Am i the only one who manages to get through at least one front mech (and sometimes two) a year? And if so what the hell am i doing wrong?

On the way in to work this morning i went to change into the granny for a climb and the mech didn’t budge, slack cable but mech stuck, and this is about the sixth mech in 3 years! I ride in all weathers and the bike is pretty well maintained, after cleaning i give the mech a quick spray of GT85 to clear out any water but thats about it.

On the other hand my MTB mechs keep on running despite being stored covered in mud and crap and having considerably less maintenance. It’s frustrating to say the least.

More exposure to salt off the roads in Winter killing them?

Sounds like salt corrosion of the pivots in the mech.
A good soaking with GT85 and moving it back & forward by hand usually sorts mine out.

Have you tried changing the cable? The front mech on my road bike is the original 1985 one and that is fine now I put new cables on it. The shifters are a bit pony mind.

Mines done the same, can’t figure out if it’s the cable or the mech is bolloxed.

I think it’s cos they don’t move very often compared to a MTB one and they are more subject to salt etc.

Do you have full length mudguards?

Should be easy enough to tell if it’s the mech or the cable – is the cable next to the mech slack?

GT85 is not a lubricant.
Use wet lube in the moving parts and it’ll work fine. Make sure to wipe off the excess or dirt will start sticking to it.

what mechs are you using!!! my current front mech is 15years old? and gets used and abused in all weathers, from sun to snow, rain, winter salt, the odd dirt track…

Definitely not cable, thats less than a month old. Yep, got full length mudguards, and the mechs have all been Sora or Tiagra 9 speed. Only use GT85 to get the water out after washing/wet rides, have used a couple of drops of 3 in 1 on the pivots in the past but it has made bugger all difference. I could get the salt corrosion thing if it happened around winter time consistently but it doesn’t, happens at different times even in the summer.

stop using cheap front mechs, the pivots do not enjoy our climate and quickly degenerate when exposed to road salt or aggressive cleaning products

next time it happens, switch to 6700 Ultegra, should get a good season or two from that mech no problem..

Did consider a nicer mech, but 105 and upwards in 9 speed is nigh on impossible to source in good condition. And because they keep dying i have been reluctant to shell out if it only lasted 6 months.

and the newer generation 105 and ultegra mechs work on a different cable pull ratio to your 9 speed too….

Cage on my 105 just snapped. Shifting had become worse and worse over a couple of months and the chain was dropping quite regularly until I noticed the break when it finally stopped shifting.