down the cassette, it could just be a kink in the shifter cable. When you shift up the cassette the tension would give a consistent pull to straighten the kink. When shifting down the cassette, a portion of the slack added to the cable by the shifter could be used up by the cable kink springing back to the bent position, causing delayed shifts. 

Excessive friction anywhere between the cable and housing would cause similar shifting issues. I figure if you swapped derailleurs but didn't change out the cable, there is a chance there is a kink in the cable at that end where it wrapped around the old derailleur linkage\clamp.

Worth checking. It is possible to (mostly) straighten a bent cable by hand or with pliers of you're patient.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #6 - 01/29/17 at 3:38pm
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Yellowduck wrote on 01/29/17 at 2:33pm:
I've never had a problem using a sram chain with a shimano drivetrain.  Was the original drivetrain 10 speed or 11 speed.  Could also be a shifter cable binding or your lower limit screw not set correctly.


Original drive train was 11 speed. Will check the screw first though.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #7 - 01/29/17 at 3:41pm
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BudLeach wrote on 01/29/17 at 2:36pm:
I would agree its probably best to match brands between chain and cassette. 

If it will shift up the cassette (to a larger cog = easier gear) but doesn't shift well going down the cassette, it could just be a kink in the shifter cable. When you shift up the cassette the tension would give a consistent pull to straighten the kink. When shifting down the cassette, a portion of the slack added to the cable by the shifter could be used up by the cable kink springing back to the bent position, causing delayed shifts. 

Excessive friction anywhere between the cable and housing would cause similar shifting issues. I figure if you swapped derailleurs but didn't change out the cable, there is a chance there is a kink in the cable at that end where it wrapped around the old derailleur linkage\clamp.

Worth checking. It is possible to (mostly) straighten a bent cable by hand or with pliers of you're patient.


New cables, new housing, new shifter, and new derailleur. No kinks whatsoever ever I know cause it was replaced. Old one had kinks in it.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #8 - 01/29/17 at 9:22pm
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No problem here with running a SRAM chain on a Shimano cassette. Are both new, or used/worn in together?  What size cassette are you running?  A long cage der would be better if you are running a big cassette. 

Edit:

- it could be as simple as a barrel adjustment. Have you adjusted it to where it would go down the cassette easily and up poorly ?  Could be you are off a little bit but I'm assuming you have tried that already.
« Last Edit: 01/29/17 at 9:26pm by mountainbiker90 »  
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Yeah, to the best of my knowledge:)
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #9 - 01/29/17 at 9:34pm
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mountainbiker90 wrote on 01/29/17 at 9:22pm:
No problem here with running a SRAM chain on a Shimano cassette. Are both new, or used/worn in together?  What size cassette are you running?  A long cage der would be better if you are running a big cassette. 

Edit:

- it could be as simple as a barrel adjustment. Have you adjusted it to where it would go down the cassette easily and up poorly ?  Could be you are off a little bit but I'm assuming you have tried that already.


I am using an 11 speed sram cassette, chain rings look good. Probably is just an adjustment but wanted to know for sure if it wasn't, would a kmc gold chain work.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #10 - 01/29/17 at 11:05pm
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If an adjustment is off a chain won't help. If you're not sure, I'd take it to a shop and have them check it out before dropping coin on a chain. There are several things that 'could' be going on. Hard to tell, staring through the inter web
  
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Yeah, to the best of my knowledge:)
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #11 - 01/29/17 at 11:35pm
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mountainbiker90 wrote on 01/29/17 at 11:05pm:
If an adjustment is off a chain won't help. If you're not sure, I'd take it to a shop and have them check it out before dropping coin on a chain. There are several things that 'could' be going on. Hard to tell, staring through the inter web


Yea I hear ya, I adjusted it, but need to take it on the trail first so that to see if the chain needs to be stretched out and then if I still have some problems then I might need another chain. Thanks for all the info, that's why I like this forum...
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #12 - 02/04/17 at 1:01pm
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I recently switched to XT 1x11 using an XT rear derailleur, XT 11-42 cassette, and Sram 1130 chain (buy cheap, replace often!). 

It does shift fine, although I will say it's noisy as hell under load in the biggest two cogs (especially the 42t), likely due to the terrible chainline in those cogs.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #13 - 02/04/17 at 4:39pm
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I'm not the sharpest knife on the forum, but FWIW I can tell you I've bought KMC chains and put them on both Shimano and SRAM drive trains and they've always worked perfectly. If the chain and drive train are the same ones you had before the changeover (in other words they were working together before and not seriously mismatched as to amount of wear), then it sure sounds to me like a shift cable/housing issue. Particularly if it goes one way okay and not the other. 

One question though...was the rear derailleur new or used? If used, you could possibly have an issue with it. And could your der. hanger have gotten bent in the changeover?
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #14 - 02/04/17 at 5:42pm
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when you put the chain back on after the conversion did you put it back on so its running in the same direction and with the same side facing the cogs?

  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #15 - 02/04/17 at 7:52pm
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Cherokee wrote on 02/04/17 at 4:39pm:
I'm not the sharpest knife on the forum, but FWIW I can tell you I've bought KMC chains and put them on both Shimano and SRAM drive trains and they've always worked perfectly. If the chain and drive train are the same ones you had before the changeover (in other words they were working together before and not seriously mismatched as to amount of wear), then it sure sounds to me like a shift cable/housing issue. Particularly if it goes one way okay and not the other. 

One question though...was the rear derailleur new or used? If used, you could possibly have an issue with it. And could your der. hanger have gotten bent in the changeover?


Rear derailleur is brand new as well as cables, housing, and shifter.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #16 - 02/04/17 at 7:53pm
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ChosenOne wrote on 02/04/17 at 5:42pm:
when you put the chain back on after the conversion did you put it back on so its running in the same direction and with the same side facing the cogs?



Yes and yes
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #17 - 02/05/17 at 2:22am
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Here is a little anecdote for ya.

I was myself changing out a rear cable and housing one day and at the same time having a conversation with someone. I just could not get my derailleur to shift properly so for 10 mins I made little adjustments to no avail, l then realized I had forgotten to replace the cable guide that snaps into the bottom of the bottom bracket. Once that was installed correctly and I readjusted the cable every thing worked as normal.

You may have also threaded your chain improperly between the upper and lower pulleys.

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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #18 - 02/05/17 at 3:21am
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santana wrote on 02/05/17 at 2:22am:
Here is a little anecdote for ya.

I was myself changing out a rear cable and housing one day and at the same time having a conversation with someone. I just could not get my derailleur to shift properly so for 10 mins I made little adjustments to no avail, l then realized I had forgotten to replace the cable guide that snaps into the bottom of the bottom bracket. Once that was installed correctly and I readjusted the cable every thing worked as normal.

You may have also threaded your chain improperly between the upper and lower pulleys.

ciao
Santana


Do u have pics of the cable guide ur talking about? Chain is on correctly.
  
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Re: Chain issues 1x11 shimano xt derailleur med cage
Reply #19 - 02/05/17 at 2:15pm
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It looks like on your bike it does not use a cable guide. A lot of things could be wrong with how you routed the cable to the length of tube at each end even how you cut the cable housing or even over tightened the zip ties. But good thing is it sounds like whatever it is will be a simple fix once you determine the cause. 

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