Derailleur sludge!

[vavavroom]

Not my trike. This is an E-trike that is operated in a marine environment with sand, salt water spray, constantly changing temperatures, and often high humidity. This trike is only ten months old. I explained the different types of chain lubricants and the owner opted for motor oil anyway. I also had told him to wipe the chain down after lubricating it. Clearly he never did that. Since he's disabled he can't access the derailleur. I found this mess when I changed the disc brake pads on his trike. I did clean up the derailleur which appears to be of poor quality. I don't want to know why there's so much pubic hair stuck in the goop. Just gross.

 

[Pablo]

It's not the lube it's the lack of maintenance!! Hahahahahaha

Pubic hair? Hell looks like he ingested some possum.

 

[Silver]

I'd expect maybe some surface rust and dried lubricant/dust gunk but I would not expect something that looked like a Hyundai valvetrain after a 30,000 mile OCI.

That has to be the dirtiest you can possibly make a derailleur. Send it to Guinness? Mythbusters? Nasa research lab?

 

[JTK]

Does it work smooth and quiet like that?

 

[xgmad]

Does it work smooth and quiet like that?

Thats what im thinking lol, seems like the motor oil cakes on real nice and helps protect from corrosion.

 

[vavavroom]

This vehicle gives me nightmares because I have to deal with it at least once a month and within three minutes I end up looking like an oil rig worker after tapping Ghawar. I already replaced the electronic control unit that had about 50 wires that were mostly not color-coded to the other end of the wiring harness, I had to find a way to mount the front fender higher because it bottomed out on the front tire when going over minor bumps. I had to relocate the cargo basket which was attached to the front fender with chicken wire. I had to replace the front fork after it snapped due to factory rust. Currently, I'm working on replacing the stripped-out and ill-fitting hub bolts on the rear wheels. Amazon sent the wrong length bolts, because the vendor didn't know how to measure the length of a countersunk bolt and they came up 1/4 inch short. I hope the frame breaks - not with the guy on it. This trike needs to be taken out back and shot. The owner loves it. It goes 37mph and he has this oil-sludge-eating grin on his face all the time.

 

[vavavroom]

Does it work smooth and quiet like that?

The derailleur makes clickity-clack noises. I'm sure it's misaligned after eating a possum.

 

[vavavroom]

Thats what im thinking lol, seems like the motor oil cakes on real nice and helps protect from corrosion.

A tar oil mummy of a drivetrain.

 

[supton]

Cleaner than the last chain I took off my bike. I kept it oiled but never bothered taking off to clean, in the past taking the chain off to clean didn't seem to yield longer life. But lately they do seem to last not as long... and I've lost a couple of cassettes in the process. You could point that out to the user, they might run into more expenses down the road if not careful.

 

[JTK]

The derailleur makes clickity-clack noises. I'm sure it's misaligned after eating a possum.

I was just curious because it looks like one of the plastic shimano junkers that's on some of my kid's $100 walmart bicycles.

 

[vavavroom]

I was just curious because it looks like one of the plastic shimano junkers that's on some of my kid's $100 walmart bicycles.

This trike has the worst components. The brakes come with the cheapest Shimano-labeled (knockoffs?) handles and the calipers are unbranded garbage that take Shimano pads. There's no pad adjustment dial on either caliper. The cotter pins that held the pads in were so short they were barely long enough to be bent open. two one-quarter-inch longer cotter pins weren't in the budget. There's surface rust on every part that's not aluminum.

 

[vavavroom]

Cleaner than the last chain I took off my bike. I kept it oiled but never bothered taking off to clean, in the past taking the chain off to clean didn't seem to yield longer life. But lately they do seem to last not as long... and I've lost a couple of cassettes in the process. You could point that out to the user, they might run into more expenses down the road if not careful.

Unfortunately, he has money to throw away. He'd rather buy three cheap bikes that don't last than one good bike that will last longer that the three cheap ones. He thinks only very short-term.

 

[Pablo]

Thats what im thinking lol, seems like the motor oil cakes on real nice and helps protect from corrosion.

Look closer.

 

[Silver]

Unfortunately, he has money to throw away. He'd rather buy three cheap bikes that don't last than one good bike that will last longer that the three cheap ones. I've tried but he thinks only very short-term.

Here comes the old rich guy on the oily trike...

 

[Pablo]

This trike has the worst components. The brakes come with the cheapest Shimano-labeled (knockoffs?) handles and the calipers are unbranded garbage that takes Shimano pads. There's no pad adjustment dial on either caliper. The cotter pins that held the pads in were so short they were barely long enough to bend open. two one-quarter-inch longer cotter pins weren't in the budget. There's surface rust on every part that's not aluminum.

It's bad enough when people go cheap on a bike. But I get it, it's all some can afford.

But people who electrify, and have the money and cheap out? Add in the people who want to go 40mph and cheap out........

 

[vavavroom]

It's bad enough when people go cheap on a bike. But I get it, it's all some can afford.

But people who electrify, and have the money and cheap out? Add in the people who want to go 40mph and cheap out........

This thing was $3,500. He could have gotten a US-made trike for about $900 less but it only had a 500W motor. The (supposed) 750W motor he got snapped the fork when he went uphill. Can't help the guy.

 

[BISCUT]

I would pass out if one of my bikes looked like that

 

[xgmad]

It's bad enough when people go cheap on a bike. But I get it, it's all some can afford.

I cant lie i had a walmart mountain bike with dual suspension and when I got a new shock and new forks and a new derailuer and cassete I kind of had a pretty decent bike along with disc brakes and stuff. So pretty much I spent like 290 dollars upgrading a 99 dollar bike and I think I made a good bike.

 

[slo town]

Unfortunately, he has money to throw away. He'd rather buy three cheap bikes that don't last than one good bike that will last longer that the three cheap ones. He thinks only very short-term.

If he truly has money to throw away I think it's only fair that he pays someone to fix his stuff.

Scott

 

[MRC01]

... This is an E-trike that is operated in a marine environment with sand, salt water spray, constantly changing temperatures, and often high humidity. ... I found this mess when I changed the disc brake pads on his trike. ...

That's painful to look at. I've seen as bad as that decades ago when I used to work in a bike shop ... but I don't think I've seen worse. Looks like the ferrule is broken where the cable enters the derailleur, which suggests it's been whacked or the cable housing has improper length (or both). Some of the cassette teeth also look asymmetric / worn.