Rail 9.8 Dropper Issues

[backcountry00]

Hi all
First ride out today on my new Rail 9.8 XT. So pleased I chose this bike, it’s exceptional.
Only problem was the dropper failing halfway through the morning. I carried on with the seat all the way down, not ideal on the hills but it didn’t ruin the ride!
The cable has detached from the bottom of the dropper and I cannot for the life of me get it back up the seat tube, I’ve tried to fish it out using a makeshift hook but it looks like the cable is jammed. Is this a motor out job?

 

[Davidwylie]

Hi all
First ride out today on my new Rail 9.8 XT. So pleased I chose this bike, it’s exceptional.
Only problem was the dropper failing halfway through the morning. I carried on with the seat all the way down, not ideal on the hills but it didn’t ruin the ride!
The cable has detached from the bottom of the dropper and I cannot for the life of me get it back up the seat tube, I’ve tried to fish it out using a makeshift hook but it looks like the cable is jammed. Is this a motor out job?

Yes, almost impossible to get the cable out without dropping the motor. Its not too bad of a job, just the 6 bolts, I always do mine with the bike upside down and same putting it back, much easier and you can make sure no cables are caught up.

 

[backcountry00]

Yes, almost impossible to get the cable out without dropping the motor. Its not too bad of a job, just the 6 bolts, I always do mine with the bike upside down and same putting it back, much easier and you can make sure no cables are caught up.

Brilliant thanks for that. I’ll give it a go.

 

[Philly G]

Brilliant thanks for that. I’ll give it a go.

My Rail is brand new too, not yet been out for a ride. Sounds like the dropper cable is something I should check first, along with the battery alignment problem and the issue with the chain ring nut ? just a thought though,with the bike upside down to remove the motor, wouldn't gravity help you fish the cable out?

 

[backcountry00]

My Rail is brand new too, not yet been out for a ride. Sounds like the dropper cable is something I should check first, along with the battery alignment problem and the issue with the chain ring nut ? just a thought though,with the bike upside down to remove the motor, wouldn't gravity help you fish the cable out?

Yep, I’ve been keeping my eye on the battery alignment and made sure everything was torqued up correctly, including the chain ring but. Didn’t check the dropper though!
Good point re gravity, hope that might help - It looks like my cable has got wedged when I put the dropper post back in, I managed to hook the cable with a bungee cord but the cable was stuck on something.
Bit annoying but I’ll try and sort it early next week ?

 

[Philly G]

Yep, I’ve been keeping my eye on the battery alignment and made sure everything was torqued up correctly, including the chain ring but. Didn’t check the dropper though!
Good point re gravity, hope that might help - It looks like my cable has got wedged when I put the dropper post back in, I managed to hook the cable with a bungee cord but the cable was stuck on something.
Bit annoying but I’ll try and sort it early next week ?

Hope you get it sorted! ?Sounds like motor removal is not too bad if you've no other option. We shouldn't be having these issues on these expensive bikes!

 

[datonetti]

Bummer on the dropper problem, you’ll get it sorted. Please share your ride impressions. I’m 20 days out on my 9.8 XT. Can’t freakin’ wait! What color did you buy?

 

[backcountry00]

Hope you get it sorted! ?Sounds like motor removal is not too bad if you've no other option. We shouldn't be having these issues on these expensive bikes!

I wasn’t expecting to drop the motor after the first ride out! If I’d bought it from a local shop I would have asked them to sort it, but it was a mail order from a company in wales and I’m in Kent.
Aside of this (hopefully minor) issue I’m in love with the bike and looking forward to many more great rides ?

 

[backcountry00]

Bummer on the dropper problem, you’ll get it sorted. Please share your ride impressions. I’m 20 days out on my 9.8 XT. Can’t freakin’ wait! What color did you buy?

I went for the phaze purple. I’d not seen one in the flesh when I ordered so it was a bit of a gamble, but I have to say the colour and design is absolutely spot on - one of the nicest I’ve seen.
I’ve invisiframed with the matte/glass option which has lost some of the texture between the raw carbon/gloss purple but I’d rather have the frame protected and lose a bit of the aesthetic.

Ride impressions - just WOW.
I’m coming from a non-emtb (Santa Cruz Hightower LT - 150mm 29er Enduro/Big trail bike) which is a fast bike. The Rail handles much the same, probably better as there is more weight lower down helping the physics!
I deliberately rode somewhere which i know well to get a feel of the bike first, and very quickly realised that you can throw this thing into corners and it sticks. Did some fast runs and it just flew. Found myself sending some big tables and I felt totally at home whilst flying through the air
Bosch was a little noisy on the descents as reviews have said but didn’t bother me.
Bontrager SE5’s better than I thought and quite sticky, was going to change but don’t think I’ll bother.
I covered 16 miles, first half on eco and the rest experimenting on other settings. I still have half the battery left.
I did my favourite descents 7 times each (I’d usually only manage 2 runs as the hill is brutal to climb).
In summary, it’s an absolute machine and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[Philly G]

That purple looks gorgeous!? You've got a lovely bike there! I have the 7 so no choice of colour. How did you find it handled on the climbs? Have read some riders fighting to keep the front down with the mino link in the low setting, my Remedy was certainly like that too

 

[Davidwylie]

I wasn’t expecting to drop the motor after the first ride out! If I’d bought it from a local shop I would have asked them to sort it, but it was a mail order from a company in wales and I’m in Kent.
Aside of this (hopefully minor) issue I’m in love with the bike and looking forward to many more great rides ?

Trouble is that when you get the bike new, any adjustment of the seat post can dislodge the cable if you don't undo the cable clamps inside battery compartment and keep the tension on the cable until the seat is in the right place.

 

[Tony.OK]

That purple looks gorgeous!? You've got a lovely bike there! I have the 7 so no choice of colour. How did you find it handled on the climbs? Have read some riders fighting to keep the front down with the mino link in the low setting, my Remedy was certainly like that too

My 9 climbs alot better than my Trance e+1 did, front is way more planted on tight uphill switchbacks, no front end wandering at all.

 

[backcountry00]

Trouble is that when you get the bike new, any adjustment of the seat post can dislodge the cable if you don't undo the cable clamps inside battery compartment and keep the tension on the cable until the seat is in the right place.

That’s exactly what I’ve done, moved the seat post without adjusting cable tension. It would have been helpful if the supplier had made a note of that when they sent the bike!!

 

[backcountry00]

That purple looks gorgeous!? You've got a lovely bike there! I have the 7 so no choice of colour. How did you find it handled on the climbs? Have read some riders fighting to keep the front down with the mino link in the low setting, my Remedy was certainly like that too

Thanks! Yeah I’m impressed with the colour, better than a thought! I’m in low setting, actually thought the climbing was ok but found it easier to stand up (although I didn’t have a choose in the end as my dropper died)
I’ve not tried a steep climb with the seat up - yet! Will let you know when I do..

 

[WilkyWay]

You should be able to fish the cable out without dropping the motor. Remove the seat post. Remove the battery and the cable clamps in the battery compartment. Remove the remote and push the cable as far into the battery compartment as possible from the remote end so there is a load of slack, then push the slack cable from the battery compartment up the seat tube and it should pop out the top. Reattach you’re dropper post and reassemble in reverse.

 

[backcountry00]

You should be able to fish the cable out without dropping the motor. Remove the seat post. Remove the battery and the cable clamps in the battery compartment. Remove the remote and push the cable as far into the battery compartment as possible from the remote end so there is a load of slack, then push the slack cable from the battery compartment up the seat tube and it should pop out the top. Reattach you’re dropper post and reassemble in reverse.

Superb, thanks for that, makes sense. I’ll give that a blast. Didn’t want to start dropping the motor unless I had too ?

 

[WilkyWay]

@backcountry00 i did exactly that when I changed my dropper. Took less than 10 minutes. When you’re putting the newly reattached seatpost back in push the post down the seat tube and pull the cable back into the battery compartment at the same time and it should keep it loose enough not to make the post come back up on its own and not risk pulling the cable out the dropper.

 

[backcountry00]

@backcountry00 i did exactly that when I changed my dropper. Took less than 10 minutes. When you’re putting the newly reattached seatpost back in push the post down the seat tube and pull the cable back into the battery compartment at the same time and it should keep it loose enough not to make the post come back up on its own and not risk pulling the cable out the dropper.

Awesome, thanks @WilkyWay

 

[backcountry00]

Not quite as straightforward as I’d hoped - it ended up being a motor-out job. The cable was wedged in the seat tube and despite me detaching the cable clamps and dropper lever to give it as much slack as possible, it wasn’t going to happen.
That being said, motor was easy enough to drop so good to know for future maintenance.
I attached a long cable-tie to the dropper cable when I reinserted the droppper post, so if it happens again I’ll have something to grab onto and hopefully pull the cable back out again!
Bit of a design fault if you ask me - essentially if I pull out my seat tube without loosening the dropper cable at the lever or clamps in the down tube, it’s likely to cause the cable to detach from the dropper post - which may not be a trail-side repair if I have to drop the motor again!
Dropper seems a lot smoother now I’ve readjusted cable tension etc so every cloud!

 

[Philly G]

Not quite as straightforward as I’d hoped - it ended up being a motor-out job. The cable was wedged in the seat tube and despite me detaching the cable clamps and dropper lever to give it as much slack as possible, it wasn’t going to happen.
That being said, motor was easy enough to drop so good to know for future maintenance.
I attached a long cable-tie to the dropper cable when I reinserted the droppper post, so if it happens again I’ll have something to grab onto and hopefully pull the cable back out again!
Bit of a design fault if you ask me - essentially if I pull out my seat tube without loosening the dropper cable at the lever or clamps in the down tube, it’s likely to cause the cable to detach from the dropper post - which may not be a trail-side repair if I have to drop the motor again!
Dropper seems a lot smoother now I’ve readjusted cable tension etc so every cloud!

Good to know how you got on, great idea with the cable tie! ?

 

[tikitereterry]

Hi all
First ride out today on my new Rail 9.8 XT. So pleased I chose this bike, it’s exceptional.
Only problem was the dropper failing halfway through the morning. I carried on with the seat all the way down, not ideal on the hills but it didn’t ruin the ride!
The cable has detached from the bottom of the dropper and I cannot for the life of me get it back up the seat tube, I’ve tried to fish it out using a makeshift hook but it looks like the cable is jammed. Is this a motor out job?

yes had same issue my cable had been installed incorrectly and was crushed.