12-27-2011, 05:52 AM
I just had the bike shop install a new cassette and chain. (I've been looking around online all evening and similar threads are all about only one or the other part getting replaced and problems resulting.) I've had this Giant mountain bike 12+ years, street use only, supposedly originally made for a bike messenger company so it had 9 gears in back, no parts replacements to speak of this whole time. Partly the reason for the new parts now was how old everything was, and mostly because I was starting to experience more and more skipping in the past month or so.
The new pieces should match each other (Shimano HG chain - box says ok for 9-speed, and Shimano SLX HG80 Cassette 9-Speed). If they aren't in fact a match, please set me straight! The chain and gears are aligned just fine. No problems with the front gears ("chain rings"?). From standstill especially or even while moving, placing load on the pedals is resulting in skipping over 90% of the time. Have tried using gears 4 - 8 without success, but normally I start from standstill with 5, 6, or 7.
The bike shop tech said the he set the chain length to "standard" length. He adjusted a screw making the chain "wrap" more underneath the cassette, but it made no difference. And even looking closely we couldn't see any part of the gears where the chain didn't mesh.
Any place we haven't looked? Any ideas?
The new pieces should match each other (Shimano HG chain - box says ok for 9-speed, and Shimano SLX HG80 Cassette 9-Speed). If they aren't in fact a match, please set me straight! The chain and gears are aligned just fine. No problems with the front gears ("chain rings"?). From standstill especially or even while moving, placing load on the pedals is resulting in skipping over 90% of the time. Have tried using gears 4 - 8 without success, but normally I start from standstill with 5, 6, or 7.
The bike shop tech said the he set the chain length to "standard" length. He adjusted a screw making the chain "wrap" more underneath the cassette, but it made no difference. And even looking closely we couldn't see any part of the gears where the chain didn't mesh.
Any place we haven't looked? Any ideas?