Index my rear gears properly when the outer is a full run? I know all my components are good as they came straight off a bike but the frame didn’t take a full run of outer. So what trick do you use to make this work? Is it something to do with too long an outer ? They keep needing two clicks of my shifter to shift up one gear then sometimes don’t respond to one click going back down. Help much appreciated

Check hanger alignment. Does the mechanism return freely with no cable attached? Sloppy in mechanical pivots or jockey wheels?

It’s a new frame so I’m guessing its good. Is there any change indexing with a full run of outer compared to a sectioned one? I’m thinking not but I can set up gears easily with the latter and always struggle with the former !

Yes the mech is brand new literally one ride old on my former hardtail.

A new frame is no guarantee of a true hanger.

Is the wheel fully located in the frame?

Yes the wheel is correct. Hangar visually checked and looks good . I’m thinking it must be down to incorrect length of outer affecting the mech?

if the cable reaches the mech how can the outer be the wrong length, it’s a puzzling one. The shifters? was the barrel adjust at the shifter (and at the mech if there is one) all the way in when you put the cable in? just thinking out loud, sure you’ve checked this.

Visual check isn’t good enough. They don’t need to be far out to bugger up the shifting. Pull the inner back out of the housing and shifter, check for split/frayed cable and m nos. If okay, see if you can feel a sudden increase in friction as you rethread it.

My guess would be too much friction from either using cheap cables, routing the outer in too tight an arc or a dodgy cut at one of the ends so it grabs the inner.

The cables are new and good quality but I will check them again. I’m pretty sure they slide smooth as a babies bum .

two clicks of my shifter to shift up one gear then sometimes don’t respond to one click going back down

my diagnosis: too little cable tension and/or too much friction/stiction in the cables, did you add extra lubrication? if so what?

You sure you’ve attached the cable to the mech in the right place, with it going to right side of the nut?

Yes mate I’m sure on that. I’ve just had it all apart and can’t see anything wrong. It seems to work marginally better with lots of tension from the shifter adjuster. ??

B-tension?

with the chain in the biggest gear, wind it out 1 turn at a time, until the mech ‘grumbles’, screw it back in 1/2 turn at a time till the noise stops.

at least that’s how i do it…

Cheer’s will try that .

it helps if you pull the mech back a bit with one hand, while wielding the screwdriver with the other – otherwise there’s a lot of pressure on the screw, and it can be difficult to turn.

Thanks for the help.

You sure it’s gear cable outer, and not brake cable outer?

Something is up with the cables. Could be a bad combo of inner and outer, could be pinched somewhere, could be sticky grease on the inner. Could conceivably be a cable routing issue in the shifter or mech.

Yes mate definitely. I always struggle setting up full outer gears but can do sectioned ones in minutes . I’m going to do a full install again and see what happens. I’ve wound out the adjuster on the shifter so much now to make it change one gear for one click that it feels like it will explode!!

If the routing is good it sounds like you are not getting enough initial tension on the cable. Try some small molegrips or pliers on the end of the inner and give it a little bit more tension while you nip up the nut.

I’ve just sorted it at last. A complete strip down and reinstall and really took my time over the tension and the b tension especially and at least in my stand it seems to be working .