Broken front gear cable- can I make it stay in middle ring?

[helston90]

On my commute this morning at the 5 mile mark my front gear cable snapped (right at the point it joins the derailleur), I tweaked the line of the derailleur in order for me to use 7 out of the 8 rear gears and did the last 12 miles in 30t granny ring on my triple.

I have a cable at home already and can't be done faffing around in the bike shed for an hour fitting a new cable on my lunch break.

Is there a simple way for me to get it into the middle ring and stay there for the trip home?

(and splitting the chain to remove the derailleur is also too much like hard work!)

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Screw the low limit screw in. It will push the derailleur up. Go until it goes into the middle ring.

As always, pull the mech by hand a bit while screwing to relieve the spring tension of the limit screw. Remember to reset limit screw properly when you repair the cable.

 

[I like Skol]

can't be done faffing around in the bike shed for an hour fitting a new cable on my lunch break.

1hr to fit a front gear cable, you are milking that a bit. Anything you can do to 'fix' the front mech to run on the middle chain ring would be almost as time consuming as changing the cable to effect a proper fix.

 

[User6179]

I think years ago I used a stone between the frame and mech to get me home when my cable snapped , cant remember how well it worked but recall doing it .

 

[helston90]

1hr to fit a front gear cable, you are milking that a bit. Anything you can do to 'fix' the front mech to run on the middle chain ring would be almost as time consuming as changing the cable to effect a proper fix.

Hahah, true- sorry- I was including walking to the LBS on the other side of town to get the cable in that hour!

 

[Tim Hall]

Hahah, true- sorry- I was including walking to the LBS on the other side of town to get the cable in that hour!

You could ride...

 

[Profpointy]

You could ride...

Just put it onto the middle ring, then you can ride to the bike shop....

.... oh, hang on

 

[mjr]

1hr to fit a front gear cable, you are milking that a bit. Anything you can do to 'fix' the front mech to run on the middle chain ring would be almost as time consuming as changing the cable to effect a proper fix.

That depends. If you've got something complicated like some triggers and can't remember how to get the cable into your particular shifter, then it can become a rather annoying and time-consuming process of either web-searching or trial-and-error... even some of the official manuals can be less than clear (I think it was the Shimano EZ-Fire manual that confused me years ago).

I'd use the limit screw until I'd got more time. Needs no parts and only one tool which is common in toolkits.

 

[Tim Hall]

You could ride...

Just put it onto the middle ring, then you can ride to the bike shop....

.... oh, hang on

And once you've done that, could you fix this hole in my bucket? Your name is Lisa, isn't it?

 

[Profpointy]

1hr to fit a front gear cable, you are milking that a bit. Anything you can do to 'fix' the front mech to run on the middle chain ring would be almost as time consuming as changing the cable to effect a proper fix.

Simply twiddling the limit screw will take, being generous, under a minute. Fixing it properly will take longer than that. If I was at the roadside I'd twiddle the twiddle

 

[helston90]

I do indeed have triggers- 2 screws to get the top off and then replace from there- I'm not even sure my multi-tool has got a small enough screwdriver to get the case off. (my avatar is my Sunday best with 105 STI)

May have a look at the limit screws before leaving for home depending how long this afternoon's meeting drags on for!

 

[PhilDawson8270]

May have a look at the limit screws before leaving for home depending how long this afternoon's meeting drags on for!

It's a single screw. twist it for 15 seconds. Job jobbed.

 

[helston90]

It's a single screw. twist it for 15 seconds. Job jobbed.

So long as I do the right screw in the right direction

 

[lutonloony]

So long as I do the right screw in the right direction

if it falls out, it was the wrong way

 

[PhilDawson8270]

Righty tighty, lefty loosey