New Rear Derailleur Cable, Poor Shifting

[antcox78]

Hi guys, new to the forum. Hoping to share advice as well as get some valuable advice. Some I hope I will gain now.

I have fitted a new derailleur cable. Moved my chain to the highest gear (small cog) and shifter to highest setting, threaded it back through and tightened cable at hand tightness and then gone up and down the set to test the shifting. This is where I am getting the problem.

I am getting inconsistent shifting eg. delay in shift up and down, shifting two gears at once and not moving at all then moving two gears on the next switch. I have tightened the barrel adjuster and it is still the same but also its impossible to get into gear 1 as that gear is too stiff to move. Gear 2 is tight and when i shift up to 3, the tension released from the trigger is enough to hurt your finger.

I have rode bikes for years but always been apprehensive about repairs because the usual ending scenario is my taking it to a bike shop, showing them the mess i have made to fix it and then paying for more parts to get it sorted.

 

[RWright]

First thing I would do is look and see if your rear derailleur hanger or cage is bent.

 

[PatrickPending]

search youtube....this is one of many, quite good if I remember rightly....


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ


in installing a new cable, I set the rear shifter so that it are selecting the smallest cog, fit new cable so there is a bit of tension (not lots, so the cable is just tight), then on a bike stand (this is very useful for gears), set the shifter to select the next biggest cog on the rear and adjust the tension so that it shifts cleanly. I generally find at this point that the gears shift well throughout all the cogs - job done.
Of course you could have other problems, bent hanger or rear mech as mentioned but this is the method that works for me. Hope it makes sense.......
Oh I might add if the outers look o be in poor condition, Id change them too....actually I think I only ever seem to replace the short piece near the rear mech, but poor outer condition can produce shifting problems

 

[lulubel]

I am getting inconsistent shifting eg. delay in shift up and down, shifting two gears at once and not moving at all then moving two gears on the next switch. I have tightened the barrel adjuster and it is still the same but also its impossible to get into gear 1 as that gear is too stiff to move. Gear 2 is tight and when i shift up to 3, the tension released from the trigger is enough to hurt your finger.

You've pulled the cable too tight. It's very possible to do that when tensioning by hand.

Oh I might add if the outers look o be in poor condition, Id change them too....actually I think I only ever seem to replace the short piece near the rear mech, but poor outer condition can produce shifting problems

Also, definitely look at your outers. The only time I ever changed a cable inner without changing the outer, I had to thoroughly lube the old cable, and run it backwards and forwards several times through the outer to clear out the accumulated gunk before the new cable would shift smoothly.