I’ve got a Cube XC hardtail and heap big time mud is collecting in the gap between seat tube, chain stays, chain stay bridge, and is building up on the front mech. It got so bad last week that I couldn’t use the front mech.

Want to keep the 3×9 setup at the moment, so what can I do to stop the buildup?

Pics.

P1060963.JPG by cakefest, on Flickr

P1060965.JPG by cakefest, on Flickr

MrsIHN has a Cube and gets the same problem. The main culprit IMO is the top-swing mech, as the mud just collects in/on it and builds from there.

I tried to fit a conventional/bottom-swing mech but the clamp fouled on the bottle bosses on the downtube. That’s on an ickle laydees frame though, if you have a bigger frame you may have more luck.

Cut out a bit of a milk bottle and cable tie it in?
Use a 24″ wheel?
Pick your lines better?
Wash the bike after each ride?

I love the ‘wash the bike after each ride’ solution. In what wayshapeorform is that a solution for a problem that occurs in the middle of the ride? Excellent verk!!

Like the milk bottle option though. And possibly the conventional mech. The top-swing mech is a real platform, eh.

Get your fingers in and clear out mis ride. I agree that mech type can affect how much collects.
It is just time of year, with sticky rather than sloppy mud.

The top-swing mech is a real platform, eh.

Yup.

One day I’ll get round to filing off the bottle boss and fitting a conventional one.