# new CAAD9 making noise..



## plumbum (Jan 25, 2011)

hi, i am new member.. would really appreciate advice..
i just purchased one of the last 2010 CAAD9-1.. i replaced FSA crank with Hollowgram Si Sl since my LBS was able to give me really nice discount on upgrade.. i only rode it for couple hundred miles and brought it to bike shop for adjustments.. rear derailleur needed some tuning and brakes.. after it all was done i started to notice some grinding noise (but not as harsh noise as chain on derailleur) it happens when i am on the biggest ring and on three-four smallest cogs riding fast.. but the noise is most obvious on biggest ring and smallest cog.. when i turn cranks by hand backwards it feels as almost chain's angle is too big and it catches to the teeth.. and it does not turns smoothly.. i brought it to bike store.. they thought that spindle was wrong size, but confirmed it wasn't.. basically they say that everything works the way it supposed.. i am still quite newbie.. i've been seriously riding for only two ears.. but i know that this noise is not normal.. none of my previous bikes ever had it before..
now my question is the following.. i've herd somewhere that cannondale mk v chain-rings are not well compatible with DA stuff.. is it possible i need different rings?? or what else could be wrong..


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

I can't comment on DA7900, as I have never used it nor have I ever installed it. However, I have plenty of miles on my DA7800. My CAAD9 has DA7800 with an FSA SLK Light crankset. However, I'm running the MKV chainrings. My setup is ultra quiet and smooth. 

I would exhaust all avenues of adjustments before condeming components. It does sound like your rear derailleur requires adjustment, from your description.

chl


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## plumbum (Jan 25, 2011)

thank you for advice CHL.. sound is different from the chain grinding on derailleur.. one thing i am pretty confident is that both derailleurs are adjusted properly.. after all LBS had to do it twice.. that what's making it strange.. i've never experienced anything like that before.. it's almost like bigger chain ring needs to be moved a little bit further away from the frame to keep right position relative to cogs.. i am not planning to swap anything yet.. just trying to get some help figuring out what could be wrong?


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## plumbum (Jan 25, 2011)

just out of curiosity.. does anybody knows if there is a different geometry between MKV chairings and DA that could effect the chainline??


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

Perhaps someone with more experience than me can help you but I would check the basics. 

FD:
1. Height correct (outer plate 1-2 mm above large chain ring).
2. Limit screw adjustments (inner and outer plate).
3. Cable slack (can the shifter have enough tension to "sufficiently" move the derailleur to the large chain ring position).
4. Check trim adjustment.

RD:
1. Limit screw adjustment (largest & smallest cog).
2. Correct B-Screw adjustment.
a. Could the upper pulley of your RD be hitting the cog of the cassette? That creates a grinding/scraping noise.
3. Correct fine tuning of the derailleur for optimum shifting (cable tension adjustment).

Lastly, are we certain that the chain has the correct length? Could it be too short or too long? I ran the Hollowgram SL with the MKV chain rings with my full DA7800 and never had any such problems. I only switched to TA Hegoa because I like the appearance of the silver chain rings. If I could find some mirror polished silver MKV chain rings, I would be in heaven.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

plumbum said:


> hi, i am new member.. would really appreciate advice..
> i just purchased one of the last 2010 CAAD9-1.. i replaced FSA crank with Hollowgram Si Sl since my LBS was able to give me really nice discount on upgrade.. i only rode it for couple hundred miles and brought it to bike shop for adjustments.. rear derailleur needed some tuning and brakes.. after it all was done i started to notice some grinding noise (but not as harsh noise as chain on derailleur) it happens when i am on the biggest ring and on three-four smallest cogs riding fast.. but the noise is most obvious on biggest ring and smallest cog.. when i turn cranks by hand backwards it feels as almost chain's angle is too big and it catches to the teeth.. and it does not turns smoothly.. i brought it to bike store.. they thought that spindle was wrong size, but confirmed it wasn't.. basically they say that everything works the way it supposed.. i am still quite newbie.. i've been seriously riding for only two ears.. but i know that this noise is not normal.. none of my previous bikes ever had it before..
> now my question is the following.. i've herd somewhere that cannondale mk v chain-rings are not well compatible with DA stuff.. is it possible i need different rings?? or what else could be wrong..


bicycles are delicate machines that need skilled hands to properly assemble and maintain, .......... with the advances made by engineers in the last 20 years with bicycle design it is no longer capable to have it built and serviced by meer cave men........ if one mechanic can't fix it try another.......... or fiddle with it yerself........


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## plumbum (Jan 25, 2011)

CHL, i am going to try and make sure that all of it is done properly..
and it's not a bad idea kneejerk, to try to give somebody else to do this work.. it's just too bad that this guys can't to it right..


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