Adjusting Rear Mech (Tiagra)

[Daveb99]

I love my bike........but one thing is really annoying me. I'm too lazy to spend hours reading up on this and don't want to mess it up by 'dabbling'

I have a Tiagra rear Mech (9 speed cassette) and Sora front derailleur and levers. New bike (Spesh Secteur Sport) only 2 weeks old.

It won't change into 10th (doesn't go far enough) and slips past 12th when changing up from 11th.

Help.....I know, I know, do the research, read the manual etc - but it's over 20 years since I did this and things have changed (although not that much!).

If anyone can tell me exactly what to do to adjust fix it it would really help. I seem to need 11th-12th-13th quite a bit on my regular ride at the moment, as it's fairly undulating.

Thanks in advance.....

 

[2Loose]

Relating which gear you are in is always tricky as different people will think 11th is a different ratio to the one you mean. It is often clearer to describe the number sprocket selected at the back (1 to 9, with the largest being 1) and either big, middle -if you have one- or smallest 'ring' at the front.
I only say this as I am having difficulty thinking of any pattern to your problem gears, as I imagine. them anyway.

 

[gbb]

I love my bike........but one thing is really annoying me. I'm too lazy to spend hours reading up on this and don't want to mess it up by 'dabbling'

I have a Tiagra rear Mech (9 speed cassette) and Sora front derailleur and levers. New bike (Spesh Secteur Sport) only 2 weeks old.

It won't change into 10th (doesn't go far enough) and slips past 12th when changing up from 11th.

Help.....I know, I know, do the research, read the manual etc - but it's over 20 years since I did this and things have changed (although not that much!).

If anyone can tell me exactly what to do to adjust fix it it would really help. I seem to need 11th-12th-13th quite a bit on my regular ride at the moment, as it's fairly undulating.

Thanks in advance.....

Unfortunately 'dabbling' is the only way to learn Dave.
There are online tutorials, some on Youtube, others will mention alternatives, perhaps better.

If the bike's only two weeks old, i could be cable stretch which is normal and will affect gear changes. That's one of the reasons the LBS give a free service, usually after a month.
If you're reluctant to 'dabble', i'm sure your LBS will tweek it quite quickly.

 

[Daveb99]

Well I've had a good dabble and seem to have fixed it - cable was a little slack so sorted that, and adjusted the two screws for high and low as well. All seems good now, thanks for your help - I can now use all the gears.

Out of interest, would I benefit much by changing the levers or gear mechs for something like Shimano 105? Currently Sora all round, with a Tiagra rear mech.

 

[Hacienda71]

You need to learn the secret art of fettling Put your bike on a stand if your limit screws are correct and stop the chain falling off at either end of the rear mech range, and it is jumping on the middle range gears of the cassette then have a fiddle with the adjuster where the outer cable reaches the rear mech, this can be done without tools. If you still can't get it to change smoothly through the cassette you may need to check the tension on the rear mech cable. In top on the rear mech there should be very little tension on the gear cable. There is a logic to it but I am buggered if I know what it is

 

[Broadside]

If you've got £200 spare then go for it! Upgrading STI's when you've just bought the bike is the wrong time to do it, it will be costly and similar to the jump in cost up to the Secteur Elite (or is it Comp that is the next one up?)I have the same bike with the same gear setup, stick with it for a while, I really don't think there is anything wrong with Sora. My next bike will be 105 equipped (or SRAM equivalent) but I will wait until I get a complete new bike rather than upgrading bits on my Secteur Sport.