Just an FYI, in case anyone is interested. Ultegra rear derailleur. I bought my tri bike new 2 years ago. I’m meticulous about cleaning and lubing. About 6 months ago something in the power train started to not feel quite right. Not bad, but stiff. At first I wrote it off to imagination. Then I started getting more chain chatter when shifting. When I static back peddled, there felt like some extra drag, compared to my old road bike. At first I suspected the BB, so I dropped the chain, and inspected and readjusted the BB, but the drag was still there. Next I suspected the Free-hub, so I removed it and cleaned and re-lubed it. But the drag was still there. Finally I decided to check the jockey rollers in the rear derailleur (only thing left!). I had just assumed they were maintenance free roller bearings. Ha! I was very wrong. The bottom roller was a roller bearing, but the top one was a cheap ass crap bushing, and I could barely turn it by hand. Obviously, whatever lube they put in there at Shimano, was long since burned away, and whatever I sprayed on it, wasn’t getting in there. So, I ordered some SS ball roller bearing jockey rollers from Taxc, and everything is smooth now, and shifting is better than new. Why would Shimano put such a crap roller in a fairly decent derailleur? How many folks are out there loosing power to something so basic?
All my shimano jockey wheels (LX, XT and even XTR in the past) have been bushes. Just with increased quality as you go up the range. Ceramic by the time you’re at XTR (the mtb version of dura ace)
Usually FAR more reliable.
The only jockey wheel I’ve actually had seize was one with a ‘sealed’ ball bearing (as the sealed brg let in water ).
I’ve got some Hope jockey wheels on the road bike at present and they’re holding up well with sealed stainless steel ball bearings tho.
JWhy would Shimano put such a crap roller in a fairly decent derailleur? How many folks are out there loosing power to something so basic?
I think the idea is that the top jockey wheel can self adjust slightly to be in line with the gear because it is a little free to move in the same axis as the derailleur moves. If it is gunked up enough to cause noticeable friction then I suppose it won’t be working as expected, in that way, anyway.
Been that way forever with 105 and Ultegra derailleurs. The Dura Ace have ball bearings. One of the nice little upgrades is to dump your Ultegra jockey wheels for DA.
Just an FYI, in case anyone is interested. Ultegra rear derailleur. I bought my tri bike new 2 years ago. I’m meticulous about cleaning and lubing. About 6 months ago something in the power train started to not feel quite right. Not bad, but stiff. At first I wrote it off to imagination. Then I started getting more chain chatter when shifting. When I static back peddled, there felt like some extra drag, compared to my old road bike. At first I suspected the BB, so I dropped the chain, and inspected and readjusted the BB, but the drag was still there. Next I suspected the Free-hub, so I removed it and cleaned and re-lubed it. But the drag was still there. Finally I decided to check the jockey rollers in the rear derailleur (only thing left!). I had just assumed they were maintenance free roller bearings. Ha! I was very wrong. The bottom roller was a roller bearing, but the top one was a cheap ass crap bushing, and I could barely turn it by hand. Obviously, whatever lube they put in there at Shimano, was long since burned away, and whatever I sprayed on it, wasn’t getting in there. So, I ordered some SS ball roller bearing jockey rollers from Taxc, and everything is smooth now, and shifting is better than new. Why would Shimano put such a crap roller in a fairly decent derailleur? How many folks are out there loosing power to something so basic?
Surprising, ain’t it?
Happened on the Di2 RD I had. Granted, it was used, but it was smooth when I got it. Never even suspected that it may have issues until 2.5 years later, and it’s a real shame, as it probably cost me a good 10 watts.
I know there were other changes I made as well, but that along with a better skin suit made significant improvements to my time trialing efforts
I run bushing bearings since ever, should I change to ball?
I find the advantage of bushing bearings that you can clean and oil/grease them: the derailleur sits in a place much exposed to dirt.
I fear that ball bearings are harder to clean.
Thoughts?
Do you guys not clean your bikes? Taking out the jockey wheels and giving them a good flush out and relube should be part of yout regular derailleur clean up. Min every 6 months.
Oakie, that’s where I admittedly got myself into trouble, assuming the quality of Ultegra would have sealed bearing rollers. I keep my bike immaculate. I was a bike mechanic at a local shop back in the day, and ride a 52 year old road bike. I’ve only recently gotten into modern bikes, and still playing catch-up. I had no idea bushings were used these days, in premium equipment. 40 years ago, that was a trait of the $60 department store bike shaped objects.
Oakie, that’s where I admittedly got myself into trouble, assuming the quality of Ultegra would have sealed bearing rollers. I keep my bike immaculate. I was a bike mechanic at a local shop back in the day. I had no idea bushings were used these days, in premium equipment. 30 years ago, that was a trait of the $60 department store bikes.
pretty sure that Ultegra has always had a bushing on the top jockey wheel, and in it’s predecessor (600ex) from back in the 80’s. IIRC, it came in at the same time as Shimano introduced SIS. I remember pulling apart my old Sante RD to clean / lube the bushings.
In contrast, in my parts bin I have one of the old Mavic RDs (Nuovo Record style), it has bearings on both jockey wheels.
Jason, you posted before I got done editing my post a bit. It used to be that pretty much anything above department store level had bearinged rollers. Some were even more maintenance intensive than bushings, because they weren’t well sealed, but you could clean and regrease them, and they rolled beautiful and lasted forever. My road bike has ancient Campy Record stuff, but I did update the jockey rollers to Taxc SS as well.
Jason, you posted before I got done editing my post a bit. It used to be that pretty much anything above department store level had bearinged rollers. Some were even more maintenance intensive than bushings, because they weren’t well sealed, but you could clean and regrease them, and they rolled beautiful and lasted forever. My road bike has ancient Campy Record stuff, but I did update the jockey rollers to Taxc SS as well.
Yeah, I agree. But that ship sailed a really long time ago. At one time rims were made out of wood too…
