# Is there a disadvantage to clutch rear derailleur?



## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

Flipped the lever and engaged clutch today. Just wondered if there was a pro/con

Why even give the user a switch to engage or disengage clutch? 


Sent via Jedi mind trick.


----------



## Danibee (Dec 24, 2015)

Yup. That's all. I think they're great. Chain noise annoys me.


----------



## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

Oh. Makes sense!


Sent via Jedi mind trick.


----------



## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I know a guy who runs his clutch off because he prefers the slightly softer shifter feel without the clutch.


----------



## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Shimano's official recommendation is to run with the clutch on all the time. SRAM's can't be turned off, but they do have a latch button that holds the cage forward to facilitate wheel changes, which is nice as the chain is totally slack.


----------



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

If the clutch is too stiff it can add to the cable drag and make it harder to get the indexing right. Can make the shifting stiffer too. 

And the other down side, more shite to go wrong. Both SRAM and Shimano clutches can have issues. Bikes are complicated things these days.


----------



## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

If the possibility of something going wrong annoys you.....take the next step in analysis and determine the probability. Many things that are 'possible' are actually so unlikely...very low probability....that being concerned about them isn't logical.
But you do have to figure out the probability realistically. And that requires effort.


----------



## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

The clutch does increase shifting effort. Also, the clutch mechanism makes it a bit more demanding to have a perfectly functioning shifting system. Any cable stretch, flex, or excessive friction gets amplified by the clutch mechanism.

Out of 5 bikes in the house, three have clutch and 2 do not. On the three with the clutch, I have switched to coated cables, full length housings, high quality alloy housing ends, and no mixing of different brand cassettes/chains/shifters. Speaking of which I recently got one of the new 11-40 Sunrace MX3 cassettes and it took a little extra effort to dial-in the shifting. A lot of wax based lubricant and 3 rides later, it's finally quieting down. For a while there I was really frustrated, thinking "what have I done..."


----------



## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

You guys know you can adjust the tension on shimano clutches right???

I don't use mine that often because of the stiffer shifting but adjusting the tension on the clutch made it useable. 

Sram I wondered if it even had a clutch (put full gx on my fat bike to try out SRAM). No big noise issues, doesn't really sound any different most of the time vs my shimano with clutch off unless it's a really rough section. 

I can definitely agree with the finicky shifting of SRAM clutched Rds though. Pretty much have to give the barrel adjuster half a turn one way or the other each ride if the temp changes more than a few degrees (which has been a rollercoaster ride here lately). My shimano maybe a click one way or the other if temp changes a lot. But even then the shifting issue is only just enough difference that I happen to notice it. Not like the sram that makes you very aware that barrel adjuster needs adjusted.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


----------



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

tigris99 said:


> You guys know you can adjust the tension on shimano clutches right???


You can adjust the tension on SRAM ones as well. It's not an official adjustment, like it is on Shimano, but you can do it. My X9 was crazy stiff and really mucked up the shifting until I backed it off. Still seems to work ok, no dropped chains or chain rattle.


----------



## ksm (Sep 25, 2020)

hey there, newbie question, when using barrel adjuster to tighten the cable (there's one cog my shimano M8100 just doesn't like to move to when going from the smallest cog, to the largest cog, its the third cog in from the smallest), do I need to make sure the clutch is off before turning the barrel adjuster counter clockwise? Do I leave the clutch on even when adjusting the barrel adjusters? Any advice is very much obliged. thanks in advance!


----------



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

turn off the clutch when you are messing with gears and shifting is not required but it does help slacken the chain making adjustments easier...so yes do it, if it has an off switch


----------



## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

One disadvantage I've run into is bad assembly at factory let mine corrode and get sticky. Cage would get stuck and not move when upshifting so chain would go slack and get ugly.


----------

