I've got a Rodriguez bicycle (made in Seattle by R+E cycles) that's about four years old. It came with a low-end Campy 9-speed setup, and it's run pretty troublefree since I got it.
I decided it was time to change the chain, and as usual, I'd waited too long and had to change the cassette as well. Bought a 9-speed Veloce 13-23 cluster, put it on with the new chain -- and the derailleur cage went hopping and chattering like it was jammed up, or like the lower pulley wasn't rotating properly.
I took apart the pulleys and cleaned them, put it together, and the same thing happened.
The thing is, it works fine on the bike stand, even with the brake on to simulate a load, the chain feeds through nice and smooth as a Campy TV commercial (if there is such a thing.) But I get on the bike and pedal it, and it jumps and hops and chatters. Not every revolution of the chain, like a tight link (though it's otherwise a little like that) but constantly - hop-hop-chatter-hop-click-click-chatter-hop
I tried adjusting the derailleur back and forth with the barrel adjuster, to no avail.
By now it's late at night and I'm all frustrated, so I put the old cassette and chain on, and it runs fine.
I continue riding the bike for a couple of days, and I have an epiphany -- the problem isn't with the back end at all -- the chainwheels are dirty and the new, unworn chain is hanging up on the gummy grease on the chainwheel! Come home, take the chainwheels apart and scrub them till they're like new, put it all back together with my new cassette, my recently cleaned derailleur, my chainwheels so clean you could eat sushi with them, and my new Campy chain.
And, exactly the same thing! The derailleur cage jumps and chatters, just like before. Again, it works just fine on the stand, but when I'm pedalling (and I can't look down and see what's going on) the cage jumps and hops.
I even thought -- "OMG, they stuck a ten-speed cassette in the box!" but no, I counted the sprockets, and there's nine.
It's a 9-speed Campy Mirage derailleur, a 9-speed Campy Veloce (ultra-drive!) cassette, a 9-speed Campy chain. (Actually I have two new Campy chains; one's a Record, the other I think is a Veloce, but I don't have the box. They behave identically.)
My nexst idea is to resurrect my old bike with the 7-speed cassette and try to sell the Rodriguez on eBay with the old chain and cassette. Anyone have any better ideas? Ideally ones that don't involve spending a grand or two on a new drive train?
I decided it was time to change the chain, and as usual, I'd waited too long and had to change the cassette as well. Bought a 9-speed Veloce 13-23 cluster, put it on with the new chain -- and the derailleur cage went hopping and chattering like it was jammed up, or like the lower pulley wasn't rotating properly.
I took apart the pulleys and cleaned them, put it together, and the same thing happened.
The thing is, it works fine on the bike stand, even with the brake on to simulate a load, the chain feeds through nice and smooth as a Campy TV commercial (if there is such a thing.) But I get on the bike and pedal it, and it jumps and hops and chatters. Not every revolution of the chain, like a tight link (though it's otherwise a little like that) but constantly - hop-hop-chatter-hop-click-click-chatter-hop
I tried adjusting the derailleur back and forth with the barrel adjuster, to no avail.
By now it's late at night and I'm all frustrated, so I put the old cassette and chain on, and it runs fine.
I continue riding the bike for a couple of days, and I have an epiphany -- the problem isn't with the back end at all -- the chainwheels are dirty and the new, unworn chain is hanging up on the gummy grease on the chainwheel! Come home, take the chainwheels apart and scrub them till they're like new, put it all back together with my new cassette, my recently cleaned derailleur, my chainwheels so clean you could eat sushi with them, and my new Campy chain.
And, exactly the same thing! The derailleur cage jumps and chatters, just like before. Again, it works just fine on the stand, but when I'm pedalling (and I can't look down and see what's going on) the cage jumps and hops.
I even thought -- "OMG, they stuck a ten-speed cassette in the box!" but no, I counted the sprockets, and there's nine.
It's a 9-speed Campy Mirage derailleur, a 9-speed Campy Veloce (ultra-drive!) cassette, a 9-speed Campy chain. (Actually I have two new Campy chains; one's a Record, the other I think is a Veloce, but I don't have the box. They behave identically.)
My nexst idea is to resurrect my old bike with the 7-speed cassette and try to sell the Rodriguez on eBay with the old chain and cassette. Anyone have any better ideas? Ideally ones that don't involve spending a grand or two on a new drive train?