Derailleur Alignment

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zoso7

New Member
Location
Glasgow
I've had my Giant Defy 2.5 for 2wks now and have been out on it 5/6 times now and i have noticed some minor issues that hopefully someone here can give me appropriate advice to remedy this issue rather than me take it back to the shop which is 16miles or so away and i can't be bothered if its an easy fix with an allen key that i could do.

The bike comes as standard with a triple. After i got home from my cycle tonight i turned the bike upside down and investigated, these are my findings.

Front Derailleur
When using the middle chainring the Big Chainring slightly grinds with the outside part of the derailleur but only for maybe 1/4 of a rotation.

When using the Big Chainring the middle chainring slightly rubs with the underside of the internal part of the derailleur and this happens for probably a full rotation.

Rear Derailleur
The 4 bigger sprockets don't seem to have an issue but on the 5 smaller ones the jockey wheel closest to the sprockets seems to be slightly out of alignment and therefore the chain motion doesn't quite seem as silent/ smooth as it should be but not drastic, I hadn't even noticed til I investigated tonight. Seems as if the chain isn't truely in gear properly.

Any advice/info to fix this would be greatly appreciated. I am a beginner and dont really know technical terms that well so I may need talked through things in depth but I am quite confident with tools and tweaking things. I hope my descriptions are clear enough to understand my issues.

Thanks
 

Randochap

Senior hunter
While I'm a firm believer in self-maintenance -- it's good to know your bike -- in this case I'd say take it back to the shop. It's a new bike and should be covered by the shop service policy (if it's a shop worth its name).

If you mess something up, the shop is likely and rightfully liable to void the shop warrantee.

Gears will go out of alignment for the first little while -- cable stretch, etc.

Also, you are, by admission, new to cycling and bikes. Have a look at Park Tools and Bicycle Tutor website for tips, but why not have a nice 16 mile ride over to the shop and have the experts re-tune it?
 

Mr Pig

New Member
If the front mech is hitting the gears at all, ever, it must be too low. It should be a mm or two above the gears at all times.

If the rear mech is shifting into all the gears and working ok, leave it alone!!! ;0)
 

Mr Pig

New Member
zoso7 said:
Got it from Dales Cycles in Glasgow, the guys i spoke to seemed pretty helpful and clued up.

They are. I've bought four bikes from there. They should be able to sort it out for you but to be honest you're as well learning yourself if you can.

Just about all of the bikes I've owned have needed at least a few tweaks to the derailleurs to get them working just right. I think maybe there's a difference between the way the chain runs on a work stand and out in the real world with load on it. The rear mech is easy but the front can be a pest. Take your time and look at what's happening, you'll get it.

Where do you live?
 

Mr Pig

New Member
zoso7 said:
Sunny Cumbernauld, yourself?

Plains, just over the back from you. Bring it over and I'll show you how to sort it :0) We cycle over your way quite often, along the back roads to Palacerigg and around the dirt tracks there.
 
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zoso7

New Member
Location
Glasgow
Thats where i was last night, went up Fannyside Road, down Hulks Road and thru Luggiebank before heading home, just a nice wee night time loop.
 

Mr Pig

New Member
zoso7 said:
Thats where i was last night, went up Fannyside Road, down Hulks Road and thru Luggiebank before heading home, just a nice wee night time loop.

That's the kind of thing we do too. Between the sort of Shots, Blackridge, Avonbridge area. We're supposed to be doing more off road this summer but it's not really happening. We do go off road a fair bit but less than half of what we do on road. We have found a lot of cool tracks, forest trails etc though. What we're trying to do is link them up into some kind of route that keeps you off road for most of the time.

I'm serious about the gears, just drop me a PM and I'll give you my phone number. You're also welcome to come out to play with us too :0) I'm old, fat and slow so it'll make you feel good ;0) Usually between two and four of us go out but sometimes more if we go away for the day. Should be doing that soon, some of the guys want to go to that Glentress place. I'm less keen 'cause I'll crash a lot! ;0)
 
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zoso7

New Member
Location
Glasgow
Cool, thanks for the offer!! Will PM u later today or 2moro, got to shoot out in a rush just now. I may be young but i'm quite slow at the moment too but will keep pushin myself to get the speed up!!

Cheers
 
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