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Shifting Issues Kona Caldera XC Hardtail

Old 11-12-19, 10:31 AM
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liampboyle
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Shifting Issues Kona Caldera XC Hardtail

Shifting issues - while the bike will easily and reliably go to a smaller cog on the cassette it does not always like to shift to larger cogs. This gets worse the colder it gets. The same thing happens with the front derailleur but no where nearly as severe as with the rear derailleur. Possible causes fixes? The bike itself is a 2008 (I think based on the components) Kona Caldera XC Hardtail so Shimano components, I suspect.
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Old 11-12-19, 10:36 AM
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Knowing which components could be useful.
If you have a Low Normal RDER, you'd have symptoms of a RDER cable that needs lube.
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Old 11-12-19, 01:13 PM
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Lots of missing info.

Frayed cable? If not, maybe turn the barrel adjuster a quarter turn.
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Old 11-12-19, 03:25 PM
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Ok, Shimano deore XT shifters, I can't see any frays in the cable, and if I pull on the exposed part of the cable it does pull in the rear derailleur.
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Old 11-12-19, 03:51 PM
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Maybe start with a good component cleaning and light oil lube, making sure that it is cold weather rated. You can lube the cable with TriFlo but if you suspect internal fraying, just replace them.
Last, check for the odd chance that the derailleur hanger is bent
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Old 11-12-19, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by liampboyle
Ok, Shimano deore XT shifters, I can't see any frays in the cable, and if I pull on the exposed part of the cable it does pull in the rear derailleur.
Undo the cable at the RD, does the RD move? if no, it's seized and need replacing (unlikely)

If not, expose the inner at the shifter end, and hold it while using the shifter, does anything happen, if not, replace the shifter (again unlikely)

Is the cable hung up on anything in its routing?

Most likely from the limited info given, the cables need a lube, or even better, replacement, you can buy a Shimano MTB deraileur cable pack which include all inners, outers and ferrules etc (The cable outers will be marked SP41)
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Old 11-12-19, 04:04 PM
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I suspect the shifters are fine and since the OP won't mention the Model# of the RDER to determine if it's High or Low Normal.....
WHAT VERSION of Deore XT? They covered a bunch or years/speeds and various other details......
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Old 11-12-19, 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Kapaun
I suspect the shifters are fine and since the OP won't mention the Model# of the RDER to determine if it's High or Low Normal.....
WHAT VERSION of Deore XT? They covered a bunch or years/speeds and various other details......
Honestly I just don't know. I was looking for a model # earlier but couldn't find it. I bought the bike used from my LBS.
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Old 11-13-19, 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by liampboyle
Honestly I just don't know. I was looking for a model # earlier but couldn't find it. I bought the bike used from my LBS.
The model number of the rear derailleur should be on the inner linkage plate. It should start with "RD", and would read something like "RD-M737" or similar.

Edit: or, here is the 2008 XT group. Does your derailleur look like one of them (and, if so, which one)?

Last edited by hokiefyd; 11-13-19 at 06:45 AM.
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Old 11-13-19, 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by hokiefyd
The model number of the rear derailleur should be on the inner linkage plate. It should start with "RD", and would read something like "RD-M737" or similar.

Edit: or, here is the 2008 XT group. Does your derailleur look like one of them (and, if so, which one)?
The top one (silver)

Apparently the model # is RD-M761



Last edited by liampboyle; 11-13-19 at 09:40 AM.
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Old 11-13-19, 09:52 AM
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Since that's a high or top "normal", poulling cable moc=ves it to a larger cog.
Give the barrel adjuster a click or 2 CCW.

Go to far and it won't want to shift to a smaller cog. Split the diff.
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Old 11-13-19, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by liampboyle
The top one (silver)

Apparently the model # is RD-M761
Thanks; that's good info. According to the Disraeli Gears site, that's a 2006 era derailleur, so would be consistent with a bike built near that time frame.

Shimano Deore XT derailleur (M761 SGS)

I think Bill's suggestion of unscrewing the barrel adjuster (CCW) a few clicks or even a full turn is the right idea.
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Old 11-14-19, 12:40 PM
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If after staring at it, cleaning it, adjusting it, lubing it and using a hammer on it it still doesn't work well, replace the cable and housing. I had a thread about similar issues about a month ago and everyone kept saying to replace the cable. After trying everything else I replaced the cable (luckily I found a new cable/housing set in my basement!) and all is good. My bike was a lot older though and left out in the weather for a few years, a 1990 Trek. It doesn't take much rust or dirt to completely gum up the housing.
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Old 11-14-19, 12:48 PM
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I did the barrel adjustment (2 clicks) and it didn't do much of anything. I have a Jones H-Bar on the way to replace the flatbar anyway, so instead of installing it myself, I'll take the bike into the LBS to have it done and have them replace the cables at the same time.
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Old 11-14-19, 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by liampboyle
I did the barrel adjustment (2 clicks) and it didn't do much of anything. I have a Jones H-Bar on the way to replace the flatbar anyway, so instead of installing it myself, I'll take the bike into the LBS to have it done and have them replace the cables at the same time.
You may need to turn it more than just two clicks (which is half of a turn). I will cost you nothing...I'd try a few turns of the adjuster (not clicks) and see if that gets you closer. If not, you can of course still have the LBS check it out when they install your new handlebar.
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Old 11-14-19, 07:02 PM
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I'll try the barrel adjuster again in the morning, thanks.
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Old 11-15-19, 12:38 PM
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I'd start by shifting to about the middle of the cassette and eye-balling the chain on its sprocket, from the rear of the bike. Is the derailleur's jockey wheel exactly centered on the sprocket? It really should be. There's some tolerance allowed, but you really do want it centered there. Turn the barrel adjuster until it is -- CCW to move the derailleur in towards the bike (pulling more cable, essentially), and CW to move the derailleur out from the bike (loosening the cable). It sounds like you're having trouble with the derailleur moving enough to get a good downshift (to a larger sprocket), so it sounds like the derailleur may not be centered under each sprocket. Of course, there could be a variety of other issues, but this is an easy place to start.

You should, at the very least, be able to influence shifting quality somehow with that barrel adjuster. If it seems like you can turn it and turn it and nothing changes, then something else may be going on.
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