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Help Noisy Trek Madone 3.1 - Help please

MisterRips

Cruising
May 30, 2013
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Hi to all from newbie,

Recently bought a 2012 Trek Madone 3.1, I'm new to road bikes and have some issues with it that I need advice on, pls.

Firstly the 105 shifters are temperamental and stick on both sides, i.e. no response when changing up or down intermittently.
The gears and chain are noisy and practically every gear I use generates a whirring/rubbing noise that could be coming from the front derailleur?
I've taken the bike back on 3 occasions now to rectify the above but no success. The first time I was told that the noise would dissipate over time (it's got worse). The 2nd time the chain had slipped and this was replaced but had no affect on the noise. The 3rd time I was told that the noise was from a cross chaining gear (inner ring/small cog) fair enough I guess? They tightened the cable on the rear derailleur and gave the chain a clean and said this would fix both the noise AND the sticky shifting but rode this week and as mentioned, every gear I used was noisy.
I've done hours of research about 105 shifters and sticking would appear to be common? This was not agreed upon at the shop. I asked whether to flush them out and re-lube (if so,not sure what with?) They said to never maintain them except for a 2 yearly overhaul at the shop...
Frustrated as this is a great bike to ride but I expect it to be right especially as only 6 wks since new.
Some honest advice on how to remedy or good bike mechanic near Kamakura would be a big help, thanks. Not sure how to play this with the original shop - its getting very tricky now...
 
So you bought it in Japan from an LBS, what shop? Seems odd that a dealer won't stand behind a new bike. You're new to roadies what were you riding before?

Have you ridden with another rider to get their opinion? How are your Japanese skills, any trouble in communicating with them that is making it tricky?

Oh and welcome!
 
On my bike I use 105 derailleurs in combination with 9 speed Tiagra brifters (which are essentially what 105 brifters were like in 2010) Whenever the drive train gets noisy it usually means I've neglected cleaning / maintenance. After cleaning the chain and oiling it, I'm always surprised how quiet it is again :)

The other issue may be a misaligned derailleur. There's a barrel adjuster for the rear derailleur that controls the chain position, i.e. how early or late the chain wants to move to an adjacent cog. If chain maintenance doesn't take care of the problem, adjusting the derailleur usually does. If the gear doesn't switch when you operate the shift levers, it sounds like a derailleur adjustment issue. Any bicycle mechanic should be able to properly adjust a derailleur, in fact, a lot of people say every road cyclist should too!

As the shifter cables get older and wear out, there are more friction issues. Shifter cables should be replaced when they wear out, either just the cables or the cables and housing. Since your bike is fairly new that shouldn't be an issue yet.
 
Welcome.

To me this all sounds like you need a good mechanic to do a first or second service of a new bike, it's common that new bikes within the first few hundred kilometers will have their cables stretch leading to all the symptoms you describe, so when and where did you buy it?

If I had or bought a Trek then I'd take to the Trek corporate store in Roppongi, and if you do or don't speak Japanese very very well then ask for the guy that speaks English (only one dude). He's a good guy that will help answer your questions and they have a full service shop in the back, and while I don't have a Trek bike I did buy some shoes from them and he exchanged my shoes for different models 3 times and after all that I still wasn't happy so he fully refunded my money.
 
I'll be in Tokyo later today. I'll sort it out for you, if you want.


Beware! The first one's always free.

It's a shame the LBS wont help you out with this but I am sure someone else can. If possible let Owen give it a once over, he'll see you right.
 
Check for a bent derailleur hanger. Not always obvious, but always insidious.
 
Welcome.

To me this all sounds like you need a good mechanic to do a first or second service of a new bike, it's common that new bikes within the first few hundred kilometers will have their cables stretch leading to all the symptoms you describe, so when and where did you buy it?

If I had or bought a Trek then I'd take to the Trek corporate store in Roppongi, and if you do or don't speak Japanese very very well then ask for the guy that speaks English (only one dude). He's a good guy that will help answer your questions and they have a full service shop in the back, and while I don't have a Trek bike I did buy some shoes from them and he exchanged my shoes for different models 3 times and after all that I still wasn't happy so he fully refunded my money.

Thanks for comments, I've got a colleague taking a look on Sat and hopefully will rectify. Otherwise it will probably be the Trek shop or Owen James. The LBS is part of a chain beginning with C in Tsujido but I don't want to bad mouth them as they have been helpful in the sense that they have tried - it's just that life's too short to be taking new bikes back 3 times in 6 weeks no matter how well intentioned they are.
 
Thanks for comments, I've got a colleague taking a look on Sat and hopefully will rectify. Otherwise it will probably be the Trek shop or Owen James. The LBS is part of a chain beginning with C in Tsujido but I don't want to bad mouth them as they have been helpful in the sense that they have tried - it's just that life's too short to be taking new bikes back 3 times in 6 weeks no matter how well intentioned they are.

Try Owen first
 
I was in Tokyo yesterday and could have sorted it for you. I dispatched with the evil ninja gang I was sent to slay pretty early, so would have been good to wind down with some bike mechanics.
 
I was in Tokyo yesterday and could have sorted it for you. I dispatched with the evil ninja gang I was sent to slay pretty early, so would have been good to wind down with some bike mechanics.

Hi Owen,
Didn't see your kind offer until later on yest. I'll give you a shout if I no joy here (if the offer still stands?)
Cheers
 
Chain line related noise almost always comes from mis adjusted deraillers.
Since the indexing is dependent on only cable length (tension) , it's imperative that you adjust it properly so the chain will be riding correctly and shift accurately between gears 3 and 4. Once you've set that, then make sure the upper and lower limiters are set to avoid chain drop.

Next are the cables. Especially the housing must be clean and routed to avoid knks. The ends must be squared off and deburred. Inner cable should not be rusty , kinked or frayed. Using the OE Shimano cable set is probably the best way to make sure you have the right cables and housings.

Shimano shifters are not serviceable , however they may be cleaned and especially degunked with some WD40 or CRC, then a light application of spray lube like TRIFLOW or other very light coating grease works well.

Just because the bike is new does not mean it was assembled properly at the factory assembler or the dealer. Most likely the deraillers are mis adjusted and / or a cable was kinked . I'd go down that route before suspecting any shifter issues.

And, yes, even new bikes might have bent hangers or hanger that is installed on a dropout that has paint or finish residue and is tilting the derailler. I've also seen front derailler mounts incorrectly attached.
 
Chain line related noise almost always comes from mis adjusted deraillers.
Since the indexing is dependent on only cable length (tension) , it's imperative that you adjust it properly so the chain will be riding correctly and shift accurately between gears 3 and 4. Once you've set that, then make sure the upper and lower limiters are set to avoid chain drop.

Next are the cables. Especially the housing must be clean and routed to avoid knks. The ends must be squared off and deburred. Inner cable should not be rusty , kinked or frayed. Using the OE Shimano cable set is probably the best way to make sure you have the right cables and housings.

Shimano shifters are not serviceable , however they may be cleaned and especially degunked with some WD40 or CRC, then a light application of spray lube like TRIFLOW or other very light coating grease works well.

Just because the bike is new does not mean it was assembled properly at the factory assembler or the dealer. Most likely the deraillers are mis adjusted and / or a cable was kinked . I'd go down that route before suspecting any shifter issues.

And, yes, even new bikes might have bent hangers or hanger that is installed on a dropout that has paint or finish residue and is tilting the derailler. I've also seen front derailler mounts incorrectly attached.

Hi
Thanks for info - sorry for late acknowledgement.
Had a colleague do his best to adjust both derailleurs this week. Been out on 2 runs and no joy. Chain still noisy and gear changes still sticking. Gears are even slipping now on small ring/small cogs...
Options as I see it:
Take bike back to LBS for 4th time and kick up a fuss (hassle but covered under warranty/receipt)
Make trip into Roppongi to Luke @ Trek shop for check over (English speaker & work/parts covered etc)
Take up Owen Jame's offer of looking at bike (knowledgable & English speaker but no work/parts covered)
Upgrade to Ultegra group set?
Not sure what to do at the mo....
 
"Upgrade to Ultegra group set?" NO!

You paid for a working bike.
I would return it before spending any more money on the bike. Your experience seems awful.
 
My offer is still there, of course, but I reckon kiwisimon speaks sense here.
 
Absolute silliness. A bike is really no more complicated than a butter knife. Gears don't 'slip'. Just bring it to my shop and I'll sort it in under 60s. If you are over 60yo then the work is free.
 
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