adjust shifting for suspension sag

[merckxrider]

I am having the issue of my bike’s shifting. I have a GT Marathon 2.0 with Fox Float R. When the bike is on the stand, the rear der. shifts perfectly. When I get on the bike, I noticed the sag on the suspension changes the cable tension/length. The gears are then not able to flow through the entire stack. How do I fix this issue?

[Syd Patricio]

This is a problem on many bikes not just yours..For one thing due to suspension design and chainstay length growth this can be an issue. Do me a favor first…Take paticular interest on the cable housing that comes from the main triangle to the rear triangle make sure you have adaquate length in this region. Sometimes they are a bit short and tend to pull on the cable..Likewise if they are too long they tend to bind the cable. So look at the housing make sure when you bounce the suspension it doesn`t pull. If that is the case maybe a new housing would be in order..Try a house that is compression free.. Good quality one like Gore or Nokon will reduce that effect..Now as for the chainstay length growth…That is suspension design and cannot be fixed.. That is a characteristic of the bikes design…You can only compensate that while riding and set the shifting on the bike while riding, playing with the barrel adjuster.

[Syd Patricio]

Dang I forgot to add some more information…Check the condition of the chain and gears as well…When they wear a bit they tend to become sluggish and miss shifting when under even partial load (simply riding) rather than on a stand (no load). If you see that there is too much slack in the chain or that the gear profiles as looking like shark teeth it may be time. If your a rider that rides three times a week or a total of 90 miles a week, your looking at changing chains once a year along with a cassette.. (That is approximate and depends on terrain and type of riding)…

To give you an Idea this year alone I went through 2 chains so far on both my bikes…I have a few wheelsets so i rotate between wheels often so my cassettes are still ok.

[merckxrider]

thanks for the tip. after posting, i went back out to the garage and looked at that exact area and realized that the housing was too short. i put a longer housing in there, and behold, a bike that shifts smooth as "butta".

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