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General Category >> Technical >> SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
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Message started by jayg on Nov 8^th, 2013, 5:39pm

Title: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 8^th, 2013, 5:39pm

The original equipment, 10-speed, SRAM Rival rear derailleur on my Musashi is becoming increasingly harder to shift with the bike's X7 trigger shifter. Has 9,579 miles on it, so it's probably time to replace it. Really like the easy-shifting X7 derailler on my Baron, so I'm considering replacing the Rival derailleur with an X7. Found out today that SRAM offers a Type 2 X7 derailleur (http://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/sram-x7-type-2-10-speed-rear-derailleur) that has a clutching mechanism to control chain slap. Since the long spans of chain on recumbents bounce around, was thinking this Type 2 derailleur might control bounce, and save a watt or two.

Anybody out there have any experience with SRAM's X series clutching derailleurs?

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by Action Lad on Nov 11^th, 2013, 11:30pm

Wow, one-way wheels in the derailleur. No chain slap and bounce? Nice. So much technology in a pretty machine, too. When you get it and install it, I want to see it on. Oh, wait, be sure to post some photos of the thing, K?

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 12^th, 2013, 12:13pm

Action Lad wrote:

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by MrOverdressed on Nov 13^th, 2013, 4:49am

Please do a follow-up post and let us know how you like it. :)

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 13^th, 2013, 9:34am

MrOverdressed wrote:

Please do a follow-up post and let us know how you like it. :)

OK, I'll do that. Decided to step up a grade and ordered an X9 shifter and X9, Type 2, derailleur last night.

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by catroad254 on Nov 13^th, 2013, 10:03am

I've been waiting for you to check out that derailer. [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 13^th, 2013, 10:42am

catroad254 wrote:

I've been waiting for you to check out that derailer. [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Yeah, a clutching derailleur might eliminate that occasional clunking in your Aero's driveline.

As opposed to Shimano's clutching derailleur, the clutch in the SRAM derailleur's idler wheel is not adjustable. Since it's calibrated for a bouncing mountain bike chain, the question is: will it be fully effective when used on a recumbent that has a 2-1/2 times, plus, longer chain?

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by goatstick on Nov 17^th, 2013, 11:58am

I'v been running a 10sp X9 Type 2 with the clutch and cage lock for a little bit on my M5 and so far I can't tell any difference between it and the old X9 before it was worn out. The cage lock is fabulous though.

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by hubzone37 on Nov 17^th, 2013, 4:47pm

What size would fit on the Musashi? short, medium, long?

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 17^th, 2013, 8:29pm

hubzone37 wrote:

What size would fit on the Musashi? short, medium, long?

Depends on your bike's gearing. If it's stock (50/34 crankset and 11/32 cassette), then a medium cage derailleur will work. The Musashi's stock Rival derailleur is a medium cage.

If you ordered an X Series derailleur, and didn't change to a trigger shifter, you would need to install an in-line derailleur cable adjuster, because neither the stock TT 500 bar end shifter nor the X Series derailleurs have any provisions for cable adjustment.

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 17^th, 2013, 9:52pm

jayg wrote:

[quote author=Action Lad link=1383953947/0#1 date=1384234256]Wow, one-way wheels in the derailleur. No chain slap and bounce? Nice. So much technology in a pretty machine, too. When you get it and install it, I want to see it on. Oh, wait, be sure to post some photos of the thing, K?

Installed my Baron's X7 derailleur on my Musashi, and still have shifting problems. The shifter cable is not binding in its housing, so there must be a problem with the shifter. I'm still going to order a Type 2 derailleur, along with a new shifter, just to try one out.
[/quote]

Took the cover off the Musashi's X7 trigger shifter. Expected an explosion, and springs flying everywhere, but it didn't happen. Was surprised to find steel, not plastic, gears inside. There was grease inside, but not very much. I packed the gears with a white Teflon grease, put the cover back on, and installed the shifter back on the bike. Also, oiled the pivot points on the Rival derailler. Rode the bike today. Shifting is now a lot easier and the shifter/derailleur combo is indexing perfectly, like it used to. Fifteen cents of grease and oil fixed the problem. I'm expecting to receive a $180 package, tomorrow, containing a new X9 trigger shifter and a Type 2 X9 derailleur.

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Nov 18^th, 2013, 12:06pm

I"ll be interested to see what you think... I'm starting to put a components list together for the Rocket build....

Paul

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by jayg on Nov 22^nd, 2013, 3:57pm

Installed a 2014 10-speed X9 trigger shifter and a medium cage, Type 2 X9 derailleur on my Carbent, instead of the Musashi, replacing an X9 shifter and long cage XO derailleur. Tested the new combo by putting 44 miles on the Carbent on Tuesday’s Clown ride.

The shifter is a new design (zero loss). When combined with the Type 2 derailleur it provided short throw, perfectly-indexed up and down shifts on the flats and downhill. Downshifts were clean and easy when powering up hills. Up shifting was faster and not clunky, like the X9 shifter/X0 derailleur combo is (Probably due to the shorter cage on the X9). Performance was about the same as the X7 trigger shifter/Rival mid-cage derailleur combo on my Musashi, except powered, uphill down shifts were a little cleaner.

The X9 mid cage derailleur has a different geometry and 3/8” shorter cage than the Rival mid cage, accordingly it has less chainwrap capacity. I could cross chain from the 48T big ring to the 32T cog, but couldn’t shift to a cog smaller than 22T when in the 24T granny chainring. So, chainwrap capacity of the X9 derailleur is approximately 34T. Chainwrap capacity of the Rival is in excess of 39T. Would need a mid cage Rival or long cage X9 to enable cross chaining further towards the smaller cogs. Don’t foresee a need to do that, so the mid cage X9 is fine for my purposes.

The X9 clutching derailleur still allows the return chain to bounce a little between the idler and cassette (Per Bob M), but I’m thinking it would prevent the chain from jumping off the idler, if I happened to hit a pot hole.

The cable ramp on the X9 derailleur is the same as on the rest of the X-Series derailleurs. Not the greatest design in my opinion, because the derailleur cable shreds prematurely at the ramp’s sharp edge. I had a fairly new cable installed on the Carbent, before I removed the X0 derailleur. Noticed the cable was already starting to shred when I removed the derailleur.

The new cage lock feature on the X9 makes wheel removal and chain breaking easy.

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af339/jayg_2010/DSC00277_zps9e3bac85.jpg (http://s1021.photobucket.com/user/jayg_2010/media/DSC00277_zps9e3bac85.jpg.html)

Chain on 48T big ring and 32T cassette cog.

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af339/jayg_2010/DSC00280_zps6c38c849.jpg (http://s1021.photobucket.com/user/jayg_2010/media/DSC00280_zps6c38c849.jpg.html)

Chain on 24T granny and 22T cassette cog.

http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af339/jayg_2010/DSC00281_zps7839cadd.jpg (http://s1021.photobucket.com/user/jayg_2010/media/DSC00281_zps7839cadd.jpg.html)

Cage lock engaged for wheel removal or chain breaking.

Title: Re: SRAM Clutching Rear Derailleur
Post by Action Lad on Nov 25^th, 2013, 10:19pm

jayg wrote:

Nice looking derailleur.
...It is too about the looks! :P