the you tube videos make it look so easy !

i think im getting the cable tension wrong. anyone got any tips??? 😥

Yes, if is a band on or braze on type

It was at this point that I decided to go 1x.

* saves this thread for the next time we’re discussing 1x *

Sadly no. I took mine to the local LBS and coughed up £15 for them to do it.

I work on my motorbikes, but the front mech defeated me and I opted out before reaching for the hammer and venting my frustrations on the bike 😳

on my cx stylee with sti’s and a triple it is pretty sensitive – to get the cable tension correct i use a wooden wedge to hold the mech in the position it would be under full tension then clamp up the cable and then use in my case an inline adjuster to tweek – with mtb levers adjust at the lever

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustment#article-section-3

It’s been a while, but I remember it being dead easy, which I’m sure doesn’t help.

Set the limit screws without the cable attached, attach cable…job done, bar a little fine tuning with the barrel adjuster.

the limit scres seem straight forward, its the cable tension thats a pain

Don’t forget to adjust top limiter so the chain can overshoot a little.

I have a third hand tool from SS that sometimes makes it easier to get tension but normally just hold it over and nip up the cable. It’s just practise TBH.

Nope.

Make sure it’s a) the right height (check the little sticker guide it comes with) and b) it’s exactly parallel to the chainrings. That one is a common cockup.

Oh and c) make sure it’s not been even slightly damaged or bent at some point by a chainsuck type episode. I’ve had these and thought I’d bent them back properly but they never work very well again. Spent ages trying to set up a mech that appeared fine, eventually replaced it and was sorted in minutes.

Nope.

But it does give you an excuse to go 1*xx and be eternally in the wrong gear.

Nope – never had an issue

Easy. Sorry!

2-3mm above the biggest ring.
Parallel with the rings.
Shift the chain to the largest sprocket at the rear and the smallest ring at the front.
Set the low limit screw so the chain just clears the inner plate of the mech.
Wind the barrel adjuster for front mech out a turn or two.
Pull the cable through the mech and nip the pinch bolt up.
Turn the cranks and shift.
If the chain fails to shift up then add more tension.
If it shifts and rubs take off a little tension so it runs silently.
Finally screw in the hi limit screw so the mech can’t allow the chain to jump off but still allows th chain to shift up.

Lovely forum. A guy pops up looking for advice on how to set up a bike and you get a load of cocky sods bragging how easy it is.

Be proud, guys.

And nicely done, Neilsonwheels.

should i start witht the H screw all the way on or all the way out???

exactly 🙂

my barrel adjuster doesnt seem to turn!?

also the L srew doesnt seem to move the mech towards the frame enough to stop the chain rubbing. maybe i need a longer BB?

maybe i need a longer BB?

Possible.

Which components are you using?

my barrel adjuster doesnt seem to turn!?

This needs sorting to make the necessary adjustments. Is it rusted tight or something?

surly crosscheck 3×9
slx shifters
Xt front and rear mech
spa cycles touring triple chainset

i looked up the mech, it says it can go up to 48T, so that should be fine.

when i bought the chainset, i also bought the recomended length BB, but i guess they may have given me bad advice

Is it definitely a triple front mech?

just looked at the barrel adjuster, and it does seem faulty. it turns on my RH shifter. the whole shifter seems loose, maybe its also faulty?

yep its a tripple

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-m771-conventional-9sp-front-mech/rp-prod20685

maybe i need a longer BB?

An alternative way of shifting the movement range of a front deraileur a few mm either way is with an

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/thorn-eccentric-front-mech-shim-286-to-349-black-plastic-hand-finished-split/

Neilson molgrips and teasel have your answers.

To do it fast takes practice but it’s not inherently hard unless you’ve got a busted or incompatible set of components.

Re limit screw I’d agree you may have a too short bb axle or maybe an older style crank that goes back to the days of 1.9″ tyres being considered wide. I have some xt from that era and on their correct bb the rings were just a couple of mm further inboard than any of my external bb cranks would put them. Edit. Above may be surpassed by your comment 10 minutes before this post with the spec.

Also worth checking the outer edge of the mech is properly parallel. Even a small deviation is enough to mess it up.

just looked at the barrel adjuster, and it does seem faulty. it turns on my RH shifter. the whole shifter seems loose, maybe its also faulty?

That reads like it’s your problem to me but hard to be 100%. I’d get that sorted and then try again.

My 2x shimano was dead easy. It even came with a peel off orange tab the showed you the correct gap to the chainring, then it was a quick adjust to the limit screws.

You say you got a new bb? What length is it and have you put the spacers on correctly. If 68mm like mine then 1 goes non drive side an 2 go drive side

just looked at the barrel adjuster, and it does seem faulty. it turns on my RH shifter. the whole shifter seems loose, maybe its also faulty?

More info needed

placemarking.

the BB is a tapered older style. so no spacers used.

cynic-al … the actual barrel doesn’t seem to turn. and the shifter seems to have a lot of movement in it (it wiggles about)

Odd. Can’t say much without seeing it.

Barrel cross threaded? Shifter bolted on?

i give up, good night 🙄

thanks for all the advice

Front mechs shouldn’t be that hard to get right but they are a bit of a relic from the past. Some of the old timers can probably give you sone advice

If it’s a shimano mech and shifters, dig out the instructions that come with it. Follow them to the letter. Go ride your bike whilst wondering why it had seemed so hard before.

Some of the old timers can probably give you sone advice

*waves*

Lovely tag BTW; really sets the nasty undertone of this forum. Anyone want to own up or are you just gonna remain a faceless, spineless tosser…?

ollie151 – Member
just looked at the barrel adjuster, and it does seem faulty. it turns on my RH shifter. the whole shifter seems loose, maybe its also faulty?

The shifter is tightened up on the bar clamp right?
Many barrel adjusters have a spring loaded sliding sleeve with blunt teeth on them. You have to pull the sleeve away from the shifter to adjust it. It then pops back and locks again. You don’t just turn it as it is.

First of all. Fresh cables/housing. Then clamp the derailleur where you think it sits neat. Also check, manual for distance between derailleur cage and the chainring, if uts new you have a little plastic/tape with distance printed on it, wich you can use as a ruler, then attach the cable and stretch it out by pulling the derailleur out to the largest gear. So the chain cant jump of outwards and it isnt grinding the chain, also have the chain on small gear at the rear. Andjust the stop screw and then fasten the cable bolt. I use to do a small mark with a marker pen. Or use a small piece of tape, in case of tgat i have to re attach the cable, so that i have a reference when moving it up/down. Find the right tension on the cable. Test shifting. Adjust it sideways so it doesnt grind the chain, over the whole gear range. Test and trial. Use the shifter knob. Now it should work. In some cases it still wont. In some case ive had to bend the cage a tad, but not recomended. to make it work properly.and try to line the cable in big sweeps instead of small twisting turns. And adjust the stop screws. Make sure it doesn’t interfear with the shifter. Especially when shifting up tobthe large gear.

Front mechs shouldn’t be that hard to get right but they are a bit of a relic from the past. Some of the old timers can probably give you sone advice

not intirely sure what that means???
i guess cos i got a front mech im old school 🙂