Hey,

So my rear gears were playing up and i discovered there was about 2 strands left on the rear cable. I have replaced the cable but i cannot for the life of me get the gears re-indexed. (Sram x7) The chain is just barely nicking/snatching the next cog down, no amount of tweaking cable tension is sorting it…driving me crazy. On inspection the cassette on the wheel does appear to have a slight dish/warp but the cassette isn’t loose, that isn’t right is it.? I would appreciate any advice,

Ta

Let all the cable tension off
Let the mech go to its lowest position
Pull cable as you release shifter. It sounds like you have too much tension. Check limit screw position
Then refit cable
Cycle through the gears adjust barrel adjuster to set in gear chain position in a middle of cassette gear.

Are you sure you’ve put the cable on the correct side of the clamp bolt?

There will always be a bit of wobble or run out on everything except the most expensive freehubs/cassettes. Unless it’s really bad, or accompanied by lots of noise, I’d not worry about it.

Did you replace inner and outer? Outer can cause as many, if not more, issues than inner can. (Either badly fitted or worn out)

I set the limit screws without the cable in, just manually move the mech across and let it come back by itself until they’re set right. Then put the cable in, and if necessary tweak the barrel adjuster.

Cable is definitely in the correct side, you’d have to be a complete womble to bollocks that one…but i have not replaced the outers..duly noted

Up until recently my gears have always worked superbly so i just put this down to the wear on the cable, I saw no need to adjust the Limit screws but I have just re-checked and the jockey wheel are sitting outboard of the cassette by a bawhair(that’s right innit).

When i refit the cable, have the chain in the smallest cog etc then click the shifter to drop down a gear i have to screw the barrel adjuster to get it to move, fine until i get to 5th in the middle of the cassette when its snicking(thats a word) and still trying to move…so one would assume that you wind off some cable tension, then you don’t have enough to move out the smaller cogs.

I didn’t realise this was such a black art, im about ready for having a full blown tantrum

Twisted mech hanger?

Again I would say that everything was working just fine until that cable frayed and had to be replaced…the derailleur seem straight.

I simply assumed it was just a matter of replacing the cable and tweaking the indexing,.. I feel like I have have failed, 😳

Is the wheel seated properly in the drop outs?

I would say yes, as I haven’t removed or fiddled with the rear wheel…but I will check again in the morning.

Actually, does it matter which ring I’m in in the front when indexing? I have one of those ye olde 2×10.

It does sound like either bent mech or a bent hanger.

I appreciate the input, but i got fed up and took it down the bike shop. Turns out the outer chainring is warped and i had already replaced this after damaging the first one on rocks(are these FSA comet things made of cheese?), and also a sprocket or two on the cassette…which i guess is probably worn.

They have indexed the gears, but i haven’t been out for a test…..possibly would have been easier if all the bobbins on my bike were straight, this indexing malarky. Drive train needing replaced then.. 😕