my xtr rear mech is really stiff and rear down shifts are taking way too much effort. have disconnected cable, and xtr shifter is super smooth both ways but as soon as i connect the mech it gets tough again.

any clues what’s going on?

Sticky cable?

Is the clutch a bit tight? Have you tried shifting with the clutch turned off?

nope, cable is fine. have been reading about clutch being overtight, and it’s adjustable. anyone out there done that?

with clutch on it’s really hard to push lower jockey wheel towards front of bike. with clutch off it’s much easier and shifting is much easier too. i want to use the clutch so what can i do to reduce stiffness?

I have this with my zee setup. I thought it maybe down to the chain being too short as I’ve checked everything else…was going to lengthen on replacement.

anyone out there done that?

Yep. Set it as loose at it would go without fouling on the housing. I was curious and just removed the clutch cover when I first got my hands on it but there’s a guide here…

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Inside-Shimanos-Shadow-Plus-Mech-and-How-To-Adjust-.html

I should add that I’ve read somewhere the clutch on/off switch is infinitely adjustable between the on and off position so it might be worth just having a play with that before making the internal adjustments. Not that it’s any fuss.

B screw adjustment, mech too close to cassette?