The Secret Artwork of Conserving Your Derailleurs Comfortable

Derailleurs are an interesting and cherished a part of your bike, vulnerable to temper swings and baffling inconsistencies. This piece was first printed a couple of years in the past, however with spring across the nook and readers dusting off and tuning up bikes once more, we’re placing it again on the homepage. -Ed.

The one assured in life are demise and taxes and awful shifting. Your bicycle’s rear derailleur could be a fickle beast—there’s little margin for error in its set-up, and time, cable stretch, filth, and moisture all inevitably remodel crisp shifting into simply a lot skipping, grinding, and stuttering. If you happen to don’t really feel the grasp of your drivetrain, relaxation assured-you’re not alone on this one. Loads of riders are flummoxed by this little bit of their equipment. Luckily, getting your derailleur again into form isn’t as exhausting as it could appear.

THE QUICK-AND-DIRTY TUNE

Let’s say your rear derailleur started its life clicking exactly alongside however has step by step turn into fussy once you attempt to shift the chain onto the larger cogs within the again. If that’s what occurred to you, resolving the issue could be a matter of barely rising cable stress. New cables inevitably stretch over time, which decreases stress within the system and causes the shifting to hesitate and stutter as you try and shift to the bigger rear cogs (the decrease gears).

Barrel adjusters mean you can superb tune shifting by altering cable stress.

First, shift right down to your smallest rear cog. Now, twist the barrel adjuster (on the shifter) counter-clockwise 1 / 4 of a flip. Go forward and shift by the gears once more. If the chain remains to be hesitating once you shift onto your larger rear cogs, give it one other quarter flip counter-clockwise and run the derailleur by the gears once more. Nonetheless hesitating on the upshifts? Give it yet one more go, then resign your self to doing the entire enchilada tune-up (see beneath).

THE WHOLE ENCHILADA TUNE-UP

The very first thing you might want to do is examine to ensure the set screws are correctly adjusted. These are the 2 screws on the rear derailleur (the precise location varies from model to model) that dictate how far the rear derailleur can transfer in both route.

The screw marked “L” limits how far the derailleur can transfer inward. When it’s correctly adjusted, it retains your derailleur from shifting into the spokes and devastating your rear wheel and checking account.

The “H” screw limits how far the derailleur can transfer outward. If it’s not correctly adjusted, the chain will dump off the smallest cog and tear up your costly chainstay.

In brief, these two tiny screws are essential, although they solely management how the derailleur behaves in two gears (the most important and smallest rear cogs). The excellent news is that when you set these screws, they virtually by no means want readjusting (until somebody tries that will help you and begins randomly fidgeting with them otherwise you crash and bend your derailleur hanger, which is an entire ‘nother world of issues).

Let’s begin with the H screw. Put your bike in a piece stand-it must be elevated so to take heed to and observe the chain as you flip the pedals. Shift the rear derailleur into the very best gear (the smallest rear cog). Now, be sure that the rear derailleur cable (the precise wire) is simply barely slack. If it’s underneath stress, flip the adjuster barrel on the rear shifter clockwise till the cable is not taut.

Now take a look at the rear derailleur’s higher pulley: It ought to line up instantly beneath the smallest cog and, once you flip the pedals, you shouldn’t hear any rubbing or grinding. If the derailleur pulley is sitting to the left of the small cog, you’ll in all probability hear the chain’s interior plates rubbing in opposition to the second to smallest cog. Treatment this by turning the H screw counterclockwise 1 / 4 flip at a time whereas pedaling till the rubbing ceases. Preserve eyeing the derailleur pulley-again you need that higher pulley to take a seat instantly beneath the smallest cog and there ought to be no grinding or skipping from the chain.

Now it’s time to set the L screw. It’s good to shift the rear derailleur so the chain is using on the most important cog. Once more, you need the derailleur’s higher pulley to take a seat instantly beneath the cog in query. If the pulley sits to the left of the most important cog, even by a couple of millimeters, the chain will be despatched into the spokes and trigger a horrible wreck. Consequently, I have a tendency to show the L screw clockwise by quarter turns (whereas pedaling the bike) till I hear the sound of the outer chain plates starting to rub in opposition to the second-largest cog. At that time, flip the L screw counterclockwise by 1/eight turns, simply till the noise disappears. The pulley ought to be correctly aligned now with none danger of the chain going AWOL into the spokes.

THAT ODD SCREW NO ONE TALKS ABOUT

Subsequent, you wish to examine the B-screw – that odd, lone screw that juts out close to the purpose the place the rear derailleur bolts into the body. The B-screw dictates how far that higher pulley sits from the cogs. You need a few six-millimeter hole between the higher pulley and the most important rear cog. I typically take my chain off to examine the hole, however should you don’t wish to hassle with that step, simply be sure that the pulley isn’t rubbing in opposition to the cog itself. Whether it is, flip the B screw clockwise by quarter turns till the noise stops.

SHIFTING FROM COG TO COG

We’re lastly able to good how the derailleur shifts between all of the cogs. That is in all probability the step you had been actually excited by, however should you don’t nail the prior steps, you’re simply capturing your self within the foot.

Good shifts are all a matter of attaining simply the correct quantity of cable stress. Begin by shifting the entrance derailleur so the chain is sitting on the outermost (largest) chainring and shifting the rear derailleur in order that the chain (on the rear of the bike) is using the smallest rear cog.

Whereas turning the pedals, push the bigger paddle on the rear shifter in order that the rear derailleur shifts the chain as much as the second smallest cog. If the chain didn’t budge or solely haltingly jumped up one cog, maintain turning the pedals whereas rising the cable stress (by turning the barrel adjuster on the rear shifter counter-clockwise) till it does. Proceed to slowly flip that barrel adjuster counterclockwise till the interior plate of the chain simply begins to rub in opposition to the third cog. At that time flip the barrel adjuster clockwise till the noise stops. Now, go forward and shift by all of the gears. It ought to be shifting superb now.

Nonetheless isn’t good? Properly, right here’s the fundamental rule of thumb: If the chain is lagging on the upshifts to bigger cogs, you want a bit extra stress (not more than 1 / 4 flip counter-clockwise at a time). Conversely, if the shifts are sluggish as you attempt to shift down onto smaller cogs, you in all probability have an excessive amount of cable stress: scale back that stress by turning the barrel adjuster clockwise 1 / 4 flip at a time between testing the gears.

Different that may stymie shifting efficiency? Filth and moisture within the cable housing could make the shifting really feel gritty and sluggish. I change my cables and housing yearly. In case you are using 3 times per week or extra, I like to recommend you do the identical. Keep in mind that new cables inevitably stretch, which implies the proper stress you obtain on putting in a brand new cable will develop sloppy inside a couple of rides. Simply do the fast tune outlined initially of this text (counter clockwise turns of the barrel adjuster so as to add stress).

In case your shifting has been flawless for some time and abruptly goes wacky on you, it could be since you bent the derailleur or, extra probably, the derailleur hanger throughout a crash. Don’t keep in mind wrecking? You can too bend the derailleur hanger by merely laying a motorcycle drive-side down on the bottom or leaning it in opposition to one thing carelessly, in order that the derailleur makes contact with one thing that isn’t budging. What must you do in that case? That’s the topic for a later piece. Keep tuned.