evancds

When I adjust rear derailleurs I try to get the tightest, working setting on the stand, but I always end up having to loosen the cable to get good shifting on the road. Is this common or am I doing something wrong? And if this is common, why bother adjusting it on the stand at all?

Rev.Chuck

Sometimes the der.s work a little different under load.
You set it up in a stand because it is quicker to do the first 99% of adjustment with the bike in front of you.

HillRider

Final tuning on the road is almost always necessary. The loads on the drive train while riding can't be duplicated on a work stand. The adjustment you get on the stand is "close but no cigar" and usually has to be refined in real road service.

thePest

IS this an Index sis or Friction {hunt an peck}

MrCjolsen

I actually use a stationary trainer as a workstand for most of my repairs. Even then, when I ride on the trainer (where there is some resistance), the drivetrain behaves differently than on the road.

terry b

I do all my tuning on the stand and I never have to do any on the road. Take your time, follow the instructions and redo it a couple of times. No reason (aside from rear suspension induced whackiness on MTBs) that what works on the stand should not work exactly the same way out on the road.

FRANKIEJ

I've also noticed that rider weight has a bit to do with this, in my opinion. I recently lost 185 pounds. When I weighed 370 pounds, I would have the problems that you stated and always have to loosen my derailluer cable after stand adjustment. Now that I weigh 185 pounds, I still sometimes have to do a bit of the "Hoosier windage" on the cable adjustment, but it's significantly less and sometimes completely unnecessary. I attribute this to frame flex (particularly in the chainstay area).

San Rensho 

If you have STI shifters, theres always an adjuster that you can turn as you are riding, to give the final tweak to the stand adjustment.

evancds

Yea I have STI shifters, and use the barrel to make the final adjustment, but it would be nice if it worked perfectly right off the stand. Do bike shop mechanics have to ride every bike after they tune the derailleur?

terry b

What do you think?

I have two bikes without barrel adjusters - how do you suppose I make them work properly? Said it above and I'll say it again - read the instructions, take your time and do it right. If you do that, you'll never have to make another adjustment. Trust me.

rmfnla

The clue here is "tightest, working setting".

Once you've gotten to that point back off a click or two; the "sweet spot" is between that tight setting and "too loose".

Developing that feel is what defines an accomplished wrench.

Bikewer

I agree, there's a certain art to DR adjustment. When I've got it "right", the chain almost seems to leap from cog to cog, and seats instantly and positively.

tellyho

I have the same experience with stand vs. road adjustment. Always have to do a little extra tweking on the road after I've worked on it in the stand.