# Derailer problem with 2006 Trek 5200??



## mijnotlad (Aug 7, 2005)

I purchased a 2006 Trek 5200 yesterday (August 7th) at my local bike shop. I was supposed to pick up the bike tonight after assembly. They called me and told me the bike wasn't ready and that they are having problems with the chain popping off when they use the front derailer. They told me they were working with Trek on the issue. I went down to see what the problem was. They had swapped out the Bontrager crank with an Ultegra but they were still having the problem. When they would shift the derailer the chain links would land on top of the sprocket teeth instead of in between them. This happened whether they shifted from high to low gear or low to high. As they were shifting the gear back and forth the chain would occasionally pop off. They told me that Trek said "as long as the chain doesn't fall off when you are riding the bike and there is tension on the chain it is ok". They said it doesn't matter if the chain pops off when shifting in the repair stand. They told me they had the same thing happen on a Trek 5200 they had sold a week ago. They said they swapped the Bontrager crank with the Ultegra and the chain was popping off in the stand but the customer didn't have any problems with it when they road it. This doesn't sound right to me. I was hoping to get some input from the forum before I accept delivery of the bike tomorrow night.


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## boris the blade (Aug 5, 2004)

Ride the bike before you take it, I work in a shop and what does or does not work in the stand is not always true for when you ride the bike. With that being said we sold a 2006 5200 and there were not any of the problems you spoke of with the bontrager crank.


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## mijnotlad (Aug 7, 2005)

*So far so good*

I picked up the bike tonight. I rode it around the block before bringing it home. I shifted the gears multiple times and the chain never came off. It rides really nice. It is a big step up from my Trek 1000. It was nice to get the free upgrade to the Ultegra crank.


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## GatorTrek (Sep 4, 2005)

This thread interests me greatly as I just ordered my Trek 5200 this week. The only thing I didn't like was the Bontrager crank instead of Ultegra. Just before I ordered my bike the LBS guy told me that there was a fix coming and he pointed to the crank. He said the new ones would be fixed. I came home and read this thread and went back to talk to him before I ordered my new bike. He said they put a crank set for a 9 instead of 10. Since the Ultegra is a ten on the back, it was landing in between gears. He said he ordered some Ultegra 10 cranks and that if mine didn't come in with one on it he would switch it out. This is actually great because it addresses the one problem I had with the bike. With the Ultegra crank it is now full Ultegra on an OCLV frame. All this means it is the perfect bike for me!


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

When I first got my 2006 Trek 5200, there was a problem with the Race Lite crank. It was defective and swapped out for another Race Lite crank immediately.

Then I was having problems with my front derailleur just like how this thread mentioned. I brought it back, they adjusted it and I have not had any problems since. No popping off on the bike stand nor under load.

My guess is the new 10 speed is a bit picky with its adjustments.....


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## d.a.v.e (Sep 13, 2005)

I've had mine for almost 2 months and the chain seems to fall off at least once a ride & sometimes more. I have messed and messed with the dumb thing. I'm glad to hear it might not be me?

Sounds like its time for a trip back to the store?


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

Is it popping off the big gear and onto your cranks or pedals? Or is the chain sucking or something? 

Either way, bring it back to the LBS and have them dial it in properly. Unless your cross chaining when it's popping off, in which 10 speed is really moody with and with my short chainstay on my 50cm, it really doesn't like x-chaining.

Chain coming off each ride is just wrong, and it's ruining your experience with your bike in which you dropped a few coins for!


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## d.a.v.e (Sep 13, 2005)

Heck said:


> Is it popping off the big gear and onto your cranks or pedals? Or is the chain sucking or something?
> 
> Either way, bring it back to the LBS and have them dial it in properly. Unless your cross chaining when it's popping off, in which 10 speed is really moody with and with my short chainstay on my 50cm, it really doesn't like x-chaining.
> 
> Chain coming off each ride is just wrong, and it's ruining your experience with your bike in which you dropped a few coins for!


Its gone both ways I just can't seem to get it dialed in right. If I go one way with it the chain drops down and into my pedals, if I go the other way it rubs the derailer. This has been my best fix but I'm still not happy with it.

When the shop delivered it, it was not right so I took it back the next day (did not test ride it), a week later it still was not right and I took it back again. Took it to another shop and they could not figure out what the problem was (they only played with it quickly, maybe 5 min) but let me know it was not me and it really was a problem. So then I took it in for the 30 day tune up it was adjusted again I did a short 8 mile ride that day, seemed fine left the next day and it fell off in the first 5 min of the ride. I don't mess with this stuff everyday but I can usually get it close, and I could not figure it out. I was starting to think I was doing something wrong as I've never had a bike that had that half shift in it before.


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## Bazeljet (May 4, 2005)

I didn't have trouble with this crank droping the chain off the rings but riding the space between the middle/big rings. I didn't have the problem with the granny and never tried to tune a double. 

My question to the people with/without issues to say if they are riding a Double or a Triple.


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

Mine is a double. Still trouble free after the initial problem. 

I would ask the LBS to look at it again and to dial it in again from the beginning. 

It could be they are just looking at it quick quick and fixing it quickly when it really needs a good dialing in. The reason I say this is cuz when I first had the problem, I was riding and playing around with it was not yielding me any results so I stopped at a bike store along my route, not my normal LBS, they charged $5 to "fix it" but after riding it for a few more km's it did the same thing under load. Their mechanic probably did a quick job thinking it was a little cable slack or something. I finally got my bike to my normal LBS and they took a look at it and took their time dialing it in. It's now has been problem free since.

Hope it works out for ya.


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## d.a.v.e (Sep 13, 2005)

Mine is a double


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## d.a.v.e (Sep 13, 2005)

I just talked to the bike store and apparently Trek did make the mistake of producing a 9.5sp chain rings for the 5200. So the two options they gave me is 1. Wait 2 months for Trek to straiten the probem out and get the new rings produced and shipped. or 2. Pay $100 for the Ultegra upgrade.

Did anyone else here have to pay extra for the upgrade? I'm about ready to tell them to take their bike and shove it. The store is trying to tell me what a great deal it is to pay the $100 for the upgrade.... My feeling is that I should get a bike that works and not have to pay extra if I want it to shift right.


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## 2WheelFreak (Mar 26, 2005)

Friend of mine had the same problem with the 5200, and the shop upgraded the crankset to Ultegra for free. They said that Trek told them to do so. 

No way should you have to pay for this.

Good luck!


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

hmm, I went out and tested it out under a lot of load. My chain can be popped off if I "trim" with the shifters......although I was trying every possible shifting configuration to see if it would pop off....that's not exactly normal I don't think. 

I'll bring it back to my LBS and let you know what happens.

HK


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## d.a.v.e (Sep 13, 2005)

Well after going around on this one for a while with my local shop & having to call Trek myself. I finallly found someone that said yes it should be a free upgrade. I guess they are raising the price of the bike $100 for any new ones shipped but for all of us with problems it should be a free upgrade.

Anyway the cranks are supposed to come in tuesday. Hopefully life will be good then!


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

Hey there, I couldn't get anyone at Trek while at the LBS (too late), but they will call Monday. Did they admit a problem or something? I called Trek earlier and the guy just kept on telling me to go to the dealer and wouldn't say there were any problems.

Quick question, if your chain is on the inner gear in front and smallest sprocket in back, and you trim the derailleur outwards, does the chain jam or something? 

I've been playing around with it and if the chain does not go popping off outwards or inwards, this is what I get, a chain jam when I'm in the inner gear up front and smallest sprocket in the back, with the derailleur upfront trimmed outwards. It seems it's the chain drop prevention pin which catches the chain making it want to upshift, but not from the derailleur so it just jams.

I also understand this is cross chaining and it's a big no no, but jamming? I don't think that should be happening.

Let me know if it does the same for ya. Thanks!


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

Alright, now I'm pissed.

I was riding normally, not even pushing it nor testing it to see if the chain would pop, and the chain jams, and believe it or not it is STUCK half on the inner ring and outer ring and it wont' come out, pulling nor yanking.

Now I'm worried the crank is busted or even the chain is bent or something as it's stuck in there nicely.

This ain't a cheap bike!!! There goes my weekend of riding.

*Update* Bike is at the LBS. Can't do anything until Monday. Hope they can change the crank because this is just gonna keep on happening. They're thinking of changing the rings, but I think it's more than just the rings. Either way, we'll see...


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## shredks (Sep 19, 2005)

*There is definitely a chain ring problem*

I just test rode a Trek 5200 on a 50 mile ride today. Every time I shifted from the big chain ring to the middle one, the teeth on the middle chain ring would not catch, and the chain would just slide on top of the middle chainring. Very annoying for an expensive bike.


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## shredks (Sep 19, 2005)

Oh, and the chain came off as well when shifting from the middle chain ring to granny once..


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## GatorTrek (Sep 4, 2005)

The Bontrager crank that was originally being put on the 5200 by Trek is made to go with a 9 and the rear derailleur is a 10. Until you get your LBS to change it out (ask for an Ultegra 10 front crank, that is what my LBS is doing on the 5200 I have on layaway) you will continue to have shifting problems. If the LBS won't fix it, contact Trek. IT is a great bike and Trek knows about the problem. Once the parts are in sync you will be "off to the races."


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## ten15sick (Sep 5, 2005)

I have the 5200 and i have no problems with mine. Since they LBS i bought mine from already changed out the cranks.


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## boris the blade (Aug 5, 2004)

d.a.v.e said:


> When the shop delivered it, it was not right so I took it back the next day (did not test ride it),


it was ridden prior to you picking it up


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

*Light at the end of the tunnel*

The LBS finally got on the phone with Trek and Trek told them there is a known problem. The cranks are like 9.5 speed and thus don't work with the 10 speed. They said they'll put Ultegra cranks on it but I'm in Canada and it will take 7-10 days to get the part in.

I'm guessing the BB comes with it? Or will I have to get that separate? That was an issue I didnt' discuss about. 

Anyway, so if you have a 2006 Trek 5200 with the Bontrager Race Lite Crank...go to your LBS and get them swapped out. Trek haven't told their dealers yet, I dunno why, but if you call them, they'll fix it.


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## whitebassbenny (Jul 27, 2004)

got any pics of the bike and whats it's weight ?? 
thanks


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## Heck (Sep 13, 2005)

I got the Ultegra crank and it's working great now. If you check out the new 2006 Trek website, Trek seems to have decided to just put the Ultegra crank on all further 5200s. I'm guessing their plan to cost save with the bontrager crank went the other way. 

It seems it's not only the Bontrager crank that is having problems. The original equivalent Truativ crank seems to cause problems for some other people who have them on their other company bikes with 10 spd. Heard someone talking about their Cannondale not able to get it dialed in properly, I wonder if they'll figure out it might be the same crank problem.


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