otakux

Hi, i've recently assembled my bike, and i find that my cables seem to be loose. The bike shifts but when i put my finger and pull back, the cables seem to be lax and do not go back to their original place. Is this normal, or how do I tighten my cables?

joejack951

What type of bike and shifters?

otakux

Road bike, Sram force shifters

joejack951

Do you have downtube barrel adjusters on your frame? If not, you'll want to get an inline adjuster for at least the front derailler (some may disagree but I find this setup so much easier to work with). The rear derailler should have a barrel adjuster built into it to tension the cable.

Now, all of this assumes you routed the cables correctly in the first place. Cables can bind in the housing from too sharp of bends. I've never installed SRAM shifters but with their under the tape cable routing, I imagine it can be tricky to get smooth bends on all cables. Did you follow the factory instructions for routing the cable and housing? Did you install a bottom bracket cable guide? Did you clean up the ends of any trimmed housing to make the ends flat?

otakux

The housing and cables are fine, no kinks clean cuts. But if you could explain what barrel adjusters, and how to use them. that would help greatly.

joejack951

Forgive me for being skeptical, but if you don't know what barrel adjusters are I'm not sure how much progress I'm going to be able to make with this issue over the internet. Do you have a local bike shop to which you could bring the bike to review your cable installation?

Inline Barrel adjusters:



Downtube cable stops:



Your bike should either have one or the other. These are used to adjust cable tension which is necessary for proper indexing when shifting. Too little tension and your shifts won't complete or will be slow. Too much tension you won't be able to shift into the smallest cog or chainring.

otakux

oh wow thanks that helped a lot. one last question, does the front derailleur come with a barrel adjuster or is that supposed to be with the housing?

joejack951

Downtube cable stops might come with your SRAM shifters but never having installed a set, I can't say for sure. They come with all Shimano shifters. Inline adjusters would normally be available separately from the derailler and the housing, though again, there's a chance they'd come with the shifters but I don't know with SRAM. Did you buy these shifters new or used?

otakux

used, and bought jagwire cables and housing, so im pretty sure they didnt come. The only adjusters came on the rear derailleur and cable stops came on the brakes

Al1943

If you are able to shift in and out of all gear combinations your cables cannot be very loose.

Barrel adjusters are for fine tuning the shifting performance.

I suggest that you go to https://www.parktool.com
Find the instructions for setting up shifters. Go through all of the steps in proper sequence. Leave nothing out.

Al

otakux

thanks. thats exactly where i got the instructions to install the groupset. but now my problem is i have chainrub on my front derailleur when i get on the big ring and smallest cog

bikinfool

Try readjusting your front derailleur then...with the help of the parktool instructions. You don't have slack on the front derailleur cable in the big ring, do you?

Al1943

With the chain on the smallest chainring and largest cassette cog there should be no slack in the cable. Flip the smaller shift lever several times to make sure all of the cable is out of the shifter. If there is slack loosen the cable at the derailleur and pull the slack out.

With the chain on the big chainring and smallest cog check the adjustment of the high limit screw according to the Park instructions.

otakux

ok everyone thanks