changed gear cable but struggling with tuning

redvision

Hey everyone

So i have changed the gear cable (see previous post) but im now having issues tuning the gears.

I have followed youtube videos but for some reason i cant get full range of gears.
I have tried turning the rear mech barrel adjuster but seems to make no difference.

Basically, starting in the smallest sprocket (10th) when i try and go up a gear nothing happens, when i click again it moves in to the next sprocket - 9th - when it should be in 8th.
It then shifts smoothly all the way until 2nd gear, but this is where it stops and it just wont budge in to first gear. So it seems to be one shift out.

Anyone got any tips on how i can solve this?
Or should i just take it to my lbs??

Thanks for any advice

nochekmate

Make sure that the H and L limit screws are set correctly to allow the correct movement of the rear mech - tis then all a matter of correct cable tension (the finer points of which can be achieved by using the barrell adjuster).

Best to view more videos until you are ok, rather than read copious notes.

klep

You sure it's not a 9speed shifter?

redvision

klep wrote:

You sure it's not a 9speed shifter?

Yes, its ultegra 10 speed shifters.

Have checked the limit screws & both are set correctly so I'm totally stumped.

Guess i will see what my lbs can do.

CiB

Sounds like you've not pulled the cable through enough and the indexing runs out before the cable does.

To explain: your indexed levers have enough clicks to move the mech across the range of gears. If the first two or three clicks are just taking up slack in the cable you'll run out of clicks before the mech gets to the last gear.

How to cure it? Drop all the way down to the highest gear (smallest cog) then slacken the cable clamp and pull the cable through whilst still changing down at the lever - you should hear another click or two, which means the gear lever (indexing) is correctly at its end point with the chain on the smallest cog. Adjust the barrel adjuster so that it's midway to allow adjustment either way, then pull the cable firmly with fingers or pliers whilst nipping it up at the clamp on the mech. Now set the indexing again, tweaking the barrel adjuster a quarter turn at a time to get it right. That should get it close enough, then you can fine tune it with the in-line adjuster on the cable by the hoods (if you have them).

You'd do well to leave the H and L limit screws alone. If you haven't changed the mech or fitted a new wheel or cassette everything should be where it should be so moving the upper & lower limit screws is inviting trouble. Best to concentrate on what's changed; in this case the cable.

woodywmb

CiB: Spot on. That's exactly the right course of action. Hope the OP comes on to agree,

Cleat Eastwood

did you see this guy on youtube, hard to feck it up after following him, he's spot on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ

wishitwasallflat

Doesn't seem to cover b screw adjustment though :?:

okgo

Or what happens when it shifts up fine, but doesn't when going back down. Maybe I need a new mech.

CiB

Goes up ok but not down? Cable's sticking probably. Make sure it's well oiled and there are no frayed ends stopping its free movement.

CiB

Woodywmb wrote:

CiB: Spot on. That's exactly the right course of action. Hope the OP comes on to agree,

So do I, sort of. One the one hand a simple fix shouldn't be the cause of a 25 quid trip to the lbs; equally something as glaringly obvious is worth the cost of the learning experience.

redvision

CiB wrote:

Sounds like you've not pulled the cable through enough and the indexing runs out before the cable does.

To explain: your indexed levers have enough clicks to move the mech across the range of gears. If the first two or three clicks are just taking up slack in the cable you'll run out of clicks before the mech gets to the last gear.

How to cure it? Drop all the way down to the highest gear (smallest cog) then slacken the cable clamp and pull the cable through whilst still changing down at the lever - you should hear another click or two, which means the gear lever (indexing) is correctly at its end point with the chain on the smallest cog. Adjust the barrel adjuster so that it's midway to allow adjustment either way, then pull the cable firmly with fingers or pliers whilst nipping it up at the clamp on the mech. Now set the indexing again, tweaking the barrel adjuster a quarter turn at a time to get it right. That should get it close enough, then you can fine tune it with the in-line adjuster on the cable by the hoods (if you have them).

You'd do well to leave the H and L limit screws alone. If you haven't changed the mech or fitted a new wheel or cassette everything should be where it should be so moving the upper & lower limit screws is inviting trouble. Best to concentrate on what's changed; in this case the cable.

Massive thanks CIB followed your advice and the youtube video and i've managed to sort it! actually seems smoother now than it ever has!
Well chuffed, so massive thanks for your help.

CiB

No probs. Invoice is in the post.

I'm more concerned that the first responses advised you to fiddle with the limit screws and questioned whether you're running 9 or 10 speed, when the problem arose after changing the cable.

Apologies to all LBS owners, but this really does show how easy it is to do your own maintenance. All it needs is a bit of thought and a few basic hand tools.

rolf_f

CiB wrote:

No probs. Invoice is in the post.

I'm more concerned that the first responses advised you to fiddle with the limit screws and questioned whether you're running 9 or 10 speed, when the problem arose after changing the cable.

Indeed. Once you start assuming something is wrong when it is correct is when you turn a minor problem into a complete mare.

It's like the Kegworth aircrash. One engine catches fire and for some reason the pilots assume that it is the good engine that caught fire. So they turn the good engine off and go from 1 and a half engines to half an engine. But because they still haven't realised that they've turned off the wrong engine, all their solutions are ultimately doomed.

Mind you, even if you do sort of understand what's going on you can still get it wrong. I've had problems with my chain sometimes not reaching the inner chain ring when shifting to the lower gear - it ends up with the inner plates skittering along the teeth of the inner ring. I've messed around with the angle and limits of the front mech and repeatedly increased the tension on the barrel adjuster to try to ensure that as soon as I press the thumbshifter, the chain drops firmly to the inner ring. When I was over at Ribble, I asked them about it. The response was that you reduce the tension on the barrel adjuster - logically, that never occurred to me so I never tried it before - but I think it works. Funny things bikes.

centimani

CiB wrote:

No probs. Invoice is in the post.

I'm more concerned that the first responses advised you to fiddle with the limit screws and questioned whether you're running 9 or 10 speed, when the problem arose after changing the cable.

Apologies to all LBS owners, but this really does show how easy it is to do your own maintenance. All it needs is a bit of thought and a few basic hand tools.

ABSOLUTELY agree. I always say the WORST mistake people can make is fiddling with screws when they worked fine before. Look at the logic...did they unadjust themselves because you put in a new cable...of course not.
In all my years of fettling and cycling, ive NEVER had to adjust derailleur screws once set correctly.

I know your sorted now, but for anyone reading with similar problems...its nearly always cable tension, cable routing, cable sticking...or as i found once, a very slightly mis aligned wheel. I'd been building a bike, when it came to adjusting it all back up it just wouldnt go whatever i did. At some stage i took the wheel out, checked a few things, put it back in...one quick adjustment and away it went...easy. Must have had the wheel in slightly mis-aligned.

Chris James

When changing rear gear cables I first screw the barrel adjuster right in. I then put the chain on the third smallest cog and then change down without moving the wheels so the STI has let all the cable out, but the chain is still on the 8th sprocket. I then do up the cable onto the mech.

Then spin the cranks and the bike will change to the smallest sprocket. This automatically slightly stretches the cable so that it is somewhere near the right tension for fine tuning.

It sounds like the OP hadn't enough tension in the cable when fitting it, so the first coupe of clicks on the shifter just tightened up the cable to where it should have been to start with.