Bicycle Mechanics - Questions on installing & adjusting new shifter cables...

ok, i'm going to be installing new shimano 8/9 speed bar end shifters. i am going to try and see if the existing cables on my sirrus now will fit or not. if not, then i will go and buy new cables.

here is my questions though, when installing new cables.. should i first switch the gears to a certain combo, like biggest gear in the front and smallest in the rear. or should i leave it in the 2nd gear in teh front and then the 4th gear in the rear?

any tips on installing and adjusting it?

thanks,
rui

Shift to the smallest ring and the smallest cog. Screw the barrel adjuster on the rear derailer all the way in and back it out one turn. All you should need to do is make sure you install the cables mostly taught and use the barrel adjuster to make the final adjustment. Do you have a barrel adjuster for the front derailer on the frame? Use that to make the final adjustments to the front derailer.

Shift to the smallest ring and the smallest cog. Screw the barrel adjuster on the rear derailer all the way in and back it out one turn. All you should need to do is make sure you install the cables mostly taught and use the barrel adjuster to make the final adjustment. Do you have a barrel adjuster for the front derailer on the frame? Use that to make the final adjustments to the front derailer.

all of my barrel adjuster are on the V-brake handle. here is a pic of it.
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/3ff4b824_10038/bc/My+Sirrus/V-Brake+Shifter+%26+Lever+1.jpg?bfC5L.ABLxf0X18l

http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/3ff4b824_10038/bc/My+Sirrus/V-Brake+Shifter+%26+Lever+2.jpg?bfC5L.ABIhFxyETB

but when i am going to change it to the shimano bar end shifter, i don't think i will have a barrel adjuster. so what should i do then?

rui

but when i am going to change it to the shimano bar end shifter, i don't think i will have a barrel adjuster. so what should i do then?

rui

I'm assuming your frame does not have shifter bosses welded near the top of your downtube. That's traditionally where your shifter cable stop/cable adjusters are mounted.

Your rear derailleur has a barrel adjuster. The only disadvantage to that is you can't make fine adjustments while you're riding....but that's really no big deal unless you're in a race.
Since your front shifter is friction, you really don't need a cable adjuster there as long as your cable when down in your granny is taught and there is no slack.
If you don't want to keep it simple, you can easily splice in in-line cable adjusters in each of your derailleur cable housings. I had them on mine but I never had to use them since my cable installations were correct and precise to begin with.

I'm assuming your frame does not have shifter bosses welded near the top of your downtube. That's traditionally where your shifter cable stop/cable adjusters are mounted.

Your rear derailleur has a barrel adjuster. The only disadvantage to that is you can't make fine adjustments while you're riding....but that's really no big deal unless you're in a race.
Since your front shifter is friction, you really don't need a cable adjuster there as long as your cable when down in your granny is taught and there is no slack.
If you don't want to keep it simple, you can easily splice in in-line cable adjusters in each of your derailleur cable housings. I had them on mine but I never had to use them since my cable installations were correct and precise to begin with.

i can't seem to find the inline cable adjuster. can you post a pic of it?

i can't seem to find the inline cable adjuster. can you post a pic of it?


http://www.thethirdhand.com/index.cgi?d=single&c=Cable/Casing&sc=Barrel%20Adjusters&tc=&item_id=LS-1404RB&id=32098487053

Cable adjuster are not necessary with bar end shifters.....like the Nike add says, Just Do It.

Shift to the smallest ring and the smallest cog. Screw the barrel adjuster on the rear derailer all the way in and back it out one turn. All you should need to do is make sure you install the cables mostly taught and use the barrel adjuster to make the final adjustment. Do you have a barrel adjuster for the front derailer on the frame? Use that to make the final adjustments to the front derailer.

blast.. i got the shimano ultegra bar end shifters now. i see that they've included a adjusting barrel. however, according to the instructions, i am suppose to install it on a "Brazed on boss", but on my sirrus there is none. not even a hole where i can mount it on there on the downtube either. what should i do? am i screwed?

Cable adjuster are not necessary with bar end shifters.....like the Nike add says, Just Do It.

werd? if not nesscessary, then how will u adjust it later? i have a cable adjuster on the rear deraileur.. but none in the front. since i don't have a brazed on boss.. i think i'll gonna drill a holl in my bull horn bar to mount the cable stopper there.

werd? if not nesscessary, then how will u adjust it later? i have a cable adjuster on the rear deraileur.. but none in the front. since i don't have a brazed on boss.. i think i'll gonna drill a holl in my bull horn bar to mount the cable stopper there.

Put down the drill and slowly back away! Now slow down a minute, maybe switch to decaf, and think through what you are doing.

Cable tension adjustment for your REAR derailleur has to be pretty well spot on because your shifter has a little indent for every cog in the back. That's not a problem because your rear derailleur has a cable adjuster built into it.

Cable tension for your FRONT derailleur, when you are using bar end shifters, is NOT a big deal. That's because your front shifter works on kind of an analog principal. It doesn't have the gear detents like your rear sihfter. Just pull the cable taut with your needle nose pliers, tighten the anchor bolt and you're good to go. You don't have to worry about how you are going to adjust it later because you'll probably never have to readjust it.

Put down the drill and slowly back away! Now slow down a minute, maybe switch to decaf, and think through what you are doing.

Cable tension adjustment for your REAR derailleur has to be pretty well spot on because your shifter has a little indent for every cog in the back. That's not a problem because your rear derailleur has a cable adjuster built into it.

Cable tension for your FRONT derailleur, when you are using bar end shifters, is NOT a big deal. That's because your front shifter works on kind of an analog principal. It doesn't have the gear detents like your rear sihfter. Just pull the cable taut with your needle nose pliers, tighten the anchor bolt and you're good to go. You don't have to worry about how you are going to adjust it later because you'll probably never have to readjust it.

thanks retro... in fact.. i did put the drill down.. couldn't bring myself to do it. so in the end, i drove about 35mins to the lbs i bought the bike from, they are my favorite one, and have to do a tune up while getting them to install the parts for me. total cost they charged me is $60 and that for future tune ups, it'll be free anyways. so in the end... i was only able to install the bullhorn handle bar with the TT brake lever and then install my C2 aero bar. the rest is up to the pros.

Yup. Modifying a bicycle with parts that weren't made to work together can be fun. When you get finished, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that no one else has one exactly like it. Sometimes, however, the details can get frustrating.

Cable adjuster are not necessary with bar end shifters Uhmm, how, then, do you calibrate the click-stops to their corresponding der positions wrt the cogs?

Yup. Modifying a bicycle with parts that weren't made to work together can be fun. When you get finished, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that no one else has one exactly like it. Sometimes, however, the details can get frustrating.

retro.. yup.. i agree. it's actually very fun and addicting. but unfornately tool are limited for me, all i have are tools for my car.. lol. anyway, i did as much as i could and the rest, i'll leave it to the pros. i can't wait till monday... cuz that's when they will be done with the adjustments for me and part of the installs. so can't wait... me being anxious again... sigh!

rui :p

Thank you all for your help! Special thanks to Blast, Fixer and Retro for all your help. My Sirrus is done now. You can check my sig to see the pictures. I also posted in the "What Road Bike You Have" section.

Thanks again!
rui :p