Have drivetrains become less smooth in recent years?

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Gazelleer
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by Gazelleer

I have a feeling that over the past years drivetrains have become less and less smooth running in the low gears; small ring and the three or four largest cogs. Chain creaks on the cogs as if either the chain or the cassette is worn. It is just the same with a brand new cassette and chain (and chainring) or both run-in though.

I could have posted this in the MTB section as well as I have the same experience on- and offroad. Several bikes and both Shimano and Campagnolo, but most obvious with Shimano.

Has it become worse with the ever higher cog-count cassettes? Since I do remember 8-speed hyperglide (yes, I am that old) to be buttery-smooth on all combinations. Anyone else the same experience?

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djm
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by djm

I can relate. Perfect shifting, yet with a brand new chain it doesn't run as smoothly as I am hoping it will. (11s Shimano).

verbs4us
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by verbs4us

Recently graduated from a 1974 steel machine running a Suntour UltraSix cluster (from when dinosaurs roamed the earth) on a Campy NR crank to a Campy 11 sp running a White Industries 50/37 and Athena rear der. Have to say, the new one is just as smooth through the gear range. Maybe because the chainrings are a small tooth count? Or the guy that built it knew what he was doing with chainline?

rpenmanparker
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by rpenmanparker

Yeah, I have no idea what the OP is talking about. A good match between chain, cassette and front rings is necessary. And cross chaining is even more difficult with 11-speed than lower numbers of speeds.
Robert

BikeAnon
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by BikeAnon

rpenmanparker wrote:.....cross chaining is even more difficult with 11-speed than lower numbers of speeds.
I disagree.

There is a small difference between the width of an 11 speed cassette and an 8 speed.

There is a HUGE difference in the side-to-side flex of an 8 speed chain versus the flimsy nature of 11 speed chains. I have zero issues cross-chaining with 10 or 11 speed. It was a bigger deal with 8 or 9. Or 5. Remember those? They are where the don't-cross-chain stories began, I'll bet.


As for the OPs point, maybe you are running a bike with shorter chainstays, these days. Or putting down more power than you used to. Or, your "low cog" used to be a 23, and now you're running something bigger.

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Gazelleer
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by Gazelleer

Chainstay length was/is roughly the same on all these bikes. Moreover, it's just the same on my 10s 29er with 430mm chainstays.

Larger cogs, that's a good one. My road bikes used to have 12-21. Now it's 11-23 on the road and 11-28 off-road most of the time. But I think there might be more to it than just that. Could the alloy spider be a factor?

Marin
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by Marin

I am running 11s 11-28, 11-32 and 10-42 and they're running smoothly.

Mep
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by Mep

Weirdly I have had the same feeling as well.. but it just seems inconceivable. I'm not on eTAP or DI2, so same old technology.. marginally lighter.. but less smooth..?

andrewfelix
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by andrewfelix

Kind of agree. Bigger tolerances of yesteryear?


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rowdysluggins
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by rowdysluggins

I've been riding since 10 speeds were 2 in the front and 5 in the rear. I'm now riding DA 9000 on 3 bikes, and the drive train is as smooth as anything I've ridden, and the shifting is actually better by far. I use a 52x36 and an 11x28 which gives me a wider range than I've ever used before, and I cross chain a lot. No worries, no problems. I have to admit the DA9000 is a little more fiddly to get adjusted right, because it is not as "plug and play" in the front as previous generations, but once adjusted, mine runs very smooth, very quiet and shifts fantastic!

eaglejackson
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by eaglejackson

I have to say that my Di2 drivetrains (DA 9870 and Ultegra 6870) are the quietest drive trains I've had in years, way better than the Campy Record 11s I had previously. The Campy 10s was also very quiet.

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Rick
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by Rick

I don't believe modern drivetrains are "less smooth". But I would consider that maybe they are a little more finicky to get set up properly, because of the narrower spacings and general use of larger cassettes and shorter chainstays.
Still, though, not that big a deal. I go mental if my drivetrain is making noise, and I love to cross chain relentlessly, and I don't notice any problems at all. There is a very slight increase in the whirring noise of the extreme-cross chain positions, but that is just my signal that I am at that limit.

2old4this
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by 2old4this

+1

MikeDee
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by MikeDee

I'm thinking internal cable routing is contributing to poor shifting, plus the condition of the cables is more critical with more speeds.

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Gazelleer
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by Gazelleer

It is not in situations of cross chaining that I am talking about. It's small ring, large cog. On the stand it runs fine but not when you power up a steep hill.

by Weenie


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