Front Mech Help!

dr crash

Whilst fine tuning the high and low stops on the front mech i tried to adjust the height and angle for the second time to get it perfect.

However, i forgot to release the cable tension whilst undoing the seat tube bolt and the whole thing went ping!

I must have been in gear 2 on the front as the mech is stuck in the middle chainring and won't return to the smallest chainring. Also because it's in gear 2 i can't get as much tension into the cable as i've now had to clamp it down right at the end of the cable rather than having an inch to spare like when it was in the smallest chainring.

Any ideas how i can get 1st gear back?

Thanks very much

nicklouse

undo everything and start again. read the how to on parktools.

dr crash

I've undone everything and it is still in the same position.

cooldad

Does it move by hand?
Is it seized up, or are is the low limit screw not set properly?

dr crash

No it doesn't move any further in by hand.

The limit adjust screws were fine when i was adjusting everything. However because of the swingarm access is very, very difficult without taking it all apart. So i'd rather try to find out if it can be fixed without removing it.

cooldad

Does it move at all?

dr crash

It only moves towards the big chainring and doesn't go any further past there.

supersonic

So with the cable undone, and the L stop all the way out, it will not drop into the small ring (or off it?)

dr crash

the thing is because access is difficult i can't get to the l screw without taking it apart or the chain off, but the small adjustments i have made to the l screw haven't moved it. However before i started it moved onto the smallest chainring fine and the l screw was in the same position that it is now.

cooldad

Difficult access or not you need to strip it down

dr crash

So if i move the l stop all the way out then it should return to the small chainring then?

cooldad

Unless it's fubared, yes.