Front Derailleur advice please.

[EltonFrog]

Today I have changed the gear cables and covers on my bike. The rear mech is working fine, but the front is giving me more grief than I thought it would.

My gears are Ultegra at the back and 105 at the front.

Is there a default position the front mech should be in before threading the cable?

Should the cable tensioners be threaded right in or out?

The H & L screws in the front mech, are they for fine tuning or should there be less movement from them than I think there should?

The gears are working, but the front mech is a bit noisy against the chain sometimes.

I hope these questions make sense, this is the first time I've attempted something like this.

 

[Tim Hall]

There's probably a zillion how to videos around, but what I'd do is:

Put the front mech lever in the position it would be in for the small ring. Unless you've got some unusual mech, the mech itself will default to the small ring position when you took the old cable off.

Screw the tensioner right in. Thread the cable, make sure you route it correctly, fiddle it under the clamp, pull tight (by hand) and fasten. You'll probably need to take a bit more tension up by unscrewing the tensioner.

You shouldn't need to touch the H and L screws if the mech hasn't been fiddled with. They limit the movement of the mech at the H(igh) and L(ow) ends of its travel.

 

[Garethgas]

It sounds as if you don't really understand what the parts do on a bike.
A bike is a very clever design, part of which is the ability to repair it easily.
To be honest with you, you will have a lot more success if you tried you tube.
There are loads of tutorials on there that will answer all of your questions.
Descriptions here will be long and drawn out.
You could also try the park tools site which is full of step by step instructions.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustments


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY7DR6efyEY

 

[EltonFrog]

@Tim Hall & @Garethgas thanks for the replies. It's not that I don't understand what they do, it's more I don't understand how to make them work.

I did search for specific things for you tube help but my results were coming up with hybrid gears, mountain bike gears, or non shimano type stuff.

I've got myself confused with what and when as far as where the cable goes with front mech. Once I threaded the cable and attached it to the front mech it at first would not do o anything, it was like it wasn't connected, I have managed to get it working, but not as well as it was before I started.

I'll check that video out later.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Garethgas]

Hi Carl
Just go to you tube and type in "front derailleur" and you will find a lot of step by step guides.
Once you get the idea, you will never have to pay a bike shop again.
The same goes for all bike stuff really but gears are a must for DIY

 

[Brommyboy]

The front derailleur defaults to the small ring, and the cable pulls the cage outwards. So, for the inner ring, the cable is virtually slack. If too much slack is there, then the cable cannot pull the cage outwards to the other rings. The make does not have much influence on the operation method for most types.

 

[EltonFrog]

The front derailleur defaults to the small ring, and the cable pulls the cage outwards. So, for the inner ring, the cable is virtually slack. If too much slack is there, then the cable cannot pull the cage outwards to the other rings. The make does not have much influence on the operation method for most types.

Ah right thank you, I think that's the answer to the question I should have asked.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

When I did the gears on mine I was very specific on the youtube search. Add in the type of front mech and you'll probably find a video of that specific one. I managed it with 105's.

 

[EltonFrog]

Right! I've cracked it! I think I was getting tired and emotional last night with it and made some school boy errors.

Rear and front derailleur work nicely now both on the stand and out on a test ride just now. I realised whilst out on the ride that I put the cable in the wrong channel out of the left hood, so I had loosen the cable off agian and re align, and that all works ticket boo. Thanks for the advice chaps!

 

[John the Monkey]

@Tim Hall & @Garethgas thanks for the replies. It's not that I don't understand what they do, it's more I don't understand how to make them work.

Glad it's sorted, but in case anyone else looks in, don't overlook the Shimano technical documents - I find them pretty helpful (used them for some front derailleur fettling last night, coincidentally).