Help needed for derailleur adjustment

Epetruk said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on
the smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I
flick the gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge
myself and have a go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear
derailleur by pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have any effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

Tony

Epetruk said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on the
smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I
flick the
gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge myself and
have a
go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on
the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear derailleur by
pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to have any
effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

There's usually a cable adjuster on the derailleur, and sometimes one
elsewhere on the bike as well, that fine tunes the tension. Normally
turning one of these anti-clockwise for a bit will fix your problem. But
the cable may need pulling through some more or replacing if it's too
slack or damaged.

More instructions & tips: http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

Quoted message said:

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables?

Fingers or pliers.

Quoted message said:

I use a pair of pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which

I will now have to replace, and this leads me to...

Don't have to squeeze and pull extremely hard, especially if your
derailleur/bike has an adjuster... Before fitting cable, do up one
adjuster all the way clockwise (leave other adjuster half way), attach
cable, then tension cable with adjuster.

With a new cable, don't trim the excess until cable is anchored so there's
a long length to pull on.

Quoted message said:

3. Is this a good replacement for a gear cable?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&
Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Don't know. Probably ok as long as the nipple is compatible.

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to
prevent
it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to fasten
these on,
or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal pressure) be OK?

That would do (if cutters were bluntish), or pliers depending on cap.
Alternatively, if no caps handy, a blob of epoxy resin does the job.

~PB

in message <[email hidden]>, Epetruk

(') said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on the
smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I flick
the gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge myself
and have a go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear
derailleur by pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have any effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

Nothing, you're doing the right thing.

Quoted message said:

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables? I use a pair
of pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which I will now
have to replace, and this leads me to...

You should not need to do that. There is a barrel adjuster where the
cable enters the derailleur unit; additionally on some bikes there will
be a barrel adjuster either on the hand control unit or on the first
stop on the downtube. Wherever the barrel adjusters are, all you should
need to do is screw one of them out a little.

Quoted message said:

3. Is this a good replacement for a gear cable?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Yes, fine. Your LBS will be cheaper, though, because of postage.

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to
prevent it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to
fasten these on, or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal
pressure) be OK?

No, don't use a cable cutter. The nipple is made of soft metal which
will cut easily. If you don't have a crimp tool, squeezing it firmly
with a pair of pliers will do the job.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth
;; knowledge increaseth sorrow.." - Ecclesiastes 1:18

Simon Brooke said:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&
Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Quoted message said:

Yes, fine. Your LBS will be cheaper, though, because of postage.

Wiggle have a free post option -- goods usually arrive next day.

~PB

"Epetruk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on the
smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I flick the
gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge myself and have a
go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the tensioning

on

Quoted message said:

the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear derailleur by
pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to have any
effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

Derailer adjustment is hard to explain in text Much eaiser to show someone
hows it dont if the sheldon brown link dosent work take it to a FRIENDLY LBS
and ask then to show you how its done if they refuse take your bike
elsewhere.

Quoted message said:

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables? I use a pair of
pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which I will now have

to

Quoted message said:

replace, and this leads me to...

Yes they are hidiously expensive and do the same job as a pair of pliers.

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to

prevent

Quoted message said:

it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to fasten these

on,

Quoted message said:

or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal pressure) be OK?

Once again yes there are specific "crimping" tools but once again they do
the same job as anything that will crush the cap or nipples as I have heard
them called I personally recomend doing it twice on each cap just to be sure

Quoted message said:

Epetruk said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on the
smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I
flick the gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge
myself and have a go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear
derailleur by pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have any effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables? I use a pair
of pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which I will
now have to replace, and this leads me to...

3. Is this a good replacement for a gear cable?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to
prevent it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to
fasten these on, or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal
pressure) be OK?

First of all, thanks to all who have responded.

Well, I can now shift easily from the smallest sprocket to the second
smallest without any problems. In fact, I can shift normally all the way...
except up to the largest sprocket.

When I try to shift onto this sprocket, I find two things:

1. The gear lever can only be clicked with *GREAT* difficulty. When it is
clicked, the tension in the gear cable is extreme - it must be double the
tension in the gear cable for the front chainwheels, because when I pluck
the cable, the sound is an octave higher than what I hear on plucking the
front chainwheel cable.

2. The chain makes a rattling sound like it *desperately* wants to shift to
the largest sprocket but can't do so.

I've fiddled with the barrel adjuster near the derailleur (the only one
there is), but this makes no difference. I've checked that the derailleur
isn't bent (as recommended by Sheldon Brown) - it appears not to be so,
since the pulleys are aligned. And fiddling with the limit screws makes no
difference - I was hoping that perhaps what was happening was that the L
limit screw was stopping the chain from shifting to the big sprocket. (Am I
right in saying that as you unscrew the screw, it should be setting the
limit to a 'higher' sprocket?)

If anyone has any further advice, I'd like to hear it. Failing that, it's
time for a trip down to the LBS for the pros to sort this one out.

Cheers,

--
Akin

aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

I have tried as best as I can to follow the advice at Sheldon Brown's site.
I have confirmed that the derailleur isn't bent - the two pulley wheels
appear to be aligned. I have fiddled with the limiting

Epetruk said:

When I try to shift onto this sprocket, I find two things:

1. The gear lever can only be clicked with *GREAT* difficulty. When

it is

Quoted message said:

clicked, the tension in the gear cable is extreme - it must be double

the

Quoted message said:

tension in the gear cable for the front chainwheels, because when I

pluck

Quoted message said:

the cable, the sound is an octave higher than what I hear on plucking

the

Quoted message said:

front chainwheel cable.

2. The chain makes a rattling sound like it *desperately* wants to

shift to

Quoted message said:

the largest sprocket but can't do so.

It sounds as if the low-gear limit stop needs to be loosened a bit.
The description you provided exactly corresponds with the low-gear
limit stop being too tight.

Quoted message said:

I've fiddled with the barrel adjuster near the derailleur (the only

one

Quoted message said:

there is), but this makes no difference. I've checked that the

derailleur

Quoted message said:

isn't bent (as recommended by Sheldon Brown) - it appears not to be

so,

Quoted message said:

since the pulleys are aligned. And fiddling with the limit screws

makes no

Quoted message said:

difference - I was hoping that perhaps what was happening was that

the L

Quoted message said:

limit screw was stopping the chain from shifting to the big sprocket.

It sounds to me as if this is the problem.

Quoted message said:

(Am I
right in saying that as you unscrew the screw, it should be setting

the

Quoted message said:

limit to a 'higher' sprocket?)

No. Loosening the low-gear limit stop screw will _allow_ the derailer
to move farther to the left, to the lowest (largest) sprocket. Note
that the screw does not generally _move_ the derailer, you have to pull
on the cable (usually with the shift lever) to make it move. The limit
stop screws just provide "bumpers" to stop the derailer from moving too
far to the left (low gear limit stop) or right (high-gear limit stop.

Sheldon "Limits" Brown
Newtonville, Massachusetts, USA
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience. |
| --Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

in message <[email hidden]>, Epetruk

(') said:

Epetruk said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on
the smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I
flick the gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge
myself and have a go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear
derailleur by pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have any effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables? I use a pair
of pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which I will
now have to replace, and this leads me to...

3. Is this a good replacement for a gear cable?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to
prevent it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to
fasten these on, or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal
pressure) be OK?

First of all, thanks to all who have responded.

Well, I can now shift easily from the smallest sprocket to the second
smallest without any problems. In fact, I can shift normally all the
way... except up to the largest sprocket.

When I try to shift onto this sprocket, I find two things:

1. The gear lever can only be clicked with *GREAT* difficulty. When it
is clicked, the tension in the gear cable is extreme - it must be
double the tension in the gear cable for the front chainwheels,
because when I pluck the cable, the sound is an octave higher than
what I hear on plucking the front chainwheel cable.

Sounds like you're hard up against the lower limit stop screw. This is a
screw on the derailleur mechanism which is normally marked with with an
'L'. Unscrew is **slightly** and try again. Repeat until the derailleur
will /just/ change happily. NOTE that if you unscrew this too far the
derailleur can move into the spokes, usually destroying the derailleur,
often breaking some spokes, and sometimes (cheap aluminium frames)
permanently damaging your frame, so do this with caution.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; in faecibus sapiens rheum propagabit

Epetruk said:

Epetruk said:

Hi,

I'm having problems changing gear on my bike. When the chain is on
the smallest sprocket of my 7 speed cluster, it doesn't shift when I
flick the gear lever from '7' to '6'. I thought I should challenge
myself and have a go at fixing this.

What I thought would solve the problem would be to change the
tensioning on the gear cable that connects the gear lever to the rear
derailleur by pulling on the cable end. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have any effect. So I have a few questions:

1. What else can I do to fix the problem?

2. Are there specific tools for pulling on gear cables? I use a pair
of pliers, but this just seems to fray the cable end, which I will
now have to replace, and this leads me to...

3. Is this a good replacement for a gear cable?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=Gear%20Cables&ProdID=5360008455&UberCat=0

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

4. I understand there are caps you can put at the end of a cable to
prevent it from fraying. Are there any specific tools one needs to
fasten these on, or would a wire cutter (applied with minimal
pressure) be OK?

First of all, thanks to all who have responded.

Well, I can now shift easily from the smallest sprocket to the second
smallest without any problems. In fact, I can shift normally all the
way... except up to the largest sprocket.

When I try to shift onto this sprocket, I find two things:

1. The gear lever can only be clicked with *GREAT* difficulty. When
it is clicked, the tension in the gear cable is extreme - it must be
double the tension in the gear cable for the front chainwheels,
because when I pluck the cable, the sound is an octave higher than
what I hear on plucking the front chainwheel cable.

2. The chain makes a rattling sound like it *desperately* wants to
shift to the largest sprocket but can't do so.

I've fiddled with the barrel adjuster near the derailleur (the only
one there is), but this makes no difference. I've checked that the
derailleur isn't bent (as recommended by Sheldon Brown) - it appears
not to be so, since the pulleys are aligned. And fiddling with the
limit screws makes no difference - I was hoping that perhaps what was
happening was that the L limit screw was stopping the chain from
shifting to the big sprocket. (Am I right in saying that as you
unscrew the screw, it should be setting the limit to a 'higher'
sprocket?)

If anyone has any further advice, I'd like to hear it. Failing that,
it's time for a trip down to the LBS for the pros to sort this one
out.

I've finally been able to fix the problem, and as those who responded
suggested, the problem was indeed with the 'L' limit screw. I had to turn
this quite a few times before the chain would move on to the largest rear
sprocket.

I'd like to thank Dennis, Simon and Captain Sheldon for sparing their time
to help me fix this problem.

Cheers,

Akin