Indexing Your Gears Is a Compromise Rather Than An Absolute.

[Once a Wheeler]

Is it possible you have the short-cage Chorus and need the long cage?

 

[hatler]

Have you checked the hanger alignment ?

 

[Ajax Bay]

If you think of the logic behind a 3x7 setup, there is no "sweet spot". It's a compromise at the very best.

Tell us more about the "logic behind a 3x7 setup". You get the rear mech (bolted to a vertical (in both planes) hanger) indexing accurately with its cable sliding smoothly through its outer and the B screw adjusted correctly and get the front mech working just right with trim options available. The rider accepts the occasional need for a 'double change' and develops the dexterity and coordination to execute that.
No compromise required. If you allow yourself to 'give up' and accept 'compromise' then you'll stop trying to open that door to Nirvana. You can see from the posts above that others have made it: so the door is there.

 

[ColinJ]

Now you mention it I do remember but OP also has a triple...

Oops - I had forgotten that!

 

[Arrowfoot]

I can switch down smoothly without breaking my stride but changes up invove a lot of chain clacking followed by a loud clunk.

If you think of the logic behind a 3x7 setup, there is no "sweet spot". It's a compromise at the very best.

The part in bold suggest that something is not set right. Suggest a visit to an LBS. I have 4 bikes - all different makes albeit all use Shimano of various models. Change is smooth up or down. I can tell straight away if it is not. Occasionally happens after taking it on a plane and storage is always an issue..

 

[iluvmybike]

I have a triple on my touring bike - there is no compromise - it works fine. Keeping everything well-maintained and adjusted is important for smooth operation . If it gets clunky then something is wrong...

 

[MontyVeda]

After having spent the last year getting to know my gearing and how it works, I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a one size suits all perfect setup.

For my ride in and back from work, it's important that I can change down in a flash as the gradients get steeper.

A very slight slackening of the gear cable gives me an instant down change but in turn, it makes some of the changes up a bit sluggish.

I can switch down smoothly without breaking my stride but changes up invove a lot of chain clacking followed by a loud clunk.

If you think of the logic behind a 3x7 setup, there is no "sweet spot". It's a compromise at the very best.

it took me a while (years?) to learn how to set up my indexing, but once i got it, it shifts every gear smoothly and almost silently. I'm also on a 3x7 BTW

 

[Kajjal]

On my mountain bikes I have the gear change slightly biased to changing down to the low gears to get me up hills. This is due to needing reliable changes with far more variable terrain off road. The gear changes to the higher / faster gears are still smooth.

My gravel bike is set equally as it also goes on road and rarely on very rough trails. Both are doubles.

 

[Lovacott]

Have you checked the hanger alignment ?

I bought an alignment tool and it's a good one.

I've spent may hours trying to get my gears indexing perfectly.

The point of this thread is to illustrate the fact that there is no such thing as the perfect set up.

 

[fossyant]

After having spent the last year getting to know my gearing and how it works, I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a one size suits all perfect setup.

For my ride in and back from work, it's important that I can change down in a flash as the gradients get steeper.

A very slight slackening of the gear cable gives me an instant down change but in turn, it makes some of the changes up a bit sluggish.

I can switch down smoothly without breaking my stride but changes up invove a lot of chain clacking followed by a loud clunk.

If you think of the logic behind a 3x7 setup, there is no "sweet spot". It's a compromise at the very best.

Nope, my bike all work in all gears. 3 x7, 2 x 8, 2 x 10 Even the teens cheaper bikes, all sweet as a nut.

Bent hanger ?

 

[fossyant]

The point of this thread is to illustrate the fact that there is no such thing as the perfect set up.

There is, all the bikes in my stabe work. Me 4, wife 2, daughter/son 1 each. Look the 4 that aren't mine I'd get moaned at if they didn't work first click of the gears.

 

[gbb]

I've done all of that.

Fact is, no matter how clean or well lubed a drivetrain is, it's impossible to get everything in perfect sync.

Small to small doesn't exactly work and neither does big to big.

Small to small, big to big are not good practice (cross chaining) and should be avoided.

My experience is Campag (it gets several mentions up post but I'm not sure if you have it Lovacott ?)...is clunky during changing, always was and that's quite normal. Shimano was always smooth and quiet.
I've had two sets of Xenon and currently have Veloce and yes they can become mal adjusted but under normal conditions, they operate flawlessly for the most part. You just havnt found the sweet spot unfortunately. Cable guides under the BB ? Cable routed correctly and able to run freely there,,,caught me out once, the cable had dropped on one side of the groove.

Campag or Shimano, they are absolutely capable of being set up perfectly...but it can be infuriating.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Having extensively used both Campag and Shimano indexed systems since they first appeared I've never had a problem getting them to index perfectly. And that includes on a recumbent trike with a 3x9 and a chain as long as a Tour de France stage.

If they don't work smoothly in all the gears (And that includes when cross chaining - not recommended but perfectly doable) then something ain't right.

 

[boydj]

I've just stripped 11-speed Shimano off my good bike and replaced it with old 10-speed Chorus. Needed a minor adjustment after the first ride a couple of days ago. Did ~20 miles today - every gear change was a good positive clunk, no misses, no rattling, just a good old Campag clunk.

I suspect the problem is cables that need renewing. It's straightforward with external cabling - internal is a bit more difficult - and the end result is like a well-adjusted new bike.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I'd never describe my Tourney and Chinese stamped triple as a perfect setup. But it indexes fine for me.

But i can tell you my 3sp Sturmey Archer hub on my Elephant Bike indexes absolutely perfectly...