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Old 08-15-22, 05:43 AM
  #11  
Kai Winters
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Northern NY...Brownville
Posts: 2,556

Bikes: Specialized Aethos, Specialized Diverge Comp E5

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Always a good policy to start at the beginning when investigating/remediating shifting problems.
Disconnect all cables and remove rear der. from hanger.
Check rear der. hanger alignment...once done reinstall der. Make sure to add a bit of grease to the inner threads of the hanger. Make sure to check that the hanger bolts are tight.
While the cable is disconnected hold the end in one hand and shift up and down the scale to get a feel for the cable movement...is it stiff and clunky or nice and smooth. I usually always replace the cable and housing because it is an inexpensive way to assure of smooth shifting.
I always spray or drip lubricant in the shifter mechanism. Some Shimano shifters, especially the thumb/finger shifters dry out and the shifting doesn't work properly.
Make sure all barrel adjusters are nearly all the way in...I usually leave several threads exposed because I prefer to over tighten the cable just a tad and back off the adjuster rather than use it to tighten the adjuster.
Reinstall the cable, check H/L limit screws...carefully shift up the gears so the chain doesn't come off on the easiest gear...check and adjust limit screw as needed...check B limit screw, adjust as needed.
I do all my cable tension adjustments with the chain on the big chain ring for a 2 or 3 by crank...obviously only one chain ring on a 1 by...but just saying.
I also shift the rear derailleur to the second from the bottom gear...the bottom being the gear with the fewest teeth. I adjust the cable tension until the chain just starts rubbing the next gear up the line then back it off until it is quiet. I run the der. up and down the gears watching for how fast, cleanly and smoothly it shifts. Often, especially as the parts age and wear, you may have to find the happy medium to fast, clean and smooth shifting. I prefer fast, clean and smooth down shifting, from the largest to the smallest gear, it is easier to overshift just a tad when shifting up but it is annoying when shifting down for the der. to hang for a few seconds until it drops down to the next gear.
I always clean the chain, new or old, as well as spraying the derailleurs to clean and lube...lots of gunk can make a bit of a sticky shifting der. then lube and wipe off excess lube after allowing it to soak it in for usually 10 minutes...just a number I've always used.
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