How to adjust the derailer on my own?

[jdg88]

I've started to get a bit of chain slippage whilst changing gear, it's happened before and a chap at the LBS showed me what to do and helped me sort it. This time I'd like to sort it on my own but can't for the life of me work out how I can turn the pedals, change gear AND adjust the derailer!!

Any suggestions? Thanks all!

 

[byegad]

Grow a third arm and hand? Otherwise use a friend or relation as 'Head pedal turner.'

 

[jdg88]

Thanks Byegad... was waiting for that one

Forgot to mention that the trike is an ICE Explorer; just in case anyone has any model specific advice!

 

[byegad]

I manage to adjust my QNT gears by leaning hard on the top of the derailer post to lift the rear wheel. You can chock up the rear wheel if it;s going to be a long job.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

Or you could get one of these --> http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=BIKEWORK200000000000 used mine when I serviced my bike at the weekend including re-adjusting the gears makes it much easier.

 

[3tyretrackterry]

i have a trice explorer and when my gears play up i adjust at the gear shifter (twist grip shifters) as i am riding along choose a quiet road though if that doesnt work i have an enthusiastic apprentice pedal turner in my 11 yr old.

 

[banjokat]

Or you could get one of these --> http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=BIKEWORK200000000000 used mine when I serviced my bike at the weekend including re-adjusting the gears makes it much easier.

Bet it doesn't work with a recumbent trike

 

[Chonker]

I used a car axle stand (with the top padded with some rag) under the rear suspension pivot

 

[jdg88]

Help!!! Have not grown a third arm or been able to recruit a pedal turner but have managed to chock up the rear wheel with a block of wood and adjusted the gears... but I think it's worse now! Went to bicycletutor.com and followed their rear derailer adjustment video and now I still have chain slippage AND the top guide pulley rubs along the chain emerging from the bottom guide pulley when in the highest gears (smallest 3 or 4 cogs).

Not sure I've explained it very well, so I've attached some three photos.

First one shows what I think is correctly adjusted position for the derailer on the biggest cog (IMG_0179).

Second photo (IMG_0180) shows the derailer on the 5th cog down running clear of the chain.

Third photo (IMG_0181) shows the top guide pulley rubbing along the chain when in the highest gear.

I'm missing out on a lovely day of sunshine, please can anyone help so I can get this sorted before the weekend disappears?!! Thanks for all replies so far.

 

[palinurus]

Does it only slip in high gear, or in certain gears, or all?

Has the chain been replaced recently? (if so, what about the cassette?).

Looking at where the rear mech ends up it looks like the chain is too long to me.

 

[palinurus]

Must add I don't have any experience with recumbents- is the chain routed correctly, I was wondering if there are any guides or tensioners in the chainline somewhere and whether the chain had come off one of these?

When the rear mech swings right back like that what's going on up front? how many chainrings do you have and which one is the chain on?

 

[jdg88]

Slips only in mid/high gear. Chain hasn't been replaced recently (only got it in Jan and Kev of D-tek set it all up for me made sure leg length etc was all perfect). I don't think the cassette was new.

I've been riding it happily (very happily!!) but this week noticed recurrence of the slipping problem I had a couple of months ago and decided it needed adjusting as before. Newbie to cycling and bike maintenance so I'm keen to learn to do most things myself.

I think the chain is routed correctly, there's tubing to guide the chain under the frame and a wheel thingy in the middle, all seems right.

I've three chain rings up front, 9 cogs on the back and a hub gear on the back. In the photos I have the chain on the big chainring at the front.

 

[palinurus]

Have you changed the length of the - whatever that thing is called that the chainset is attached to is called? (the boom perhaps?)

 

[jdg88]

Nope haven't moved the boom, so the overall length is the same as it was on weds when I last rode in to work.

 

[palinurus]

I'm scratching my head.

It looks like the chain is too long- or the trike has shrunk (by the position of the mech in the third photo, especially if when you took the picture it was in the big ring at the front- are you sure about this?). But if it used to be OK with that chain, and the boom length hasn't changed then I'm stumped. I could be missing something really obvious (often do).

Perhaps try posting a link to this thread in Know How- I expect more forummers look in there than Recumbent and HPV.