Koonstheman

Greetings: running a 53/39 with a Campy Centaur derailleur in the front and in the back. Here is a combination of issues I am having. Maybe because there are several, someone will see a pattern and there is a common cause:

• In either chainring, the smallest sprocket in the rear won't deliver.

Large Chainring

• Largest two sprockets in rear rub on inner guide plate. Obviously this isn't a particularly useful gear combo, but it may provide a clue.

Small Chainring

• Third and second smallest sprockets rub on the outer guide plate.

Nothing appears bent to the naked eye. Thanks for any pointers.

Regards
John

Andrew R Stewart 

Der limit screws might not be well set. Cable tensions might be off. Cable friction might be high. Also check the cable for fraying in the lever. Andy (who will add the universal claims of hanger alignment and chain line just to cover one's rear)

frankenmike 

All those sound like adjustment issues. This is a great opportunity to learn how to set up and adjust your drivetrain. I would start by unfastening the cables. Limit screws next, finally cable attachment and barrel adjustment. You got this man!

Koonstheman

Michael, my good friend - the odds of my succeeding with that are longer than spotting Neowise with the naked eye. And I doubt my telescope will work well down in my drivetrain.
On a less serious note, if the chain isn't falling off the rings, is that not a sign to stay away from the limit screws?

frankenmike 

Not necessarily.

Retro Grouch 

Oh good! I get an opportunity to disagree with Andrew Stewart.

Was it ever right? Once correctly set, derailleur limit screws seldom need to be readjusted. Whenever I encounter a rear shifting issue that doesn't respond to normal cable tension adjustments, the first thing that I check is the derailleur hanger alignment. Most times, that's it.

shelbyfv

What does this mean?

Koonstheman

Can't get the chain onto it.

madpogue 

That ^^^^^ does sound like a limit screw issue. It's not allowing the rear mech to travel to the right (outward) far enough to deliver the chain to the smallest cog.

As for the rubbing, don't worry about the large/large or small/small combinations, since you're not supposed to use them anyway. Beyond that, the angle of the front derailleur relative to the frame may be wrong, presuming it's a band-on derailleur.

How many speeds is the rear?

Andrew R Stewart 

Many have and more will. Sometimes they will be right too

I agree that needed info is lacking, hence my wide paint brush reply. while a very possible reason the rear der isn't right I will say that rear der hanger alignment generally doesn't have much to do with chain rub on the frt der cage. This is likely one of those situations where an experienced person will see reasons in only a few minutes if allowed to have hands on. I also think there's enough not right with this bike to have a number of theories prove out. Andy

Koonstheman

So I did get the chain to the lowest sprocket through a limit screw adjustment. Now, in essence, it seems to me that the cage plate in the front

is simply pushed too far inward and I have to somehow loosen the derailleur and rotate the plate. I hope the picture I attached demonstrates this..