Rear shifting issues

[screenman]

I cannot hear what he is saying as no speaker hear, but here is a selection of you tube video's.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWiMcqR6e3w

 

[gbb]

It's really difficult thing to argue, (alignment) when two people's experiences are so different. I've been cycling 50 years or so, lets say 30 of them with rear derailleur....I've only ever had one go and that was after a crash so no surprise there.
One....in 30 odd years.

Screenmans experience is different so I'd keep it in mind...so I could imagine if you suspect the bike has taken a knock, yes mayb, even probably. If the bike is old and theoretically the hanger has been on a long time, maybe fatigue could set in, maybe.

So keep an open mind. Easiest things first. I remember once playing with a bike...could I get the gears to run right, could I heck.
Check cable tension, ok.
Check cable routing, seemed ok.
Check end stop screws, over and over, ok.
Check cable is free, ok.
Over and over it all I went, eventually I took the wheel out to do something else, put it back in...perfect shifting.
Why ?...it must have been as simple as a slightly mis-located wheel.

If it's easy to check the hanger, do it for peace of mind. If it's easy to replace the last section of outer and cables, do it, etc etc.
Whatever is easiest. My dad always said, you always fear it's the worst scenario (whatever the problem...and he used to work on Vulcan bombers)...but it's usually the simple stuff that goes wrong.

 

[screenman]

The reason I always say rear mech alignment is I feel the is the place to start when setting up the drive chain.

Classic today, a chap turned up at a garage with the pads metal to metals, said he did not realise he had a problem.

 

[gbb]

In principle I agree screenman ...it is central to the good working of the system. How easy is it to check ?, never had to but maybe it is easy anyway.

 

[screenman]

In principle I agree screenman ...it is central to the good working of the system. How easy is it to check ?, never had to but maybe it is easy anyway.

You would never know if things could be improved if you never try.

 

[gbb]

You would never know if things could be improved if you never try.

Agree, but, I always managed without the need and so therefore might OP.
To me, simplest and cheapest first. Always. It's silly not to eliminate the stupid stuff. It's always stood me well. If that fails then yes, buy an alignment checker.

It comes down to personal experience and desire.
Nobody is wrong, nobody is right, but personally I would have no desire to pay for a tool I never needed, despite a few shifting problems over the years.

If OP wants to invest, fair play, no problem. At least he would know for sure.

Not arguing screenman just a different approach.

 

[Thegreatthor]

I've had a quick look at alignment by eye. It doesn't look quite right.

I'm going to order the tool this morning. I'll undoubtedly use it again once I've got it.

When it comes and I take the derailleur off to do it I'll replace the inner cables at the same time. They're at least 2 winters old so they must be getting ready.

 

[Milkfloat]

The fact that the shifting can work well at the top of the cassette or the bottom of the cassette but not both, screams hanger alignment to me.

 

[rrarider]

I'm puzzled as to how the alignment is actually done when I look at that video posted at the top of this page. I still ride an old 531 bike with a 6 speed freewheel and the concept of alignment never came up back in the 80s. You screwed the rear mech to the frame and that was that. I appreciate that with 11 speed blocks and much narrower chains, that things are different now. Looking at the video, it appears the man is actually bending something - what is it that's being bent? I can't believe that it's a carbon-fibre frame?

 

[Thegreatthor]

I think it's the derailleur hanger that is bent.

After doing a bit of googling and YouTube research it seems that most people who check the alignment and adjust it seem to get better shifting.

I'm afraid I'm ne of those people who like it to be spot on. Nothing spoils a ride more than a struggling with shifts for me.

 

[Thegreatthor]

Tool came in the week and I got to have a look at it today briefly.

Derailleur hanger was a mile out - the tool measured well over an inch front to back and about three quarters up and down.

I haven't put derailleur back yet as I've started changing the cable but I think the tool was well worth buying and I'm hoping it will make a great improveme.

Thanks to everyone who's contributed.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Derailleur hanger was a mile out - the tool measured well over an inch front to back and about three quarters up and down.

What do you mean by this? @screenman is the expert.

 

[Thegreatthor]

Basically the tool is a bar just ove a foot long which screws into the hanger and then rotates so that you can align it horizontally and vertically. That is to say it should be parallel with the wheel. Mine wast even close.

Hope that makes sense. There's some decent YouTube videos which show it better than I can describe!!

 

[Tim Hall]

Basically the tool is a bar just ove a foot long which screws into the hanger and then rotates so that you can align it horizontally and vertically. That is to say it should be parallel with the wheel. Mine wast even close.

Hope that makes sense. There's some decent YouTube videos which show it better than I can describe!!

But isn't the idea you get the pointer touching the rim at one place (say 12 o clock), then look at the gaps at 3, 6 and 9. Your post suggests you didn't have it touching anywhere.

 

[Ajax Bay]

the tool is a bar just ove a foot long which screws into the hanger

I know what a hanger alignment tool looks like. My query was what you actually meant by your 'mile out' report. The hanger can be out in 2 dimensions and I didn't recognise 'front to back' and 'up and down'.

Derailleur hanger was a mile out - the tool measured well over an inch front to back and about three quarters up and down.

@screenman 's the expert.