Adjusting rear derailleur - handy way 2 remember

bahzob

Taken from this weeks http://www.roadbikerider.com/ a handy way to remember how to fine tune the rear mech. Handy for klutzes like me who have difficulty separating left from right/clockwise anticlockwise...

Start by shifting to the smallest cassette cog (chainring doesn't matter). Now you can make the easy, no-tools adjustment.

* If the derailleur has been hesitating when moving (onto larger cogs, the most common problem due to cable stretch), turn the adjustment barrel toward the spokes. This takes up cable slack.

* If the derailleur has been hesitating when moving away from the spokes (onto smaller cogs), turn the barrel adjuster away from the spokes. This makes the cable less tight.

Make these turns in 1/2-turn increments. After each, check to see the shifting response and repeat until hesitation is gone. By doing 1/2 turns at a time you're less likely to over-adjust. It also lets you keep track of how far you've turned the barrel if you want to go back and start over

andy_wrx

'Towards the spokes' - err, it moves towards the spokes whichever way you turn it, i.e. towards the spokes at the top of the wheel or towards the spokes at the bottom of the wheel...

And also, which way up is the bike and which way are you looking at it ?
- it's different if you have the bike upside down...

I think of it as - turn it the way you want the derailleur to go (NB with the bike the right way up, looking down from above it)
i.e. if it's having trouble shifting to a larger cog, you want it to move slightly further towards the hub, so turn towards the hub i.e. anticlockwise.
if if it's having trouble shifting to a smaller cog, you want it to move slightly further out from the hub, so turn away from the hub i.e. clockwise.

amaferanga

Its not exactly catchy is it?

I use the phrase 'up the ante'. Got nowt to do with cycling obviously, but to move the derailleur towards the larger sprockets (UP) you turn the barrel adjuster anti-clockwise (ANTE).

Monty Dog

Undershift - Unscrew

Overshift - Screw-in

cycletech

Simple adjustment/Tune.
You will find that this adjustment has to be done quit frequently. As the indexing is more of a fine tune on 10speed bikes.
Sprockets are closer together.
Before carrying out any adjustments.
Your bike is in good mechanical condition, regular serviced. i.e. Gear cables in good condition, gear hanger or gear mech not bent. It’s a good idea to regularly lubricate the gear cable little and often and the adjusting screw. And both stop screws adjusted correctly.
For 10 speed bikes Adjustment is made in 9th gear 11 speed bike in 10th gear. 1 up from the smallest sprocket. And in the largest chain wheel.
If you can have your bike in a stand, will make it easier. Stand at the rear of the bike, looking at the gear mech. You are looking at getting the chain alignment where it comes through the mech, directly inline with the sprocket the chain is on. Turn the adjusting nut so you can see the gear mech move. Anti clockwise and the gear mech will move left towards the wheel. And clockwise to adjust the mech to the right. Rapid rise will be the opposite. If no stand. Find a friend to hold the bike with the back wheel of the ground. Turn the crank and turn the nut anticlockwise until you hear clanking noise and then screw back in and stop when the noise has stopped.

If the adjustment screw is all the way out. You will need to screw all the way in and back out 3 turns and re-adjust the cable tight by unscrewing the pinch bolt. Make sure you are in the smallest sprocket first.
See Parktool > http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=64

ajb72

andy_wrx wrote:

'Towards the spokes' - err, it moves towards the spokes whichever way you turn it, i.e. towards the spokes at the top of the wheel or towards the spokes at the bottom of the wheel...

And also, which way up is the bike and which way are you looking at it ?
- it's different if you have the bike upside down...

.

Crikey - got out of the bed the wrong side did we?! Surely if you are only making half turns it is quite obvious which way is towards the spokes or away from them, and in terms of which way up the bike was - well unless mentioned otherwise wouldn't you assume he was looking at the mech in it's normal posiiton, i.e. not upside down, on backwards etc??!!!

Honestly, the OP tries to post some useful info and gets grief from the Christmas Grinch!

verloren

Actually it's not obvious at all - if you make half a turn the top moves towards the spokes, and the bottom moves away from the spokes. That's what happens when you rotate circles, and it confused me for a long time before a friend showed me how to do it without using words like 'away' or 'towards'.

andy_wrx

ajb72 wrote:

Crikey - got out of the bed the wrong side did we?!

Honestly, the OP tries to post some useful info and gets grief from the Christmas Grinch!

I was trying to be helpful and clarify it further, because 'towards the spokes' can be confusing, as verloren understands

What was the point in your post, matey ? Wind your neck in.

bahzob

Sorry if I confused some. Missed first line out;

- Engage brain.

manofsteel

bahzob wrote:

Sorry if I confused some. Missed first line out;

- Engage brain.

+1