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The chain on my wife's Stumpy FSR seems to hunt between a couple of ratios for some reason. It's indexed correctly as shifts top to bottom OK, but when mid-casette it seems to click into gear OK, but when under power will flip back and forth between a couple of gears.
She doesn't use it much, so I'm reluctant to chuck cash at changing parts unless I'm confident I know what the fix is.
SLX drive train, with a new shifter/cable on the rear (problem was present before this was changed)
Chain is at the wear limit, so new chain/cassette is probably in order, but wondered if anyone had any other theories?
Cheers.
Derailleur alignment is always a good one.
Is the cassette lock ring tight?
Both good calls - I'll check.
My recent experience suggests that chain/cassette wear will give this effect.
I noticed, a while back, that my chain was 'hunting' between gears when riding in the middle of the cassette (Cotic BFe with SLX drive train). I fiddled with all the bits that usually get a mention but no fix so I just kept on riding it.
About a month after this the chain snapped! When I checked it was very worn as was the cassette, I changed both items for new parts and the problem with the shifting went away 8)
Not conclusive evidence but food for thought 😀
Most recent problem with this I had was due to the wheel not sitting square in the drop outs. Spotted it when I was about to remove the wheel and fit the chain and cassette I had just bought. D'oh!
Mine does this a little mid cassette despite being a new chain and cassette.
I've not looked at it yet but will check the lock ring, never thought of that.
I had exactly the same problem recently. It didn't make sense to me, but I fixed it with a new chain and cassette - now as good as new. Good tips on lock ring, wheel position, and mech alignment 🙂
Cracked frame? Unlikely but it can cause this sort of problem.
Could just be worn or lock ring, as above.
Has it seen some chain suck, could have tweaked some of the links to get picked up on another sprocket.
Damaged tooth on sprocket.
Bent or tight link? I had a similar issue last week. Turned out to be a slight bent sprocket which lead to a mangled chain.
Is the gear outer long enough to accomodate the suspension movement? Sometimes the suspension action causes the cable to be pulled causing ghost shifts
Play in the cassette pins/carrier?
Wonky freehub?
Chain is at the wear limit, so new chain/cassette is probably in order
This would have been my guess even if you hadn't mentioned it - are the mid-range gears where the problem occurs the ones which are used the most by any chance?
If it's not that, I'd be having a close look at the hanger re. bentness.
Shifter cable.
It was working fine before you fiddled with it 😉 so it stands to reason that the cable has too much tension, or the outer is too short; it could alternatively be too long, I can't remember which, but too short would be my call.
To sort it, click down to the smallest cog on the cassette, undo the cable pinch bolt on the mech. This will alert you to any Low Limit incorrectness, so adjust if needs. Check also the B-Tension screw/bolt and adjust as necessary. Put a small amount on tension on the shifter cable and do up the clamp bolt.
Shift up and down a few times and fine tune with the barrel adjuster at the shifter and voila! 😀
Apologies if you knew the process already.
torsoinalake had it - bent mech hanger, verified by LBS after I'd ruled everything else out
Cheers for all the tips