The test can also be used to identify the causes of the problem. This is the fundamental solution which gets rid of the problem at its source. Obviously, these must always be investigated first and resolved. Extra spring tensioning devices for the rear derailleur, mostly of home-made design, are claimed to work but at the expense of more sluggish gear changes. For badly worn teeth and high friction, high spring tension would be required which is not advisable for the sensitive mechanism of rear derailleurs.
Manufacturers make untenable claims about their lubricants' abilities in the presence of mud.
Actual field testing and the slightest understanding of both the flow dynamics and the scouring abilities of a mud slurry within a chain's interior, debunk such claims for any of the lubricants commonly used. Even without mud, lubrication will not necessarily prevent chain-suck. Copyright Jonathan Levy , Cape Town, 2000. All rights reserved.