Q&A: Hoop la la

I've got a SRAM X9 rear mech on my new Scapin bike, but the cable keeps falling off the grooved cam...help!

Published: January 15, 2008 at 4:00 pm

Q: I’ve put a SRAM X9 rear mech on my new Scapin bike, but the cable keeps falling off the grooved cam bit at the back, leaving it stuck in the little cog unless I stop and loop it back on. I’ve never heard this mentioned in a review, though. Do you know of any special trick to stop it?

Martin Lancaster

A: The ‘special trick’ is to thread the gear cable through the small hooped eyelet halfway round the grooved cam. Unfortunately, as you’ve proved, you won’t see it if you’re just looping the cable in from above, which means the hoop actually pushes the cable out of the groove rather than keeping it in. Loop it through correctly though, and you should be fine.

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