Very CX

[The Jogger]

At my boardman cx. Since I've had it I have had the front rings jamming, the chain coming off, then I couldn't change from the small to big ring. I have had it into halfords on a number of occasions, they adjusted it and showed me how to adjust it. Then the other Sunday when on a hilly ride it got stuck again. I booked it into an lbs as I have often seen in the same paragraph as halfords, for a service. I explained the problems and also asked for my Brooks saddle to be levelled. Picked it up from Petersfield this morning, cycling through Clapham to work and guess what, stuck on the small ring plus loose saddle (not connected). Convinced it must be me, I popped it into the battersea halfords snd asked them to have a look. They tried for a good 15 mins but no joy so I asked him to leave it on the big ring, which is fine for london riding but no good by my home. The bike is just over a year old and now I am not sure whst to do, it nearly went over Wandsworth bridge. Anybody?

 

[The Jogger]

At my boardman cx. Since I've had it I have had the front rings jamming, the chain coming off, then I couldn't change from the small to big ring. I have had it into halfords on a number of occasions, they adjusted it and showed me how to adjust it. Then the other Sunday when on a hilly ride it got stuck again. I booked it into an lbs as I have often seen in the same paragraph as halfords, for a service. I explained the problems and also asked for my Brooks saddle to be levelled. Picked it up from Petersfield this morning, cycling through Clapham to work and guess what, stuck on the small ring plus loose saddle (not connected). Convinced it must be me, I popped it into the battersea halfords snd asked them to have a look. They tried for a good 15 mins but no joy so I asked him to leave it on the big ring, which is fine for london riding but no good by my home. The bike is just over a year old and now I am not sure whst to do, it nearly went over Wandsworth bridge. Anybody?

 

[screenman]

I would say so far it has not been seen by anyone with any skill, your problems should be very simple to fix as long as something is not broken. I would say straight back to the LBS and ask them nicely what they did for the money you paid them.

 

[The Jogger]

I will give them a call tomorrow, it's a shame really because I was going to give them my 7.3FX to refurb.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Book it into a better LBS?

Not exactly insurmountable problems - no need to get rid of the bike.

 

[Andrew_P]

The front derailleur is a bit poo on the CX, it is a micro shift, how about giving it a try yourself?
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72pvz1S2L4k


Other advice would be to swap that out for a 105 could pick on up for less than £25

 

[Brandane]

Yep, as Spokey says, probably something straightforward.
When you say "stuck on the small ring" do you mean that the front derailleur is not moving far enough across to derail the chain onto the big ring? Sounds like not enough tension in the cable (surely even Halfords could have sorted that though?).

"Front rings jamming"; is this the chain getting caught up and jamming between derailleur and big ring? That could be the height or alignment setting of the derailleur, but again surely Halfords or the LBS would have realised that, so maybe something else.

Chain coming off sounds like the limit screws (which adjust how far across the derailleur can move) were not properly adjusted (allowing derailleur to go too far and push chain off the rings). If that has stopped happening then maybe Halfords managed to do SOMETHING!

 

[The Jogger]

The main thing today was when I hit the lever nothing happened, the chain didn't move across to the big ring. I am technically useless that is why I want to find a good LBS that I can depend on. I was contemplating another bike anyway but I don't know, this cost over a grand with the tyre change made and saddle, so a bit pi$$ed off with it all. I might pay for another LBS to have a go as I have lost confidence in the last one. It just seems a waste of money and makes me wonder..........

 

[Brandane]

The main thing today was when I hit the lever nothing happened, the chain didn't move across to the big ring.

Does the derailleur move at all? Maybe the cable has come loose or something.
Don't even think about getting rid of the bike because of this! The Boardman CX is a good bike according to anything I have read about it, and I speak as the proud owner of one of the opposition - Specialized Tricross.
Once you do get it properly set up, the bike will be transformed and you will wonder why you ever thought about selling it .

 

[The Jogger]

I brought it back to the LBS today, there was a different mechanic there, explained all of aboved, he was dismayed halfords got their hands on it yesterday, yeah right. He went on to criticise the quality of the bike. He said the front derailleur thing that brings the chain over is the same as they have on their bso's. He said sram is
rubbish only the top end is any good, shimano all the way. He fixed it but said it wouldn't last and next time don't buy boardman which is halfords own. I tried to explain it wasn't but he wouldn't have it.

 

[Andrew_P]

If I can fit a front RD anyone can..

I brought it back to the LBS today, there was a different mechanic there, explained all of aboved, he was dismayed halfords got their hands on it yesterday, yeah right. He went on to criticise the quality of the bike. He said the front derailleur thing that brings the chain over is the same as they have on their bso's. He said sram is
rubbish only the top end is any good, shimano all the way. He fixed it but said it wouldn't last and next time don't buy boardman which is halfords own. I tried to explain it wasn't but he wouldn't have it.

SRAM is fine but the front RD on the CX is definitely a cost cutter as it is NOT SRAM Apex! Honestly should cost no more than £40 to get a replacement fitted inc cost of the new RD

 

[Dusty Bin]

I brought it back to the LBS today, there was a different mechanic there, explained all of aboved, he was dismayed halfords got their hands on it yesterday, yeah right. He went on to criticise the quality of the bike. He said the front derailleur thing that brings the chain over is the same as they have on their bso's. He said sram is
rubbish only the top end is any good, shimano all the way. He fixed it but said it wouldn't last and next time don't buy boardman which is halfords own. I tried to explain it wasn't but he wouldn't have it.

The guy in your LBS sounds like a bit of an idiot, tbh. Microshift kit is fine, at any level. So is SRAM. And Boardman is not a Halfords brand. Other than that, he sounds really good.

 

[michaelcycle]

Take your bike to Smith Bros in Wimbledon and they will give you some decent advice...

 

[lejogger]

I struggled with the front shifting on my CX for a long while. The solution was to swap the microshift FD for a SRAM Rival one and I've not had a problem since. The microshift FD is really rather poor.

I have no idea why the mechanic would be so down on SRAM. The quality of performance throughout the range is excellent. My CX now is mostly Rival and my Carbon bike is mostly Red, and there is generally very little between them performance wise.

On the whole as a commuter/workhorse/donkey the CX is absolutely fine. It's weighty, the wheels are like lead, but roll well enough and I use it all year round for commutes, tours and winter club runs.
I'm considering swapping out the cranks for something carbon to save half a kilo, and get a set of handbuilts made to save probably a kilo at the very least. But then again, I quite like the fact that it's a bit of a brute. Training on that all winter doesn't half get my fitness up for swapping over to the carbon bike come the springtime.

Ps Boardman are Halfords own are they? Imagine world and olympic triathlon champions riding Halfords own brand bikes

 

[Dusty Bin]

Ps Boardman are Halfords own are they? Imagine world and olympic triathlon champions riding Halfords own brand bikes

No, Boardman is NOT a Halfords own brand. And Nicole Cooke took national, olympic and world titles in 2008 on a Boardman.