Front Derailleur

[fossyant]

It's all about learning. I had a basic road bike from about 12 or 13, and loved it, but it was me that learnt how to fix it. At 16 started working and bought a very nice road bike and joined a cycling club, and disappeared for hours on end (before the days of phones) - I'll be back before tea.... that was mid 80's.

My lad has a Carrera Vengeance, similar to yours, and it's been a great bike, so look after it.

 

[fossyant]

I think after that, i will enjoy my rides more again, as know noise to get annoyed with

I hate any noise on my bikes, so the more you practice, the more you will learn.

I was getting a creak from my full suspension, so I'd checked (pulled to bits and re-greased) the saddle, bottom bracket, cranks, pedals, 6 of the 8 suspension bearings (clue), both suspension pivots, both 'through axels' and it was the final 2 suspension bearings that don't move much, that creaked (despite being greased). Grr

 

[MonsterEnergy]

It will rub in some gears anyway being a triple. You can't get all 8 on the back in each one in the front.

Small front, you can maybe get the 6 biggest on the wheel, the middle, most middle gears, the biggest on the front, 6 smallest without rub.

Also check the chain ring runs straight (when viewed from top) when spun.

sometimes not...cause it rubs against deraillieur

 

[MonsterEnergy]

Nice one!

Might be worth giving the barrel adjusters a couple of turns in either direction to see if that fixes the chain rub (didn't look like your mech cage is bent, just a set-up issue, they're quite finicky).

Put "gear shifter barrel adjuster" into Google image search before asking here 😀

One of them has come loose an won't stay in the right position...In other words it can't be pushed it and stay there

 

[ChrisEyles]

That might be because you've unscrewed it as far as the thread allows. Try turning it clockwise and see if that locates it properly in the shifter so that it's not loose.

 

[MonsterEnergy]

That might be because you've unscrewed it as far as the thread allows. Try turning it clockwise and see if that locates it properly in the shifter so that it's not loose.

nope that dosen't work. There's nothing there to hold it in place

 

[Mike_P]

nope that dosen't work. There's nothing there to hold it in place

Can seem like that, one part is sprung loaded so you need to take that into account when refitting.

 

[MonsterEnergy]

Can seem like that, one part is sprung loaded so you need to take that into account when refitting.

but when i try to put it in...there's just nothing there to hold it or anything, probably something must have coe off or something

 

[fossyant]

Release the cable nut on the mech (when the mech is back in the little ring) and screw the in-line adjusters back together, then start again.

You have adjusted the 'adjusters' too much, without pulling the cable through.

It's not rocket science. Use your physics classes. Just think about it and take your time.

OK, I'm a bugger for not being patient, but spent a fair few hours carefully replacing frame bearings on my full suspension bike - this is just the same for you fixing the gears. I can't do 'craft' like sewing etc, but I can spend time fixing the bike.

 

[DCBassman]

the middle, most middle gears,

Not so. I only run triples, and in the middle ring, all 8 or 9 gears are selectable noiselessly.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Not so. I only run triples, and in the middle ring, all 8 or 9 gears are selectable noiselessly.

Quite right, I'm always bemused when I read about how difficult triples are to properly set up. Sure on your first try it's a proper ballache, but after you've got the knack you can easily get quiet rub free running in all gears you might realistically use without horrendous cross chaining.

I've even managed this with a 9 speed cage and 8 speed chain, so you've got a bit of wiggle room.

@MonsterEnergy it's possible to strip the threads on the barrel adjusters on your shifters/brake levers, which does make life awkward (have to pull just the right amount of cable through before tightening the cable clamp). But much more likely the barrel adjuster has just come out of the screw threads and you're feeling the resistance of the little spring that sits over the threads. Have you tried @fossyant's suggestion?

 

[Mike_P]

If it was necessary to turn the barrel adjuster do far that implies the cable was far too slack. Once you have the barrel adjuster back together tighten it fully then loosen off a turn or two, undo the cable from the gear mech, pull the cable tight with a pair of pliers and retighten - it might help if someone can do one of these and you the other and it can assist in having the bike upside down.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Yeah, you have to pull that cable pretty darn tight before tightening the clamp.

At the risk of introducing another complication, it can help to screw in the lower limit screw on the front mech a bit to take a little of the travel out of the spring in the derailleur so you're not fighting against it, then loosen it off again once you've tightened up the cable clamp.... though if you've not watched and understood those videos on adjusting your derailleur might be best to ignore this paragraph!

 

[MonsterEnergy]

Yeah, you have to pull that cable pretty darn tight before tightening the clamp.

At the risk of introducing another complication, it can help to screw in the lower limit screw on the front mech a bit to take a little of the travel out of the spring in the derailleur so you're not fighting against it, then loosen it off again once you've tightened up the cable clamp.... though if you've not watched and understood those videos on adjusting your derailleur might be best to ignore this paragraph!

but what's happened is a little bit of wire has come out of where the barrel adjuster screws in, which is what i think holds it. But that came off, so there's nothing there to hold it in

 

[ChrisEyles]

Not sure what the "little bit of wire" could have been.

There are two different types of barrel adjuster - one that threads into the shifter/brake lever/bike frame like this:

Another which just slots into the shifter, and turning the barrel moves the inner cylinder relative to the outer, like this:

If your barrel adjuster looks like the bottom image (which I suspect it will from what you've written), then it just slots into the shifter, and the cable tension holds it in place.

i.e. it doesn't screw directly into the shifter - sorry my earlier posts were probably a bit confusing there, I had the top image style design in my head when writing them.

Confusing stuff, but on the plus side you are learning a lot