Shimano Claris to 105 Upgrade.. First Time.

[Boon 51]

Morning good folks.

Today's question is how to measure a chain.
I have 3 you tube clips that each tell me a different way to do it, is that how it is?
My bike has a 50/34 front and a 11/32 cassette and I'm putting the same back on except its 105 not Claris and it would be easy just too measure the chain but if I wanted to change the front chainset or the rear cassette to different sizes I want to know how to do it.
So how do you measure your chain?
By all means stick a vid on here if you have one.

Cheers

 

[uclown2002]

Morning good folks.

Today's question is how to measure a chain.
I have 3 you tube clips that each tell me a different way to do it, is that how it is?
My bike has a 50/34 front and a 11/32 cassette and I'm putting the same back on except its 105 not Claris and it would be easy just too measure the chain but if I wanted to change the front chainset or the rear cassette to different sizes I want to know how to do it.
So how do you measure your chain?
By all means stick a vid on here if you have one.

Cheers

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain

 

[Boon 51]

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain

Thanks for this link, this is another way to measure the chain then.
Just reading through it and it seems OK apart from you don't thread the chain through the derailer that's where is looses me,

 

[Big_Dave]

Thanks for this link, this is another way to measure the chain then.
Just reading through it and it seems OK apart from you don't thread the chain through the derailer that's where is looses me,

You are just getting the chain length correct at this point, without going through the dérailleur on big/big rings plus 1 complete link and remove any excess chain links, once the chain is at the right length, you can then thread the chain through the dérailleur's and join the chain.

 

[Boon 51]

You are just getting the chain length correct at this point, without going through the dérailleur on big/big rings plus 1 complete link and remove any excess chain links, once the chain is at the right length, you can then thread the chain through the dérailleur's and join the chain.

Just read another artical and they say the same big cog to big cog and add a link, it must be a trick on my eye's and little brain as it seems it will be short..
What I will do on tuesday when I start fitting the 105 is when I take the chain off I will fit it to the big cog front and rear and see how it fits..
Cheers paul

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just read another artical and they say the same big cog to big cog and add a link, it must be a trick on my eye's and little brain as it seems it will be short..
What I will do on tuesday when I start fitting the 105 is when I take the chain off I will fit it to the big cog front and rear and see how it fits..
Chheers paul

Its spot on don't worry.

 

[Boon 51]

How hard do you have to pull the cables (gear and brake etc ) should I invest in cable pullers or will pliers do. On a scale of 1 to10 how much effort.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

How hard do you have to pull the cables (gear and brake etc ) should I invest in cable pullers or will pliers do. On a scale of 1 to10 how much effort.

Fingers will do, just make sure the barrel adjusters are all the way in, then take up the slack with tham, though I do use pliers.

 

[Boon 51]

Fingers will do, just make sure the barrel adjusters are all the way in, then take up the slack with tham, though I do use pliers.

Cheers mate...

 

[Boon 51]

Good morning guys..

When I've fitted the front and rear derailer and cables fitted do I adjust the rear or front first.

I was thinking on getting some TF 2 Lithium grease would that do or should I have another type of grease as well.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

If its a new set up I would do the front first, as you are on a double it might be you have to, as you will need to place the chain on the large ring to get a straight run on the chain to set the RD on the small cog, but you can set the RD without the front being attached, then fit the FD, at the end of the day either is possible as if you were ever replacing one or the other the other would be in place.

 

[Boon 51]

If its a new set up I would do the front first, as you are on a double it might be you have to, as you will need to place the chain on the large ring to get a straight run on the chain to set the RD on the small cog, but you can set the RD without the front being attached, then fit the FD, at the end of the day either is possible as if you were ever replacing one or the other the other would be in place.

Ok That sound's good..
Are the H and L screws pre set or do you have to screw them closed and start from there..

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Ok That sound's good..
Are the H and L screws pre set or do you have to screw them closed and start from there..

They are pre-set, to an approximate position but you will need to fine tune it, but once the hi-stop is set (high gear, small cog), what people refer to as indexing is actually set for all the gears (so really when you re-index, you set the gearing with the front set to the high gear and index only on that gear), shift to the low gear (large cog) make sure it doesn't shift over the cog into the spokes by adjust the low-stop, and all should be set, it really is easy. I haven't had to touch mine in over 3,000 miles, just the odd squirt of GT85 on the cables from time to time.

 

[Boon 51]

They are pre-set, to an approximate position but you will need to fine tune it, but once the hi-stop is set (high gear, small cog), what people refer to as indexing is actually set for all the gears (so really when you re-index, you set the gearing with the front set to the high gear and index only on that gear), shift to the low gear (large cog) make sure it doesn't shift over the cog into the spokes by adjust the low-stop, and all should be set, it really is easy. I haven't had to touch mine in over 3,000 miles, just the odd squirt of GT85 on the cables from time to time.

Your a star and I owe you pint...

 

[Nigelnaturist]

When I said front, I meant the shifter, is set to the high position, that is when the paddle has no more clicks.
don't drink, so saved you the cost of a pint.