Yesterday my Zee mech exploded, usual case of just riding along and kaboom. The only thing I can think of is earlier in the ride I’d removed a bit of foilage form the mech, but obviously damage has been incurred previously though I can’t see any signs of impact.

Anyway I’m sure I’d read of Zee failures in the past but a riding buddy had mentioned they were more related to the clutch failing. Has anyone had the knuckle break or totalled their mech? I’m asking before I throw another £50 at a new mech when I’d be better either downgrading to deore or going for XT/Saint instead.

Pic of the mech

I have read about failures and explosions, but that they were related to an early batch and problems had been resolved (Shimano were warranty replacing them).

I was just about to plonk £50 on one of these because I wanted a short cage, but will keep and eye on this thread..

Chambord,if you are intrested,i,v got an unused short cage Zee mech for £45 posted if you feel more assured later!.apoligies to YoKaiser for hijack…

Yeah, mine did that on an uplift day. Bodged it back together with a hammer, it’s no in a box. Should have warrantied it, but I assumed I’d smashed it on a rock.

I’m sure this wouldn’t have contributed but was it on your full sus?

Any chance of any issues with chain growth?

I think that’s how mine failed, which was replaced under warranty. Pin on link bent/broke and the mech folding in on itself and got mangled by the cassette.

Aye it was on the full sus Mark, I reckon I’d ridden a few hundred miles or so with it on though. When it went I was middle of the block and had just came over the rise of a slight climb.

I think that’s how mine failed, which was replaced under warranty. Pin on link bent/broke and the mech folding in on itself and got mangled by the cassette.

Looking at it I’d say this is where mines also also failed, it is hard to say though with it being so mangled.

As long as there has been no impact damage, you should try and have that warrantied OP…

How old is it?

Chambord,if you are intrested,i,v got an unused short cage Zee mech for £45 posted

This thread is not exactly filling me with confidence, but thanks for the offer I’ll keep it in mind.

My mate has broken a couple JRA’ing and is now on a SLX and he’s not had an issue with that one

As long as there has been no impact damage, you should try and have that warrantied OP…

How old is it?

I’ve just found the receipt and mailed the shop, I’ve had it since April. Thing is I need the bike for the weekend coming and I’ll need to buy something to replace it. I’m not sure whether to go Deore/XT/Saint. If I accept that 10spd clutch mechs are fragile, maybe a med cage Deore would be most economical.

Anyone have any other Shimano 10spd shadow+ mechs fail in a similar way?

I bought another from the same shop as they agreed to refund the first if Shimano said it was a warranty failure and otherwise I’d have had no rideable bike for a few weeks.

Mate of mine’s failed in much the same way, it was a wee bit clogged with mud but nothing that should have caused it… I think they warrantied it even though it had some scrapes on the body.

Had two and wrecked them both with the smallest of hits. Both seem to have suffered from the pin breaking. Not impressed. Back to XT I think.

and is now on a SLX and he’s not had an issue with that one

Had an SLX on for a couple of weeks now, so that is good to hear.

Thanks for all the replies. Bike Discount have been quick to respond and have issued a free shipping ticket, unfortunately they won’t allow me to purchase a mech in lieu of the one I’ll hopefully get under warranty, which is currently taking about 4-5 weeks. I’ve now purchased a med cage XT one from Merlin, if I get a Zee back I think I’ll sell it and replace it with a Saint one. I have read the the Zee is basically a short cage SLX BTW. I’m just hoping that the XT one is not made out of the same material.

Zee is the best rear mech out there for the money, been running mine now for a year and its great

It’s a rear mech, there’s a good chance that it got knocked on something without you realising it. They do take a lot more of a battering than most people realise. Try the Warranty and see if they’ll replace it. As said above, are you sure the cage/chain was long enough? Not saying it was in any way your fault. Maybe you just got a dodgy one? Rear mechs are fairly delicate anyway. Could the bit of foliage have miss aligned it and caused it to fail?

Had one that did exactly the same, was on the first climb at afan, only about the 5th ride with it.
Had thought about sending it back for warranty might still do as it seems its quite a popular fault.
Don’t seem to have much luck with first climbs just broken a sixc crank as well.

looks very similar to what happened to my zee mech last sunday! riding along a tarmac road, shifted up, big ping sound and the mech got eaten into the back of the cassette. totalled. luckily it didnt damage the wheel or cassette at all. most annoyingly it happened on the way to the trails so it ruined my day out.
i’m going to look into warrantying this as well since it was only a couple of months old and hadnt seen too much abuse.

Not the thread I wanted see when I have one waiting in a box for my new build…

Not the thread I wanted see

+1 Put mine on this morning!