I'm having a frustrating issue with my front mechs.

I can't get my front mech's to shift far enough over to get onto the big-ring.

I've tried two mechs. One was a top pull that I ran the cable around to make bottom pull, and that was what I thought the problem was, not enough leverage.

I put on an older Deore dual pull mech, and the same thing happened, there isn't enough movement to get it into the top. I can push the lever down, but it feels as if it's going to brake if I keep pushing it through.

I know it was working last week before I stripped all the parts of my HT and put it onto the Enduro.

I don't particularly want to buy another mech if I can, it must be something I'm doing.

I was planning on whacking a bash ring on anyway, but at the same time, it's frustrating that I know it should be working and it isn't

Also, when does a FS bike need a chain device? Is it only when there is only a 1×9 setup?

Chain line may be out?

I was planning on whacking a bash ring on anyway

Erm…..

Is the adjustment screw wound out enough to allow enough movement? It sounds like the mech is hitting it's hard stop (set by the Hi/Lo adjusters) so no matter how hard you push the lever it won't move any further.

Is the adjustment screw wound out enough to allow enough movement? It sounds like the mech is hitting it's hard stop (set by the Hi/Lo adjusters) so no matter how hard you push the lever it won't move any further.

Tried them both wound all the way out, all the way in, in and out etc. It's just not doing it.

Chain line may be out?

Spent hours fannying on with the chain line as well, adjusting it by increments in the way and out the way to no avail.

Check the mech can move over all three rings with no cable in place. This should rule out an issue with the mech.

Check you have got the shifter in the correct position when you re-fasten the cable – e.g. don't have the shifter in the large ring position and then attach the cable while the mech sits in the granny ring posiiton.

Check you are routing the cable correctly.

Some rings are really poor at shifting.

You know that my old Enduro has a 73mm BB (not the more common 68mm) don't you? What chainset/bb are you using? If it's a external BB type then there should only be one spacer fitted in the BB, on the drive side.

Worked fine with a deore top swing, bottom pull mech for me.

wrong size bottom bracket ? too long on the drive side?

You know that my old Enduro has a 73mm BB (not the more common 68mm) don't you? What chainset/bb are you using? If it's a external BB type then there should only be one spacer fitted in the BB, on the drive side.

Can you hear me swearing? Face all red etc. Head banging

😳 😈 👿 ❗ 😐 😯 😡 😕 😳

LOL – anything else you're not quite sure about with it? 🙂

Bottle of vodka.

Won't help at all with solving your issue, but it'll make the time pass quicker…

Chainline PHAIL

OK, lets look at this logically.

If the chain won't shift to the big ring, either
a) The mech is incapable of doing it for some reason
or
b) The chainrings are too far out and the mech can't reach them.

So, a) first:
The mech may be worn and sloppy or damaged:
Is it a low clamp design? They go sloppy really fast. Is the screw or rivit that holds the mech cage still in place? If not you have a bendy open ended mech! Is the cage bent? I've had this happen mid-ride and it wasn't the bit that touches the chain, but the bit just above it (Same piece of metal) that had been bent inwards, moving the whole cage inwards. Hard to spot, but a big effect! Is the inner plate of the mech still straight and in good shape?

The mech may not be set up properly:
Is the outer cage about 2-3mm above the chainring when shifed to the outer position? Is the cage parallel to the chainrings? Are the limit screws properly adjusted?

And the biggie, the one a lot of people do and don't realise:
Is the cable routed properly round the mech cams and screwed under the correct side of the bolt? If not, the cable isn't moving the mech far enough for a given amount of cable pull. I've done it, I've seen it done. If you don't know about it, you might never spot it.

Now for b)
Are the chainset/rings in the correct place? I recently fitted a new (Sq taper) chainset to a budget commuter bike. It turned out it was designed for a different chainline and needed a shorter BB fitting to put the rings in the same place as the old cassette.
If it's SQ taper, are the crankbolts nice and tight? This moves the chinset inwards if they are loose.
If it's HT2, have you checked the BB shell width and fitted the correct amount of spacers for your bike? – 73mm shell = 1 spacer on driveside, 68mm shell = 2 on driveside, 1 on the other side. It's easy to fit a new BB and get the spacers in the wrong places, and move the chainset out a few mm. I've done this, and the effect is exactly as you describe.
Are your chainring bolts loose? Again, I've had this happen on an XT chainset. The rings move around, it becomes harder and harder to get to the big ring…..

Give all that a go. I'll bet it's something I've mentioned there.
(Unless you've got some silly components that don't work together, that is!)

🙂

Ha! I was typing my post as Clubber was typing his about the BB shell size. 🙂

So I was right too, just not fast enough! 🙂 😉

LOL – anything else you're not quite sure about with it?

What the hell is the yellow know on the rear shock all about? I've given up trying to work it out from the diagrams online

It's the motion control – platform basically. If you screw it in (clockwise) it'll add more platform – which should stop the shock bobbing when pedalling but at the cost of slighly less small bump sensitivity. Unscrew it all the way and then screw it in a bit at a time until you feel it's properly damped.

It's the motion control – platform basically. If you screw it in (clockwise) it'll add more platform – which should stop the shock bobbing when pedalling but at the cost of slighly less small bump sensitivity. Unscrew it all the way and then screw it in a bit at a time until you feel it's properly damped

I thought it was something like that, the SRAM bumf about it is crap, says it's there and that is about it. I had a twiddle the other day, then thought better of it, didn't fancy things flying off in different directions.

Had a good blast on the bike last week (incorrect chainline and all) gears were setup perfectly, rear shifts were spot on, suspension seemed ok, speed increased, then I fell off and smacked my head hard against a tree root and got shouted at by the wife ruining a cycle shirt, putting oil on the wall and whining that it was going to burn in the shower.

LOL – well I hope your relationship with the bike improves – I had some great rides on it