Iv changed the rear cassette to a 42 T 10speed to a 28t narrow wide ring and i have also changed the chain, rear mech is new with clutch, however it goes into every gear just feels a bit stiff especially when i get nearer to the top ring.

I was concerned initially that i had cut the chain to short but i dont think thats the case as it seems about right.

Have i done something wrong or is this what i should be expecting to get? (On a SLX clutch mech with clutch on)

Does it still feel stiff with the clutch off?

Yeh more so when trying to get it into the top gear (granny ring)

Stiff to shift or stiff to turn the pedals?

B screw? If you don’t have enough clearance the mech tries to drag the chain through the teeth not up them. And nobody knows how to work b-tension so it’s usually a pretty good port of call 😆

Is the chain running correctly through the derailleur? I made the mistake of threading the chain under the plate between the jockey wheels which makes it stiff and a tad noisy.

I checked the b screw its not that, it only gets quite tight onto the last big ring and you feel a bit of resistance in the crank like as if you have squashed the bearings

Right amount of cable, and loop not to tight?

Loop is not that tight, cables tight when in top ring as expected but its plenty slack when in bottom

According to my LBS it’s part and parcel of these massive 42t+ cogs now.

Guy there just fitted one off those massive Hope expanders for a customer and getting it into the larger plates was hard work.

Even as someone who runs 1×10 I’m beginning to think that 2×10 was the pinnacle and these 1×11 and 1×12 systems are looking for problems that don’t exist.

It’s not 1×10 with 42t cogs per se – I’ve had that set up with an XT clutch rear mech and it worked a treat. My 11 speed XT works well and that has a 42t rear, my mate’s 46t XT cassette shifts fine as well. Chain too short perhaps?

@astura – if you could post some pics in different gears we might be able to pick up where the problem is.

Bollocks, no stiffness in mine at all.

Can’t think how that would be possible if you’re sure the chain isn’t too short. Can we have a photo in the 42t?

Edit: response to Deviant, cross posted with Astura.

It does sorta sound as though the chains too short?

When I had this problem on 1×10 42t setup , I finally solved it when I replaced the chain and added two links to the original length.

Just realised it’s a 10speed SLX mech, mine was terrible before putting a rad cage on it. So still thinking it’s a clearance thing really

I would – referencing a lot of the above: –
1). Recheck chain length
2). Double check B Tension screw
3). Check chain routing around rear mech
4). Check he preload on the BB bearings

I use a medium cage slx with sunrace 11-42, and 30 tooth narrow/wide and it works fine, without a rad cage, or a goat link. Just a longer b screw.

My money is on the chain lenth. Shift into the problem gear…if the chain is like a guitar string, theres your problem

nairnster – Member
I use a medium cage slx with sunrace 11-42, and 30 tooth narrow/wide and it works fine, without a rad cage, or a goat link. Just a longer b screw.

It depends on the bike too. Mine was atrocious using the same setup as you, with really poor chain wrap and indexing that went all over the place depending on where you were on the cassette (I also went down the longer b screw route). Rad cage sorted it instantly

I have had different experience to deviant – no additional issues with 11 speed or 10 speed 1x or in 11 speed 2x that I have fitted on someone else’s bike. No more issues than 7/8/9/10 speed.

+1 probably chain tension related, seen this with short cages in particular as the cage gets streched out tension goes up.

try set chain up as slack as possible in the 11t. or a radr/med cage.

tweak chainline as well if you use the 42t a lot, or a 30/32 t front should improve things

Fixed. Popped to LBS just for a bit of a tweak.

Chain length was fine.
I had run chain wrong side of plate on rear mech.
Also, need3d to tweak chain line as i had lined it up against bottom cog instead of top.

All good now

I had run chain wrong side of plate on rear mech.

5th post down.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bike-fixing-errors-you-only-make-once

And yes, I’ve done it. 🙂

I ran a chain like that for a few months before I realised, what a nob.

deviant – Member

According to my LBS it’s part and parcel of these massive 42t+ cogs now.

It’s not. I can see how it brings out other issues, it pushes the stock mechs to their limits but when done right it shifts almost like OE. The pickup to the 42 can be a little slower but not terrible

Still, I personally thought the rad/radrcage well worth it- mostly it just makes things more simple and less pernickety, you get genuine OE performance.