Rail 9.7 chainring rubbing

dannypr

New Member
Jan 23, 2021
6
1
Puerto Rico
Bought bike Jan 9

19E6E037-833F-4E52-A1ED-352CC3727F55.png


01BB78D8-C76A-4AC0-A162-F7380BF17C90.jpeg
 

BrentD

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2020
168
134
New Zealand
I've had a very slight issue (enough to just touch the top layer of paint) but I put that down to a stick or something getting sucked through there at some stage. Nothing as serious as what you show in your pictures though.
 

Mr_Price

Active member
Feb 27, 2021
131
51
North Vancouver
I got my stunning new bike February 17th. Noticed this exact thing yesterday after a ride. Bike is booked back in on Monday @ my LBS. Hope they can offer me a satisfactory solution ASAP. I’m already feeling lonely. ?
 
Last edited:

coregrind

Well-known member
Dec 16, 2020
95
80
BEAVERTON, OREGON USA
Is the chainring nut tightened?
I was surprised to find how easy it was to remove the nut on the new bike, fresh out of the box. It didn’t feel like it was anywhere near the torque amount recommended by the brand for the ring I installed in place of the stock unit. Make sure to check your nuts, folks!
 

dannypr

New Member
Jan 23, 2021
6
1
Puerto Rico
I was surprised to find how easy it was to remove the nut on the new bike, fresh out of the box. It didn’t feel like it was anywhere near the torque amount recommended by the brand for the ring I installed in place of the stock unit. Make sure to check your nuts, folks!
little update shop made warranty claim Just waiting for Trek to send warranty
 

dannypr

New Member
Jan 23, 2021
6
1
Puerto Rico
little update shop made warranty claim Just waiting for Trek to send warranty
I was surprised to find how easy it was to remove the nut on the new bike, fresh out of the box. It didn’t feel like it was anywhere near the torque amount recommended by the brand for the ring I installed in place of the stock unit. Make sure to check your nuts, folks!
Yeah i keep rechecking my bolts before each ride they tend to be get loose after every ride
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,637
5,110
Weymouth
So the lock ring is reverse thread and torqued to c 30nm?
The mating faces of the lockring and chainwheel and the threads must be clean/degreased and the thread treated with loctite......and left to set for 24 hours before use.

The reverse thread will be self tightening under normal pedalling forces, BUT the reverse will be the case when freewheeling downhill on rough terrain due to suspension kick back on the chain. Clean mating surfaces will delier higher friction to movement and blue loctite will further help to ensure the lock ring does not loosen. Personally I would also remove any glossy paint finish on the mating surface of the chainring.
You essentially want a raw metal contact surface on both lock ring and chainwheel.
 

Philly G

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2020
692
517
New Zealand
So the lock ring is reverse thread and torqued to c 30nm?
The mating faces of the lockring and chainwheel and the threads must be clean/degreased and the thread treated with loctite......and left to set for 24 hours before use.

The reverse thread will be self tightening under normal pedalling forces, BUT the reverse will be the case when freewheeling downhill on rough terrain due to suspension kick back on the chain. Clean mating surfaces will delier higher friction to movement and blue loctite will further help to ensure the lock ring does not loosen. Personally I would also remove any glossy paint finish on the mating surface of the chainring.
You essentially want a raw metal contact surface on both lock ring and chainwheel.
I used red loctite on mine, torqued to c 30nm, it's remained nice and tight
 

Philly G

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2020
692
517
New Zealand
good luck getting it off again!!
I suppose that could be an issue, I thought red loctite was appropriate given the lockring is not tightened to especially high torque, and the fact that, as you say, it self-loosens due to suspension kick back. Guess I'll find out when its time for s new chain ring lol
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,637
5,110
Weymouth
Red loctite is designed for permanent fixings. It can take quite a bit of heat to soften it for removal and a specific solvent to get it off the threads. Blue loctite which is medium strength should do the job because the chain kick back force is not great. Assuming your lock ring is ally you may be lucky in being able to break it off in 2 pieces.
 

Philly G

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2020
692
517
New Zealand
Red loctite is designed for permanent fixings. It can take quite a bit of heat to soften it for removal and a specific solvent to get it off the threads. Blue loctite which is medium strength should do the job because the chain kick back force is not great. Assuming your lock ring is ally you may be lucky in being able to break it off in 2 pieces.
Oops! I might have f**ked up then ?
 

Mr_Price

Active member
Feb 27, 2021
131
51
North Vancouver
I got my bike back from my LBS yesterday. The owner is convinced it's fixed and believes it's "basically because flouro paint needs to go really thick" so it's that's why there is reduced clearance between the chain stay and the chain ring. The owner forgot to update his head mechanic on his theory, the mechanic almost had coffee come out of his nose when I recounted the story.

They have replaced the yellow chain stay with a new black chain stay, and whilst the clearance has increased by <1.0mm it's nowhere near as much as a gap as on the three other Rail X that they have in stock.

The mechanics have asked me to go ride it as hard as I can for a few days and see if the contact still occurs. At least I feel like the mechanics have got my back even if the shop owner needs to get his head around the situation.

I'll post a picture of the current clearance next week. Riding on Tuesday.
 

Sean0711

Member
Nov 30, 2020
45
24
Surrey, uk
i was just scrolling though trying to find out if this was a common problem. I was out today for about my 6/7th ride on the bike (its only covered 250 miles) I have the same markings on my chain stay, thought i must have got something stuck in there. but looks like it might be a bigger problem than I first thought.
IMG_5958.jpg
IMG_5959.jpg
IMG_5961.jpg
 

Mr_Price

Active member
Feb 27, 2021
131
51
North Vancouver
This thread indexes very well on google when you search for Rail Chain Ring Rub, it's how I found the forums.

I am not a carbon fibre engineer, bike designer or multi-millionaire (I'd just buy a new bike) but I'm pretty unhappy about the scenario I have. Riding the bike this week to see what's up but I think you need to contact your LBS pretty quick.
 

Paul Mac

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Subscriber
Jul 9, 2018
997
1,046
Uk
Not sure if the actual chainring may have something to do with it.
I have the 9.8 and it came stock with the sram eagle chainring.
As no one seems to have them in stock, I bought the e13 one that comes on the 9.9 models.
It is definitely closer to the swing arm than the sram version. ?
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,637
5,110
Weymouth
Is this a case of using a standard chainring...normally 6mm offset.........rather than a boost chainring which is 3mm offset? Assuming the rear hub is 148 it should be a boost chain ring which will be 3mm further away from the chainstay than a standard non boost chainring. The offset should be stamped somewhere on the chainring.
 

Paul Mac

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Subscriber
Jul 9, 2018
997
1,046
Uk
Is this a case of using a standard chainring...normally 6mm offset.........rather than a boost chainring which is 3mm offset? Assuming the rear hub is 148 it should be a boost chain ring which will be 3mm further away from the chainstay than a standard non boost chainring. The offset should be stamped somewhere on the chainring.
I think e13 only make the one size for the bosch motor, which is meant to be the boost version.
I'll look at my one see if it has any markings on it?
 

Paul Mac

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Subscriber
Jul 9, 2018
997
1,046
Uk
Is this a case of using a standard chainring...normally 6mm offset.........rather than a boost chainring which is 3mm offset? Assuming the rear hub is 148 it should be a boost chain ring which will be 3mm further away from the chainstay than a standard non boost chainring. The offset should be stamped somewhere on the chainring.
Just checked mine has 52mm boost written on it.
Has anyone got the e thirteen chainring that came standard on the bike?
Is this what you have written on yours?
 

Hamina

E*POWAH Master
Mar 22, 2020
500
396
FIN
Just checked mine has 52mm boost written on it.
Has anyone got the e thirteen chainring that came standard on the bike?
Is this what you have written on yours?
I just bought and installed e13 34t chainring. On Rail 5 you have to remove the shimplate under the oem SRAM chainring. Otherwise there’s not much thread for the nut.
 

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