Trouble with rear gears
- Thread starter gazza81
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- gears rear gears
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raleighnut
Legendary Member
It's not the mech that's bent it's the bracket that attaches it to the frame which is called 'the dropout' which has become deformed.These are designed to deform to save the derailleur from damage in a knock and are easily realigned with a tool or replaced if they are too badly bent. Oh and if you fit a new one then that will also need to be aligned correctly when fitted.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
confusedcyclist
Veteran
If you've ruled out insufficient cable tension, derailleur hanger alignment tools are cheap and accurate. As others have said, start with this task, otherwise you other attempts to adjust tension, limiter screws and cable clamping may be in vain and need repeating if the derailleur is realigned later.
Your hanger might get knocked out of alignment if you drop or lean your bike on the drive side, or it takes a whack at a bike stand, etc. You want to be confident you are starting from a clean slate when troubleshooting these issues, especially if it's not just something you've done wrong after tinkering. If you don't have the tool, borrow or get one! Get a cycling maintenance book and follow the rear mech setup to the letter, ideally with new cables and you'll know that if you still have the problem, it's got to be an issue with the mech itself. It may be worth lubing the moving parts of the derailleur. Salt on roads this time of year can lead to the springs seizing, in which case, heavy dose of lube and manual manipulation might work it out, but in most serious cases, you'll need to replace the mech. This of course, should be your last resort.
Your hanger might get knocked out of alignment if you drop or lean your bike on the drive side, or it takes a whack at a bike stand, etc. You want to be confident you are starting from a clean slate when troubleshooting these issues, especially if it's not just something you've done wrong after tinkering. If you don't have the tool, borrow or get one! Get a cycling maintenance book and follow the rear mech setup to the letter, ideally with new cables and you'll know that if you still have the problem, it's got to be an issue with the mech itself. It may be worth lubing the moving parts of the derailleur. Salt on roads this time of year can lead to the springs seizing, in which case, heavy dose of lube and manual manipulation might work it out, but in most serious cases, you'll need to replace the mech. This of course, should be your last resort.
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Vapin' Joe
Formerly known as Smokin Joe
Compare this cable run to yours -
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gazza81
Veteran
Yeah i know what you're saying but it really does look like its suposed to be where it is, you can see the grove for the cable to follow
raleighnut
Legendary Member
Same as mine although I'm using friction shifting on that bike.
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gazza81
Veteran
Right ive straightened it up, still cant get it changing great though, but it is better.
I can get it to go up the cassette turning the cable retention as needed but when in the biggest cog it will come down 4 or 5 gears but then wont come down anymore untill i loosen the cable retention, once i do that it will go all the way down...but then it wont go back up haha
I can get it to go up the cassette turning the cable retention as needed but when in the biggest cog it will come down 4 or 5 gears but then wont come down anymore untill i loosen the cable retention, once i do that it will go all the way down...but then it wont go back up haha
confusedcyclist
Veteran
Unless you used an accurate tool, you won't know if it's in alignment. Then we are wasting our time! Even if the hanger is perfectly straight, it might not be in alignment with your wheel/cassette.
Bent it a bit I guess.
