2 Ultegra Triple setup questions

[TomYoung]

Hi all:

I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road
bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.

First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends
to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel
adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem -
it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't
slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself
is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the
derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's
longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely
solved the problem.

Second, if the chain is on the middle chainring up front and the large
cog in the rear and I turn the cranks backwards, the chain tends to
move toward the second largest cog and eventually the
chain/derailleur/cogs all jam up together. As the shifing itself has
been just fine I figure the problem has something to do with the "b"
adjustment screw in that the top pulley of the derailleur is either too
close or too far away from the cog, but I don't know which.

Can anybody shed some light on these issues?

TIA.

Tom Young

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

TomYoung wrote:
> Hi all:
>
> I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road
> bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.
>
> First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends
> to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel
> adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem -
> it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't
> slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself
> is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the
> derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's
> longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely
> solved the problem.

Screw the barrell adjuster all the way in and then tighten the cable.
No need to use the barrel adjuster to postion the front der, use the
limit screws.

>
> Second, if the chain is on the middle chainring up front and the large
> cog in the rear and I turn the cranks backwards, the chain tends to
> move toward the second largest cog and eventually the
> chain/derailleur/cogs all jam up together. As the shifing itself has
> been just fine I figure the problem has something to do with the "b"
> adjustment screw in that the top pulley of the derailleur is either too
> close or too far away from the cog, but I don't know which.

Screw the b limit screw 'in', to move the top pulley away from the
cogset. Generally tho, this chainline, altho useable, will often cause
the chain to go to a smaller cog when pedalled backwards. Avoiding that
is really the key.

>
> Can anybody shed some light on these issues?
>
> TIA.
>
> Tom Young

 

[TomYoung]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> TomYoung wrote:
> > Hi all:
> >
> > I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road
> > bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.
> >
> > First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends
> > to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel
> > adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem -
> > it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't
> > slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself
> > is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the
> > derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's
> > longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely
> > solved the problem.
>
> Screw the barrell adjuster all the way in and then tighten the cable.
> No need to use the barrel adjuster to postion the front der, use the
> limit screws.
>
> >
> >

Thanks for the reply. I probably should have specified that this is
the 9-speed Ultegra group with the 6510 brifter that works for both
doubles and triples. The limit screws are set properly, it's the
effective lengthening of the inner wire (as the barrel adjuster screws
in) that's fouling things up. I guess I could screw the adjuster all
the way in and then "preload" the inner wire by moving the derailleur
"out" before tightening down the clamp, but it'd be just luck if I got
the adjustment right. I might have to resort to this, though.

Thanks again.

Tom Young

 

[Jeff Starr]

On 2 Jun 2005 14:19:53 -0700, "TomYoung" <[email protected]> wrote:


>
>Thanks for the reply. I probably should have specified that this is
>the 9-speed Ultegra group with the 6510 brifter that works for both
>doubles and triples. The limit screws are set properly, it's the
>effective lengthening of the inner wire (as the barrel adjuster screws
>in) that's fouling things up. I guess I could screw the adjuster all
>the way in and then "preload" the inner wire by moving the derailleur
>"out" before tightening down the clamp, but it'd be just luck if I got
>the adjustment right. I might have to resort to this, though.
>
>Thanks again.
>
>Tom Young

Hi, I had the same problem with the barrel adjuster on my DA triple
FD. I cut a piece of rubber in the shaspe of a U. I wedge that around
the base of the adjuster, so it can't move. So, readjust it properly,
then find your own simple way to secure it.

Mine hasn't moved, since I put the rubber piece in. And it is
removable for adjustments. It really quite simple;-)


Life is Good!
Jeff

 

[TomYoung]

I discovered that my local Ace Hardware store has 5mm nyloc nuts.
(These are nuts with a short nylon sleeve which "locks" the nut in
place.) I took a 5mm tap and ran it through the nut and part of the
way into the nylon sleeve (without the partial threading of the sleeve
you can't turn the adjuster by hand) and then ran the adjuster through
the nyloc nut from the nylon side. So, the "hex" portion of the nut
sets into the barrel holder mount on the head tube OK and the partially
threaded nylon sleeve keeps the adjuster from tightening up on its on,
but still allows me to make adjustments by hand.

Working OK so far!

Tom Young