Front Derailleur Set-up / Adjustment
Discussion
Evening all.
Due to all the good advice received for setting up my shoes/cleats/pedals, I am now going to pester you for advice re. the front derailleur.
When I received the bike from the shop (online), the gears didn't appear to be set-up correctly. They advised that I take the bike to a local shop and send them a copy or the receipt and they would refund any costs, all fair enough.
However, after getting the bike back from the local shop the front shifter doesn't seem to be doing its job (wouldn't shift down) and after spending the last 2hrs messing about with it (with the aid of various online guides), I'm about 3mins away from launching the bike down the stairs and forgetting that I ever fancied cycling (I haven't got a great deal of patience at the best of times).
If anyone could tell me, step by step, how to set-up and adjust the front derailleur, including where the limit screws should start etc etc (essentially as though it's just come out of the box), it would be greatly appreciated.
I've managed to get it working at shifting up, or down but never both properly and I seem to run out of limit adjustment or cable tension before I can get it working 100%.
Its Shimano 105 stuff, if that helps / makes any difference.
Please save my bike and my sanity.
Many thanks
Rob
Due to all the good advice received for setting up my shoes/cleats/pedals, I am now going to pester you for advice re. the front derailleur.
When I received the bike from the shop (online), the gears didn't appear to be set-up correctly. They advised that I take the bike to a local shop and send them a copy or the receipt and they would refund any costs, all fair enough.
However, after getting the bike back from the local shop the front shifter doesn't seem to be doing its job (wouldn't shift down) and after spending the last 2hrs messing about with it (with the aid of various online guides), I'm about 3mins away from launching the bike down the stairs and forgetting that I ever fancied cycling (I haven't got a great deal of patience at the best of times).
If anyone could tell me, step by step, how to set-up and adjust the front derailleur, including where the limit screws should start etc etc (essentially as though it's just come out of the box), it would be greatly appreciated.
I've managed to get it working at shifting up, or down but never both properly and I seem to run out of limit adjustment or cable tension before I can get it working 100%.
Its Shimano 105 stuff, if that helps / makes any difference.
Please save my bike and my sanity.
Many thanks
Rob
A mate sent me this foolproof guide a while ago:-
"BE VERY CAREFUL!!
there are three limit screws, the high limit, the low limit and the parallel limit. It’s the parallel limit screw that you need to watch out for as even the smallest fraction of a turn adjusts the very fabric of the space time continuum, Sadly there is no standardized position (often it is installed in the place of the low or high limit screw) nor would it have any identification markings . The only way of telling if you have adjusted the parallel (dimension) adjustment screw is that everything that used to work has now been plunged into malfunctioning disarray and you will personally be experiencing feelings of confusion, desperation, anxiety, impotence, panic accompanied by a tendency to walk in circles. Sadly once the Parallel screw has been adjusted this can also alter its very position swapping with either or both the high and low adjustment screws. The only proven method to rectify any incorrect parallel adjustment is a bit of a sit down with a cup of tea accompanied by a large slice of "try again later".
Any use to you ?
"BE VERY CAREFUL!!
there are three limit screws, the high limit, the low limit and the parallel limit. It’s the parallel limit screw that you need to watch out for as even the smallest fraction of a turn adjusts the very fabric of the space time continuum, Sadly there is no standardized position (often it is installed in the place of the low or high limit screw) nor would it have any identification markings . The only way of telling if you have adjusted the parallel (dimension) adjustment screw is that everything that used to work has now been plunged into malfunctioning disarray and you will personally be experiencing feelings of confusion, desperation, anxiety, impotence, panic accompanied by a tendency to walk in circles. Sadly once the Parallel screw has been adjusted this can also alter its very position swapping with either or both the high and low adjustment screws. The only proven method to rectify any incorrect parallel adjustment is a bit of a sit down with a cup of tea accompanied by a large slice of "try again later".
Any use to you ?
Pain in the arse job. I found it easier to roughly set the mech up without the chain on the bike. Then adjusted it.
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6017577_adjust-105-front... is a pretty good guide though.
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6017577_adjust-105-front... is a pretty good guide though.
This sounds like it would have all been resolved by a simple twist of the barrel adjuster to adjust cable tension, but never mind.
Just remember that the main adjustment of the mech is done via cable tension and you will be ok.
roboxm3 said:
If anyone could tell me, step by step, how to set-up and adjust the front derailleur, including where the limit screws should start etc etc (essentially as though it's just come out of the box), it would be greatly appreciated.
The limit screws should be roughly centred when starting - count the number of turns from right in to right out and then halve it to centre. The best instructions are on the Shimano website, download the appropriate tech doc for your front mech model http://techdocs.shimano.com/techdocs/blevel.jsp?FO... and follow the instructions.Just remember that the main adjustment of the mech is done via cable tension and you will be ok.
smifffymoto said:
Youtube is your friend.
I thought that YouTube was my friend too...Watched the video, made some notes, went back to the bike, followed the instructions...
...ran out of adjustment on the screws
Tried another video...
...cable too tight to allow shifting
Tried again from scratch based on the knowledge I thought I'd gained during attempts 1 and 2...
...nope!!
I've found the Shimano pdf which includes a guide on how to set it up, so I'll give it another go tonight, starting with the adjustment screws in the middle of their range and utilising the cable tentioner, if that doesn't work I may shortly be selling off the parts from a broken bike!!
Is it shimano or campagnolo? I find the campagnolo ones pretty easy to set up as they use the same shifters as the rear derailleurs (or atleast used to) so you have more adjustment stops than you need (and you can 'trim' when riding).
Make sure the height of the derrailleur arm is only couple of mm above the big ring (when shifted over). This is quite important for the quality of the shift. You should be able to only just fit a 1p in between the gap of the shifter and the teeth.
Make sure the height of the derrailleur arm is only couple of mm above the big ring (when shifted over). This is quite important for the quality of the shift. You should be able to only just fit a 1p in between the gap of the shifter and the teeth.
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