 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I have a merlin malt 4 HT and its well known geometry that lends itself to a lot of chain rattling/slapping noise. Now being blessed as a full time house husband means funds are short to try and remedy this (if possible). I currently have 9spd set up so need to convert to 10 to try and take advantage of being able to use a clutch rear mech. My wheels are 10 spd compatible so new casette,shifters,chain and mech needed only i guess. Merlin seem to have zee mech (freeride) cheaper than slx, would that be ok to use on a triple? Do the clutch mechs really stop the rattling? Anything else i should consider?
Wrapping the chainstay in an old innertube? 😉
Clutch mechs make the rattling much better, assuming it is chain slap which is causing the problem. You could also just fit a neoprene lizard skin.
Also before splashing cash on anything, increase the spring tension on your 9 speed rear mech by following this guide, much less slappage.
see section 3 point 7
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul#article-section-3
On the off chance you have SRAM shifters this may be an option.
Details on using SRAM 9 speed shifter with Shimano 10 speed clutch rear mech.
You may still find the parts to do this a cheaper option.
Clutch mechs are fantastic, and worth the investment. The only issue you should watch out for is the cage length. Too short, and you will struggle getting the right tension and range, especially with a triple. You should aim for a medium cage. Worth checking - as the freeride mechs are typically short, given that freeride bikes usually have a single small ring upfront.
Thanks dday, i was thinking the zee might be problematic.
I have chainstay protectors on so damage is limited but it sounds like someone is throwing a full tool box down a flight of stairs every time i go down a bumpy descent. Everything works fine currently and to be honest this is just a thought/idea, i still havent ruled out the fact that this is entirely normal for a bumpy descent,clutch mech or not. Could probably try a conversion for no more than 75 quid so its not massive money but every little helps (i am not a tesco ambassador).
My shimano clutch mech has stopped the rattle and I'm yet to have a dropped chain on my 1x8 setup. I made a 6mm alloy spacer for the derrailleur cable clamp to match the cable pull to my SRAM triger shifters. The shifting with a Deore shadow+ short cage mech is better than it ever was with any of the SRAM derraileurs I've used.
Is it 3x9 or 2x9?
I run 2x9 and popped a Blackspire Stinger on and retains chain nicely without changing mechs, etc
Its a 3 x 9 set up currently using shimano slx all over.
How much is the geometry of the frame contributing to this noisy drivetrain? The malt is an old design according to the mag reviews but how large a difference is it to a modern frame? Always struck me as odd that the reviews blamed the frame for the excessive drive train noise.