Adjusting front/rear derailers with front having 3 cogs?
05-17-10, 06:06 PM
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Adjusting front/rear derailers with front having 3 cogs?
I've watched some videos on youtube about adjusting front and rear derailers but I didn't see any of them that covered having 3 front cogs and was wondering if someone could possibly help me out?
I'm new to bikes...but I'm mechanically inclined and love to do things myself if possible...the videos showing how to do it with 2 front cogs seemed straight forward and quite simple.
If I can't figure it out I will take it to a shop for a tune up..but if I can do it myself I will save money.
I'm new to bikes...but I'm mechanically inclined and love to do things myself if possible...the videos showing how to do it with 2 front cogs seemed straight forward and quite simple.
If I can't figure it out I will take it to a shop for a tune up..but if I can do it myself I will save money.
05-17-10, 06:13 PM
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Cogs are in the back, as a part of the cassette. Chainrings are in the front. research how to adjust the front derailleur for a triple. adjusting the rear derailleur is independent of how many chainrings are in front.
05-17-10, 06:22 PM
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Set up the rear derailleur (RD) as you've learned. For the front:
To adjust the inner chainring position: With the chain on the largest cog and inner chainring, and front derailleur (FD) cable detached, adjust the low (L) limit screw so that the chain just barely clears the inner cage plate of the FD while pedaling. Turning the screw clockwise (CW) will make the inner plate get closer to the chain and turning it counter-clockwise (CCW) will make it get further.
To adjust the middle chainring position: Turn in (CW) any cable barrel adjusters all the way, then back them each off a half-turn or so.
Attach the FD cable taught (but not too tight). (Make sue the shifter is in the inner chainring position first.)
While spinning the crank, shift into the middle chainring (make sure you're not in the "trim" position if using a road shifter).
Adjust the cable tension so that you don't get any rubbing while in either the largest or smallest cogs in back. Turning a barrel adjuster CW will move the FD cage toward the frame and CCW moves it away from the frame. It can be difficult to turn the barrel adjuster CCW because you're fighting the cable's tension; before turning CCW try temporarily shifting the shifter into the inner chainring position (no need to actually move the chain there), turn the barrel, then shift back and check. If your shifter does have the trim position, then shift into that when adjusting the FD for the smallest cog.
To adjust the outer chainring position: Shift into the smallest cog and largest chainring. Adjust the high (H) limit screw so that the chain just barely clears the outer cage plate of the FD while pedaling. Turning the screw CW will make the outer plate get closer to the chain and turning it CCW will make it get further (before seeing this effect, you may need to push on the upshift lever a bit).
To adjust the inner chainring position: With the chain on the largest cog and inner chainring, and front derailleur (FD) cable detached, adjust the low (L) limit screw so that the chain just barely clears the inner cage plate of the FD while pedaling. Turning the screw clockwise (CW) will make the inner plate get closer to the chain and turning it counter-clockwise (CCW) will make it get further.
To adjust the middle chainring position: Turn in (CW) any cable barrel adjusters all the way, then back them each off a half-turn or so.
Attach the FD cable taught (but not too tight). (Make sue the shifter is in the inner chainring position first.)
While spinning the crank, shift into the middle chainring (make sure you're not in the "trim" position if using a road shifter).
Adjust the cable tension so that you don't get any rubbing while in either the largest or smallest cogs in back. Turning a barrel adjuster CW will move the FD cage toward the frame and CCW moves it away from the frame. It can be difficult to turn the barrel adjuster CCW because you're fighting the cable's tension; before turning CCW try temporarily shifting the shifter into the inner chainring position (no need to actually move the chain there), turn the barrel, then shift back and check. If your shifter does have the trim position, then shift into that when adjusting the FD for the smallest cog.
To adjust the outer chainring position: Shift into the smallest cog and largest chainring. Adjust the high (H) limit screw so that the chain just barely clears the outer cage plate of the FD while pedaling. Turning the screw CW will make the outer plate get closer to the chain and turning it CCW will make it get further (before seeing this effect, you may need to push on the upshift lever a bit).
Last edited by JiveTurkey; 05-17-10 at 06:26 PM.
05-17-10, 07:48 PM
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Adjusting an FD for a triple can be a bit maddening - doesn't always work the first time. Be patient. Start over, if necessary, follow the steps above, and eventually you'll get it just right.
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05-17-10, 08:05 PM
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A key point to adjusting front derailleurs is the position of the derailleur on the seatpost. If that's off, even by a little, you can spend hours fiddling and never get it right.
My advice is to go to the Park Tool website and pull up their step-by-step instructions. Start at the very beginning as if you are installing the derailleur for the first time. Be sure to do the steps in order because each adjustment that you make can affect subsequent adjustments.
My advice is to go to the Park Tool website and pull up their step-by-step instructions. Start at the very beginning as if you are installing the derailleur for the first time. Be sure to do the steps in order because each adjustment that you make can affect subsequent adjustments.
05-17-10, 08:24 PM
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This is Africa, 1943. War spits out its violence overhead and the sandy graveyard swallows it up. Her name is King Nine, B-25, medium bomber, Twelfth Air Force. On a hot, still morning she took off from Tunisia to bomb the southern tip of Italy. An errant piece of flak tore a hole in a wing tank and, like a wounded bird, this is where she landed, not to return on this day, or any other day.
05-17-10, 09:04 PM
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Thanks fellas...hopefully I can give this a shot this week...if I fail I will just take it to a bike shop...but really no harm in trying it myself first.....I noticed today when going through all my gears that the middle chain ring had some noise in it...guessing the chain was maybe rubbing something somewhere.
05-17-10, 09:33 PM
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A key point to adjusting front derailleurs is the position of the derailleur on the seatpost. If that's off, even by a little, you can spend hours fiddling and never get it right.
My advice is to go to the Park Tool website and pull up their step-by-step instructions. Start at the very beginning as if you are installing the derailleur for the first time. Be sure to do the steps in order because each adjustment that you make can affect subsequent adjustments.
My advice is to go to the Park Tool website and pull up their step-by-step instructions. Start at the very beginning as if you are installing the derailleur for the first time. Be sure to do the steps in order because each adjustment that you make can affect subsequent adjustments.
The initial setup for a triple is the same as for a double.
Shimano road triple shifters have 4 main positions. The middle two are used when the chain is on the middle chainring. This provides trimming to avoid chainrub on the front derailleur.
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