A tip for tensioning front derailleur cable.

[GearóId Ó Laoi/]

Thought of this on holidays. I had problems with a front
derailleur and could not get enough tension on it to get it
to work properly, even using barrel adjuster, as I did not
have a big pliers.

I thought and thought and then...

I removed the cable stop where the left downtube changer
used to be in older bikes, adjust the cable and then pulled
the stop back into position and fixed it. I was then able to
slowly let the cable out by trial and error until I got the
changer right.

A good trick. I've never seen anyone do it, although some
must have thought of it years ago.

 

[Phil Brown]

>Thought of this on holidays. I had problems with a front
>derailleur and could not get enough tension on it to get it
>to work properly, even using barrel adjuster, as I did not
>have a big pliers.

Just grab the wire with a pair of pliers. pull it tight and
tighten the clamp. Cable tension isn't a big deal on FDs.
Phil Brown

 

[Jeff Starr]

"Gearóid Ó Laoi/Garry Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Thought of this on holidays. I had problems with a front
> derailleur and could not get enough tension on it to get
> it to work properly, even using barrel adjuster, as I did
> not have a big pliers.
>
> I thought and thought and then...
>
> I removed the cable stop where the left downtube changer
> used to be in older bikes, adjust the cable and then
> pulled the stop back into position and fixed it. I was
> then able to slowly let the cable out by trial and error
> until I got the changer right.
>
> A good trick. I've never seen anyone do it, although some
> must have thought of it years ago.

Hi, it would it be helpful to know what kind of derailleur
and shifter you are using. In my limited experience with
Shimano, if you put the chain on the smallest chainring and
set the shifter to that same position, you should be able to
pull the cable plenty tight by hand. Be sure to have the
barrel adjuster turned all the way in. With indexed
shifters, if the cable is too tight it won't trim properly.
I certainly didn't need any pliers, to do this.

Life is Good! Jeff

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi/]

The problem was that I did NOT have a pliers and that I had
a recently fitted cable with almost no spare to get a good
grip on it to pull it tight enough. If I were fitting a new
cable and had a cable cutter it would have been a different
kettle of fish. I could not get it tight enough for it to
shift the chain onto the big ring, without the trick I've
just mentioned. Some of you will need this some day, so just
remember it.

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi/]

> Lighten up, Garry. You weren't presenting your method
> as a field
expedient.
> t's OK for that.
Well I was, as I said that I was on holidays and had no big
pliers... it's a clever trick, even though I say so myself.

I'll give you another trick I had to invent some years ago.
Out the country one evening, miles from home, puncture.
Found that pump rubber had worn such that it did not make a
seal with the valve and I cound not pump the tyre.

Took me a while to think of this and try it. I wrapped a
leaf around the valve and then pushed on the pump.
Problem solved.

 

[Weisse Luft]

Without pliers? shift the chain onto the large ring and WITHOUT pedaling, drop the shifter to the small ring. Then just slightly tension the cable and tighten the clamp. Cable should be close to perfect, requiring only little adjustment at the barrel.

If barrel adjusters are difficult in the field, this can also be done while coasting. Just drop a cog or two WITHOUT pedaling and the cable will slacken, allowing adjustments to be made easier.

 

[Jeff Starr]

"Gearóid Ó Laoi/Garry Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > Lighten up, Garry. You weren't presenting your method as
> > a field
> expedient.
> > t's OK for that.
> Well I was, as I said that I was on holidays and had
> no big pliers... it's a clever trick, even though I
> say so myself.
>
> I'll give you another trick I had to invent some years
> ago. Out the country one evening, miles from home,
> puncture. Found that pump rubber had worn such that it
> did not make a seal with the valve and I cound not pump
> the tyre.
>
> Took me a while to think of this and try it. I wrapped a
> leaf around the valve and then pushed on the pump.
> Problem solved.

You are a regular McGuyver!

You never did identify the problem derailleur and shifter,
what is it?

Life is Good! Jeff

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi/]

It's a compact mountain bike Shimano front shifter. Bottom
pull, band on. Not sure which spec, but good quality, maybe
ultegra or such, to judge from nuts etc. It's one of those
annoying design where the pinch nut disappears unless in
small chainring zone. You have to take off the rear wheel to
mess with it, unless you have a long allen key.