Triple crank set shifting problems
 

Guys,

I have a entry level 2006 Trek Pilot that I love with the exception of the way the front chainring shifts. I had the bike back to the dealer many times for adjustments and it has never really worked like I think it should. I was told that all triples are finicky, don't shift well, it is the nature of the beast, long throw blah blah blah. Last night I was riding with a guy who has a Cannondale Triple and his bike shifted fine all of the time. Mine takes forever to get into the big chainring you have to hold the shift lever while pedaling and shifting the rear to the smallest cog to help pull the chain up the chainring. Downshifting is as bad because it will not come out of the upper ring when you click the shifter once, you have to hit it down twice and up once to get enough throw to pull it down you have to do this quickly or it will throw the chain off the small chainring. The shifters are Sora and the front derailleur is Shimano 2203.

Anyone else have this problem? I have tried adjusting this until I am blue in the face and I cannot get it right. Do you think this is a component (shifter / Derailleur) problem or adjustments? I know the Cannondale I rode with last night had Ultegra components and had no problems.

chevy57

It sounds like the indexing or the cable tension is not adjusted properly. Check out the instructions at http://www.parktool.com .

For what it's worth, I had a Trek 1000 with the same components and it shifted well. Last year I got a Trek 5000 with Ultegra FD and RD and a Bontrager triple. That bike never shifted well until I replaced the crank with a Shiman R600 compact. Now it shifts great.

I can't pinpoint an exact reason, but I have a Trek 1000 Triple with Shimano Sora components that also has the same problem. I just live with it.

My 2000 with 105's is finicky. I had to sit and mess around with it for a good hour one day...do the initial adjustments and then you may need to tweak it and turn the barrel adjuster a little. I've also come to realize that some gear combos just don't work well...

Also when I first started I was using the big gear quite a bit and my cadence was way low, now I only use it when I'm goin down a hill. I usually cruise in the middle gears.

Follow the Park Tool instruction exactly, starting from the very beginning. That will take some time, but it should work every time. Once your derailleurs are adjusted properly, they should stay that way for months or years with little effort.

First of all, get a new LBS. Any bike mechanic that can spell his or her name correctly should be able to adjust a triple.

Park tools, Sheldon, and Shimano all have easy step by step instructions that work very well.

There is one thing that will cause the exact symptoms that you are describing. I tried to find a picture for you, but no luck. There is a little tab near where the cable retaining screw is that looks all the world like the cable is supposed to go under it. The cable goes on top and it basically causes a geometry change as the der goes through its range.

My roommate has a 2006 Pilot 1.0 with a 52/42/30 front. There is no trim on the front derailleur so it's a no win effort no matter how much it's adjusted. It's plain noisy, protests upshifts and grinds in too many combos.

My Chorus/Comp 53/42/30 triple works great since the Campagnolo design allows you to micro index the front. With higher price comes better performance unfortunately.

youtube, search 'front derailleur'

why are you riding a triple? get a double man. lol

Normally I would say that it comes down to adjustment and yes triples are hard to get just right but to be honest Shimano 2203 deraileurs have a VERY bad reputation and deservedly so. Sora front shifters aren't great either. I have a triple setup that works just fine although it took a little work to get it just right but its Ultegra components, not cheap ones.

Regards, Anthony

Guys,

I read through the Park website and found that the front derailleur was almost a 1/4 inch higher than it should have been. I lowered it and reset the limits and it now shifts through all 3 chainrings. I agree that the components are cheap, but they should work. This was the first road bike I ever bought and I bought it because I couldn't run for 8 months due to reconstructive surgery. If I knew I was going to get hooked on cycling I would have bought a better bike. I will upgrade in the next year or two. Thanks for the help.

chevy57