Derailleur Issue With 36T Chainring

[NULevo]

Evening guys,

Beautiful day today so I went out for a good long ride to see how the new 36t chainring rides. It's certainly is much better in the high gears (small cogs), easier on the flats, a great improvement on the original 32T.

The new chainring has created a problem though; when in the the highest 2 gears (smallest cogs), it takes a few crank turns before actually changing gear. It seems okay going from small to large, but not large to small.

I've tried a couple of clicks on the gear change cable with no effect. Any idea's as to what could be wrong and what can be done to get it working properly?

Thanks

 

[Zimmerframe]

I seem to remember I had to re index mine when I changed, theoretically everything should line up the same even with the chain pulling slightly tighter, but I guess it doesn't.

Only takes 2 minutes. YouTube if not sure.

 

[NULevo]

I seem to remember I had to re index mine when I changed, theoretically everything should line up the same even with the chain pulling slightly tighter, but I guess it doesn't.

Only takes 2 minutes. YouTube if not sure.

Thanks Zimmerframe, I'll have a look, hope it's easy!

 

[Zimmerframe]

If you've not done it before it looks like building a spaceship from scrap cars. It's actually really really easy though and something good to know ?

 

[NULevo]

There are 100's!

I'll have a good look before I start messing with it

 

[Zimmerframe]

I watched a few. It's actually quite satisfying. It's then the thing you do first if things don't feel right.

 

[NULevo]

I watched a few. It's actually quite satisfying. It's then the thing you do first if things don't feel right.

I'm hoping it will just be 1 or 2 adjustment screws and its not easy to mess up. Trying to find some sort of manual/illustration as I didn't get one with the bike.

 

[Zimmerframe]

You can't really mess anything up.. it might look like you're staring at the insides of a wire controlled rolex, but it's actually pretty simple.

There's already two screws which limit how far the derailleur can travel. These are probably already correct as you've not had problems with the chain jumping off at either end. So the good news is, no matter what you do, it's not going to go further than it does now whilst you re-align things.

Lift the rear of the bike up, with with a bike stand or "peasant style" and ratchet strap or similar under the saddle nose and over a beam.

Pedal (by hand) and change gear into the highest gear (smallest cog).

Loosen the cable clamp on the derailleur.

Wind the adjustment knob on the gear changer back to zero then wind it back out about three turns - this just means that then you can use it to adjust both ways, looser and tighter, if you did it at zero, you can only use it to tighten the system.

Next is the fiddly bit, pull the cable so it's "taught" where it clamps, you don't have to stretch it, just remove any flex and tighten the clamp again.

Then try pedalling (by hand) and work your way up and down the gears slowly. If it's sluggish going back to the lower gears (larger cogs) just wind a bit more tension on with the adjuster. If it's slow going the other way, wind a bit off. You sometimes find you wind on a turn or half a turn, then wind off a quarter turn until it feels nice both ways.

Eventually you work out which way it turn in comparison to the changers. So when you're on the trail and it doesn't quite go up a gear as smoothly as possible (bottom selector) you just turn the adjustment wheel a 1/4 turn down - towards the bottom selector. When it doesn't go down a gear perfectly, top selector, you just turn it 1/4 turn upwards .. ..

 

[ImSundee]

If your struggling to go from larger to smaller then you need to wind in the adjuster. If its struggling to get into bigger than wind out the adjuster.

 

[NULevo]

You can't really mess anything up.. it might look like you're staring at the insides of a wire controlled rolex, but it's actually pretty simple.

There's already two screws which limit how far the derailleur can travel. These are probably already correct as you've not had problems with the chain jumping off at either end. So the good news is, no matter what you do, it's not going to go further than it does now whilst you re-align things.

Lift the rear of the bike up, with with a bike stand or "peasant style" and ratchet strap or similar under the saddle nose and over a beam.

Pedal (by hand) and change gear into the highest gear (smallest cog).

Loosen the cable clamp on the derailleur.

Wind the adjustment knob on the gear changer back to zero then wind it back out about three turns - this just means that then you can use it to adjust both ways, looser and tighter, if you did it at zero, you can only use it to tighten the system.

Next is the fiddly bit, pull the cable so it's "taught" where it clamps, you don't have to stretch it, just remove any flex and tighten the clamp again.

Then try pedalling (by hand) and work your way up and down the gears slowly. If it's sluggish going back to the lower gears (larger cogs) just wind a bit more tension on with the adjuster. If it's slow going the other way, wind a bit off. You sometimes find you wind on a turn or half a turn, then wind off a quarter turn until it feels nice both ways.

Eventually you work out which way it turn in comparison to the changers. So when you're on the trail and it doesn't quite go up a gear as smoothly as possible (bottom selector) you just turn the adjustment wheel a 1/4 turn down - towards the bottom selector. When it doesn't go down a gear perfectly, top selector, you just turn it 1/4 turn upwards .. ..

Thanks, I'll have a look in the morning.when I got home ,I did put it on the stand and the gears changed perfectly. I'll have a good look in the morning and see how it goes.

 

[NULevo]

Had a go this morning, tried using the adjuster first - didn't work, so I had a look around and found this on YouTube. Didn't adjust any screws, just the tension on the cable and then the adjuster. All working on the stand, will try it out properly soon. Thanks again guys

 

[Deadeye]

Evening guys,

Beautiful day today so I went out for a good long ride to see how the new 36t chainring rides. It's certainly is much better in the high gears (small cogs), easier on the flats, a great improvement on the original 32T.

The new chainring has created a problem though; when in the the highest 2 gears (smallest cogs), it takes a few crank turns before actually changing gear. It seems okay going from small to large, but not large to small.

I've tried a couple of clicks on the gear change cable with no effect. Any idea's as to what could be wrong and what can be done to get it working properly?

Thanks

I had the same experience after moving to 36T chainring. For me, it was the middle gears that would require almost a full revolution to click in. I took it in for free 90 day tuneup at my dealer. They adjusted derailleur and problem solved.

 

[NULevo]

I had the same experience after moving to 36T chainring. For me, it was the middle gears that would require almost a full revolution to click in. I took it in for free 90 day tuneup at my dealer. They adjusted derailleur and problem solved.

Good thinking, unfortunately I changed my chainring after the free service, but I’m sure they’d adjust the gears if I still have problems.