Did I buy the wrong front derailleur/chain?

Eddy32

Inc bike noob. All tho not bike inclined, I been a auto mechanic for 12yr's.

I Bought a cheap bike to try to get into better shape. It's a Huffy 745 27.5 Hardtail. I just bought a Shimano Atlus M310 front derailleur.
1: The cable system says "dual pull top/bottom" "Bottom mount". So it should work with top pull cable?

The front derailleur that came on the bike is tourney(rear/shiffters are Altus) and needed the cable fully stretched to be able to shift between large/middle gears leading to results wont shift into the lower gear, If I loosen the cable tension I can shift between middle/small gear, but not the large gear.(When I bought the bike It was set to the small gear/ into the crank).

I see recommendations of having the highest tooth of the crank being 1-3mm of the front derailleur. But anything about 1/4inch makes the chain rub on it, since it's impossible to make the derailleur swing out far enough.

2: Is it possible to use the same chain after breaking it? The chain says "K/C best chain".. I'm not sure about that.

I also bought a KMC 8.93 "6/7/8 speed chain just in case.

Closing: I know there's gonna be huffy hate, but for 180$ aluminum frame with perfect wields/ disc brakes/ 24speed/ 27.5/decent?(altus group set) It seemed like a good deal for seeing If I was going to get into/like bike riding after 14yr's.
I have tore it down and greased it up and spent many hr's fine tuning rare/front derailleur/ truing the rims/ brake alignment etc. It has been a good learning process. In a later date I'll replace the crank/bottom bracket and the steel steam/bars.

The Rookie

Have you set the high stop too far in so its preventing the derailleur moving out?

You can reuse the chain after breaking it if you rejoin or properly...how did you rejoin it?

FishFish

Good advice from oxoman. And welcome from me too. There is an alternative to what you are doing which is to suggest you think of going to 1*9 or 1*10 or 1*11 (if you are rich!). Then you can dispense with the hassle of front derailleurs which, in my experience are much more problematic than the rear one. And yes you can join a chain after breaking it but as it is a KMC then use the quick links and do not re use any pins that you took out to break it.

Eddy32

Going 1x10 / 1x11 seems pricey for getting into cycling. I just want my budget bike to run smooth. I spent many hr's looking on google/youtube on adjustments, but the bike is pretty much a big box bike store brand(399$ retail / 179$ close out sale).

No matter the adjustments after many hr's it's either high/middle or low/middle on the front. I'm aware of cross chaining, Only way I can get it to hit all 3 gears on the the front is by lowering the cable tension setting so middle/low, then it works holding/pressing really hard on the shiffter to engage top, but it will drop to middle when i release shifter/peddling. Since I'm new to cycling I been 90% of the time sticking to middle gear on the front, and been just using the rear for gearing. The front is just so clunky and even got a stiff chain link by trying to switch yesterday out riding causing it to jump gears every chain cycle. Where I live is either down or uphill, not much but I'm either like yay fast mode or my legs feel it a lot on uphills.

I finally found a seat that I can withstand for 5-10miles, The old one felt like i was sitting on a wood 2x4 and other 2 not much fun after 2miles or so. Ordered pedals to stop foot slipping on upstrokes(came with plastic pedals), + atlus derailleur/kmc chain.

I remembered the old days of bike riding 7-16yr's old a breeze, why i went budget bike to start for now.

Forks: XCT Suntour.
shifters: Altus 3x8 rapid fire.
Rear: Atlus derailleur.
Front derailleur: Tourney. Why it seems reasonable to go with the atlus front derailleur?
Crank: China something.
Stem: no name steel. Going to replace.
Handlebars: No name steel. Going to replace.

This just seems a more relaxed forum, and I'm thankful for that. Trying to post on the mtbr forum all i got was trolled/flamed outside of one person for buying a cheap bike to ride mostly road/fire trails/wooded paths(non jump/tracks). I'm really just trying to get a feel for bikes again/get in better shape, before dropping 500$+ on a bike.

The Rookie

We all have to start somewhere!

The best guide you'll read
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-hel ... adjustment

Also worth making sure the toe angle is correct, the cage should be parallel to the chainwheels but sometimes you can improve shifting by setting it slightly tow out (rear towards the middle of the bike) as it gives a slight bias towards shifting to the higher ring with less impact on shifting back to the smaller.

Eddy32

The Rookie wrote:

We all have to start somewhere!

The best guide you'll read
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-hel ... adjustment

Also worth making sure the toe angle is correct, the cage should be parallel to the chainwheels but sometimes you can improve shifting by setting it slightly tow out (rear towards the middle of the bike) as it gives a slight bias towards shifting to the higher ring with less impact on shifting back to the smaller.

Ya that's the main issue I think. Not sure if the front derailleur was ment for the bike really or just thrown on for cost sake. I watched many videos/ used that same guide as a more direct guide, reading info is better then watching/seeing for me anyways.

I rode the bike for a week or so before readjusting(everything) it/pulling the cables as much as I could, before readjusting them for cable stretch. I got everything dialed in perfect well I assume anyways. Outside of the front derailleur.

Overall it could just be the front derailleur or maybe the seatpost tube distance on the frame to crank is to short. Worst case I ride it with the new altus front derailleur(assuming it fits/works my main question) or just ride it as a 2x8speed till I replace the bike overall or crank and see how it dose. I live in USA/FL so not very steep hills here. Just small ones.

All tho my mindset is kinda to the extent of my cars 3-4k cars with 15-20k into them vs a 18-24k+ car. I like wrenching breaking fixing, maybe not the perfect mindset to bikes but ya, lol.