Front derailleur adjustment

[karan733]

Im having a few problems adjusting the front derailleur on my second hand carrera valour I bought a week or so ago. Ive got the rear setup pretty well so it runs up and down the cassette but the front wont switch to the small cog. The alignment seems pretty good, but I think the limit stops arent right, and although ive played around with them, still dont seem to have found the trick

any tips on how to get it shifting down? The rear is a shimano sora, but the front is a shimano no name, and the whole groupset is a 14spd if that helps!

 

[actonblue]

If the limit screws are not having any effect it sounds like the cable is too tight therefore not allowing the mech to move all the way across. If the cable is too tight the screws will not rest on the stops.

Start your adjustment loosening the cable this can be done via the barrel adjuster if that is turned all the way in you will have to slacken the cable pinch bolt.This should let the chain drop into the inner chainring, the cable should be quite loose at and the limit screws will be sitting on the stops which will make them more effective.

Once you have the chain in the low chain ring try shifting to the bigger ones you should find with a looser cable the limit screws should have an effect on the changing.

Cheers.

Colin

 

[karan733]

right! That sounds quite confusing, especially given im not with the bike at present. Ill take a look tonight - thanks for the suggestion!

 

[actonblue]

Start with getting the chain into the smallest chain ring you will have to loosen the cable either by ondoing the cable pinch bolt or the barrel adjuster which will be on the down tube.

What you have described is likely to be caused by a cable that is too tight.
It should feel quite loose when the chain is in the bottom chainring.

 

[Globalti]

If it won't drop onto the small ring it's possible the cable is sticking. Try helping it with some finger pressure - if that works, fit a new cable. Why not treat the rear to a new cable outer as well, the curve at the derailleur wears out and needs replacing every 6 - 12 months.

 

[karan733]

now you mention the rear I suppose I outta tell you all that the there is a chain grinding noise when in certain cogs on the rear. I thought this is due to dirt, but it is still rather annoying.

I was going to give in and hand the lot into a LBS to tune up. But im gonna give the front d tips a go first, and if it works ill live with the rear chain grinding.

 

[actonblue]

Chain grinding, that could be the chain on the mech plate. Remember that some chain ring and sprocket combinations are not to be recommened due to the bad chainline that tey cause.

You could check out park tools online advice they have av.good section on deraileur adjustment.

 

[karan733]

right fellas, thanks for the tips! I have loosened the adjusting cable on the derailleur itself, and huzzah!, it now switches to the small cog. However, it wont switch back to the big cog now!

Do I fix this by tightening the cable a little, or adjusting the lower stop, or adjusting the higher stop? I have tried adjusting the high stop, but this doesnt seem to help. I will try to adjust the lower stop as well, but if you know of a possible solution id really appreciate it

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Hi Karan I would advocate checking/adjusting methodically step by step by following this, it is because each of the possible adjustment (clearance, angle, cable tension, L and H limit screw) has its own effect and impact on a quick, clean shift.

 

[actonblue]

I would highly recommend that Park Tool article. Just remember that cogs are on the rear wheel and you have chainrings where you pedals are located.

 

[karan733]

right - got it! last night I adjusted the high stop and tightened the cable a bit, and now it moves both ways through the chainset and all through the cassette. Whoopee!

I have a 2x7 cog set, but I think the front shifter has more than 2 positions (index's?) If I am in the small cog, I move the shifter once to upshift, but nothing happens. Then I move it again, and it moves into the big cog. But these arent proper 'clicks' like the ones that come when shifting up or down at the rear. So Im struggling to find out if the front shifter is meant to work with triple chainset or a double? Is there any way to find out? And can you use a triple chainset shifter on a double?

Sorry to keep the questions going!

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

You can check the shifter's functionality by releasing the cable at the front mech, then use your finger to pull on the exposed cable to provide a bit of tension and see whether you get one click (if so double) or two at the shifter, and if two clicks whether each click moves the cable a little (if so triple).

 

[redjedi]

You can check the shifter's functionality by releasing the cable at the front mech, then use your finger to pull on the exposed cable to provide a bit of tension and see whether you get one click (if so double) or two at the shifter, and if two clicks whether each click moves the cable a little (if so triple).

It could be indexed, in which case you'll get a few clicks to allow for trim.

 

[karan733]

I might video it tonight so you can all see. While im at it, I might record the noise from the rear derailleur to post up to see what it might be