Curing Bicycle Cluster Clatter

Your new bicycle shifted crisply and precisely when it was new, but now the chain clatters on the rear cluster in some gears. Nothing seems to help.

Pictured is a barrel adjuster. There is one on the right side of the bicycle for the rear shifter and one on the left side for the front shifter. This Instructable concerns only the barrel adjuster for the rear shifter. I have had most of my problems with clatter at the gear cluster on the rear wheel.

The cure for the clatter problem is really pretty simple. I had read a very good manual shortly after getting my new bike with combination brakes and shifters, often called "brifters." Even though the manual discussed these problems, I forgot and had to relearn what I had already read. I was almost ready to accept some shift problems as "normal."

Step 1: First step

A good first step is to make certain there is enough slack in the cable. A friend's new bicycle did not have enough slack in the cable, and there was clatter in the of the middle gears at the rear cluster. Tweaking the barrel adjuster for the rear derailleur (shifter) did not solve the problem, but only changed which gears clattered.

Release the tension on the shift levers and derailleurs so the cables are in their most relaxed positions. Loosen the cable clamp (hex socket screw between my two thumbs). Pull the cable to hand tight and tighten the cable clamp screw as tightly as possible.

Comments

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I talked about this with a bike shop pro, and he suggested I try new ferrules on the ends of my shifter cable housings. It worked! Turns out the old ferrules were worn and the cables were sticking in the oblong holes in the plastic ferrules.

Having said that, I like your idea for adjustment on the fly.

[Phil B]

Thank you for your comments and your recommendation. I think I have heard of the wax lubricant you mentioned. I expect it would be easy to find in a good bike shop. I am sorry I missed your comments until now. At some point I realized Instructables was bundling more than one comment in each e-mail report, but I was expecting only one and did not scroll down to see other comments mentioned in the same e-mail.

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Also, make sure the pivot points on the derailluer are lubed with light oil (I used teflon).

As you noted, the chain needs to be clean and lubed in order to function well. My bike shop sold me something called _____ Gold. It's a wax based material that includes a liquid carrier that evaporates and leaves the wax in the chain. Just wipe off the dirt first, apply, run the chain for a bit, and then wipe off the excess. Nice stuff!