Slack gear cables

[One Louder]

Hi

I took my back wheel off my bike to replace the inner tube, now it's back on but the gear cables have gone really loose and are hanging away from the frame. They seem to be changing fine. What could i have done wrong? Have I knocked something inadvertently? The bike is about 15/20 years old and I don't know when they were last changed, they're obviously well past best.

*EDIT*
the chain is also tapping against the front derailleur, which it wasn't doing before

 

[gbb]

Hi

I took my back wheel off my bike to replace the inner tube, now it's back on but the gear cables have gone really loose and are hanging away from the frame. They seem to be changing fine. What could i have done wrong? Have I knocked something inadvertently? The bike is about 15/20 years old and I don't know when they were last changed, they're obviously well past best.

*EDIT*
the chain is also tapping against the front derailleur, which it wasn't doing before

Thats an odd one. Is your rear derailleur 'fixed' or is it the type thats mounted within the dropout then fixed with a screw, or even the type that is held by the nutted axle. Is it possible the derailleur has moved back therefor loosening the cable ?

 

[One Louder]

It might have been that, I'm not sure. I took the wheels off again and started over, this time the cables were back to normal tension. Not sure what I dont different the second time but it seemed o do the job.

 

[potsy]

Sounds like the wheel wasn't seated correctly the 1st time,easily done.
Once the wheel is on,bike correct way up,loosen off the QR and bang the bike and it should seat properly,then tighten QR and check it's OK.

 

[Domestique]

*EDIT*
the chain is also tapping against the front derailleur, which it wasn't doing before

Anything involving a chain doing something it wasnt before inspect the chain, once then again to be safe. Look for any links that may be coming apart etc. Better to be safe now, than very sorry later.

As to the gear cable, did it come out of the guide under the bottom bracket?

 

[One Louder]

the cables hadn't came out of the bb guide but the were extremely loose, the seem ok now.

The derailleur issue has stopped too, although now the one of the jockey wheels has started making clicking noises when peddling. Not sure if the clicking noises were there before i took the wheel off and just hadn't noticed.

 

[PpPete]

the cables hadn't came out of the bb guide but the were extremely loose, the seem ok now.

The derailleur issue has stopped too, although now the one of the jockey wheels has started making clicking noises when peddling. Not sure if the clicking noises were there before i took the wheel off and just hadn't noticed.

Jockey wheels don't usually make a clicking sound in the absence of a chain... chances are that indexing is very slightly out, and that makes a clicking noise by the jockey wheel because the chain is very slightly out of alignment... but nowhere enough to change to the next gear. A very small adjustment to the rear derailleur cable tension (usually a barrel adjuster just where cable goes into the mech) should sort it.

 

[One Louder]

Jockey wheels don't usually make a clicking sound in the absence of a chain... chances are that indexing is very slightly out, and that makes a clicking noise by the jockey wheel because the chain is very slightly out of alignment... but nowhere enough to change to the next gear. A very small adjustment to the rear derailleur cable tension (usually a barrel adjuster just where cable goes into the mech) should sort it.

i'll give that a try. thanks

 

[One Louder]

sorry to resurrect this thread, but the noise from what appears to be the jockey wheels is really getting irritating.

I've re-tuned the gears, so they are indexing really tight and snappy, but the chain is still making a noise as it comes into contact with the jockey wheels. Is there anything else I can do to try and fix this? Don't really want to take it to the bike shop to be repaired, as it will cost me more than the bike is worth.