Few questions on gear adjust.cable

Bike-Rich

Hi,

When installing a new gear cable is it best to set the barrel adjust right in (screw) or around the middle so you have some play?
Also, how much tension (or pull) do you put on the cable before you secure it?

Many thanks,

balthazar

I generally loosen adjusters a couple of threads to allow adjustment both directions.Usually, there are two for the rear mech (one by the headtube, and another on the mech itself), so you have some options.

After first use, the cable outers may settle into their ferrules, and the ferrules into the frame guides, more so if the outers were not cleanly cut and dressed (this is commonly but incorrectly called "cable stretch"). You may need to account for this with up to another turn or so of adjustment.

You can pull the cables pretty tight, but experiment if you're unsure. The mechs should move with the smallest movement of the levers, but also must settle back onto their stops. The adjusters make this easy to fine-tune regardless of how tightly you set the cable initially.

Monty Dog

I usually wind them right in - the cable outers 'seat' into the frame stops and result in a slight loss of tension which requires a re-adjustment. FWIW, the cables themselves don't 'stretch'. Best technique is to install the cable and clamp the end - give the inner cable a firm tug e.g. the exposed length that runs under the downtube and then slacken and retighten the clamp on the rear mech to take up any slack. If you're having to wind-in the adjuster, then you're pulling the cable too hard.