Stuck in the big ring...

[classic33]

It isn’t “nonsense” try riding more. My triples are a nightmare for having slightly ‘wandery’ front mechs. It rarely means they won’t shift all the way around the rings, but nearly always means there’s a trim adjustment required, after a couple of hundred kilometres, to keep them from rubbing the front mech, especially if there’s been a change of components ( anything from cables, to rings or chains ). I’ve never known it to be any different, and I know I do lots more riding than you ever have.

I agree with @TheDoctor, doing upwards of a 1,000 miles a month at one stage and the only time adjustments were made was after major drivetrain changes, or cables were changed.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I'd suggest you use a different mechanic.

Nothing wrong with the mechanic, the quality of the springs and the (typically ) relatively low rent components found in triples is more the problem.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I agree with @TheDoctor, doing upwards of a 1,000 miles a month at one stage and the only time adjustments were made was after major drivetrain changes, or cables were changed.

Now that’s magic no trim adjustments at all, to stop any chain rub at any point, not even having been through all 3 rings repeatedly, with a triple front set up? There’s a funny smell around here.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Bully for you.
Perhaps learn how to set up your gears? Although we've wandered OT here.

I’ve forgotten more about setting up
Bike gearing than you’ll ever know.

 

[berty bassett]

surely the natural position of the front mech is to twang back to the small ring when tension is released , so it just sounds like tension isnt being released ( on the cable - not this thread ) so either cable sticking or spring not springing - when you release the cable tension with the lever does the cable go slack ? could the front mech need lube ?
hope you sort it - are you any good at breaking up fights

 

[classic33]

surely the natural position of the front mech is to twang back to the small ring when tension is released , so it just sounds like tension isnt being released ( on the cable - not this thread ) so either cable sticking or spring not springing - when you release the cable tension with the lever does the cable go slack ? could the front mech need lube ?
hope you sort it - are you any good at breaking up fights

Could be a reverse action mech!!

 

[Ajax Bay]

that’s why we have trim adjusters on the cables.

Now that’s magic no trim adjustments at all, to stop any chain rub at any point, not even having been through all 3 rings repeatedly, with a triple front set up? There’s a funny smell around here.

Off topic: Classic Rr - he's forgotten more about "funny smell"than you will ever know".
Talks about 'trim adjusters on the cables' - what are they by the way - does he mean barrel adjusters? Then he asks whether riders have needed 'trim adjustments' to stop chain rub on a triple. Anyone with a triple will constantly be making 'trim adjustments' but these are clicks on the STI/Ergo. And riders will know when trim may be required from experience having set up the derailleurs and ridden the bike. Only if 'their mechanic' has failed to index the front derailleur properly may a twist on the barrel adjuster be useful.

 

[Milkfloat]

I am a bit confused, I have a triple derailleur on one bike that is more than 20 years old and will have covered at least 35,000 miles. Despite multiple bottom brackets and cables, plus a new set of chain rings (except the inner) I have never had to adjust the limit screws or the derailleur itself, I only need to adjust cable tension when replacing cables. It sounds like I am doing something wrong and should be stopping to adjust every few miles. Can somebody help?

 

[classic33]

Could be a reverse action mech!!

Like this one.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=201075

 

[TheDoctor]

I’ve forgotten more about setting up
Bike gearing than you’ll ever know.

That'll be why your gears need tweaking all the time and mine don't?
Again, we're going OT.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for the helpful replies. As I have no access to CC at work I couldn't answer until now...

It feels left out.

There may be something in that. It certainly doesn't get all that much use.

However, the story continued today with new and Twang Related dramatic events...

I'd found that although the chain wouldn't drop from the big ring to the middle, clicking twice did get it to go into the small ring and I could quickly change up again to the middle, so there was nothing wrong with the indexing. As my employer was unlikely to be sympathetic I set off for work this morning with the problem still in place. About two kilometres into the ride the bike decided it had had enough of this inept user and managed to drop the chain over the big ring and somehow wrap it into the mech at the same time, before vomiting it onto the road.

! took this opportunity to explore my broad and multilingual vocabulary of swearwords.

Fortunately it is uphill from my village to the tram stop, although in accordance with the usual law of the universe, I had just descended the only steep hill, so it was a short walk to a summit, and I could coast beck to the apartment. On closer inspection the Missing Link had been torn out of the chain, along with another link or two. I had known the chain was a bit loose, so I checked it and realised it had been quite ridiculously loose, so I took a couple more links out before fitting same.

Twenty minutes later we were off again, and suddenly the chain was much smoother, which is not a surprise really. Even better, I was able to tweak the cable enough that the chain obediently dropped out of the big ring.

I'm still not sure if this is because of the shorter chain or because the front mech was bent into submission when the chain became an ugly shape, but hey, it worked, so I'm not complaining...

 

[TheDoctor]

Not sure I'd have thought of the chain being the wrong length, but if it's all OK now then happy days