gear indexing low-end vs mid to high-end components
05-29-19, 05:23 PM
#1
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gear indexing low-end vs mid to high-end components
I've only worked on 3 bikes, and all have low-end Shimano components. When indexing the gears, it's very hard to find the sweet spot of cable tension where shifting into nearly all of the gears works well. I'm not talking about the extreme gearing combinations like simultaneously running in the largest chain ring and the smallest cog on the cassette. These are problems I have with shifting into or out of cogs a step or two up from the highest or lowest positions on the cassette when on the middle of 3 chain rings.
I often doubt whether a sweet spot of cable tension exists at all with the low-end RDs, chains and cassettes on these bikes. An 1/8 of a turn of the barrel adjuster in one direction, and the chain shifts smoothly down from the 7th cog to the 6th, but the shift up from the 2nd to the 3rd or the 3rd to the 4th is noisy and sloppy. An 1/8 of a turn in the other direction, and the reverse of the above problems occurs. Then I start fiddling with less than 1/8 turns in either direction and am still not getting smooth shifting. It's a bit frustrating.
And these aren't old, dirty or poorly-maintained RDs, cassettes, chains or cables.
Are these kinds of problems characteristic of low-end components? If I pick up some Shimano 105 or better components will I likely have a very different experience?
I often doubt whether a sweet spot of cable tension exists at all with the low-end RDs, chains and cassettes on these bikes. An 1/8 of a turn of the barrel adjuster in one direction, and the chain shifts smoothly down from the 7th cog to the 6th, but the shift up from the 2nd to the 3rd or the 3rd to the 4th is noisy and sloppy. An 1/8 of a turn in the other direction, and the reverse of the above problems occurs. Then I start fiddling with less than 1/8 turns in either direction and am still not getting smooth shifting. It's a bit frustrating.
And these aren't old, dirty or poorly-maintained RDs, cassettes, chains or cables.
Are these kinds of problems characteristic of low-end components? If I pick up some Shimano 105 or better components will I likely have a very different experience?
05-29-19, 06:06 PM
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The higher end components work better. I still file the cable housing square and burr free and use Jigwire insert type ferrules. I have had good luck with replacing the cable housing at the derailleur with compression less housing on low end parts. This has improved the shifting.
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05-29-19, 06:09 PM
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The higher end components work better. I still file the cable housing square and burr free and use Jigwire insert type ferrules. I have had good luck with replacing the cable housing at the derailleur with compression less housing on low end parts. This has improved the shifting.
05-29-19, 06:15 PM
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I've only worked on 3 bikes, and all have low-end Shimano components. When indexing the gears, it's very hard to find the sweet spot of cable tension where shifting into nearly all of the gears works well. I'm not talking about the extreme gearing combinations like simultaneously running in the largest chain ring and the smallest cog on the cassette. These are problems I have with shifting into or out of cogs a step or two up from the highest or lowest positions on the cassette when on the middle of 3 chain rings.
I often doubt whether a sweet spot of cable tension exists at all with the low-end RDs, chains and cassettes on these bikes. An 1/8 of a turn of the barrel adjuster in one direction, and the chain shifts smoothly down from the 7th cog to the 6th, but the shift up from the 2nd to the 3rd or the 3rd to the 4th is noisy and sloppy. An 1/8 of a turn in the other direction, and the reverse of the above problems occurs. Then I start fiddling with less than 1/8 turns in either direction and am still not getting smooth shifting. It's a bit frustrating.
And these aren't old, dirty or poorly-maintained RDs, cassettes, chains or cables.
Are these kinds of problems characteristic of low-end components? If I pick up some Shimano 105 or better components will I likely have a very different experience?
I often doubt whether a sweet spot of cable tension exists at all with the low-end RDs, chains and cassettes on these bikes. An 1/8 of a turn of the barrel adjuster in one direction, and the chain shifts smoothly down from the 7th cog to the 6th, but the shift up from the 2nd to the 3rd or the 3rd to the 4th is noisy and sloppy. An 1/8 of a turn in the other direction, and the reverse of the above problems occurs. Then I start fiddling with less than 1/8 turns in either direction and am still not getting smooth shifting. It's a bit frustrating.
And these aren't old, dirty or poorly-maintained RDs, cassettes, chains or cables.
Are these kinds of problems characteristic of low-end components? If I pick up some Shimano 105 or better components will I likely have a very different experience?
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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05-30-19, 09:48 AM
#6
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I've not had problems with my 8 speed RDER's shifting 9 speed cassettes.
Your problem still sounds like a cable that is "sticky".
Whenever I've had that same problem, cable cleaning & lube fixed it.
Your problem still sounds like a cable that is "sticky".
Whenever I've had that same problem, cable cleaning & lube fixed it.
05-30-19, 10:00 AM
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Alternate cable routing at the RD anchor may help, as it will slightly alter the total actuation.
See mid-page:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/drivetrain-mixing.shtml
See mid-page:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/drivetrain-mixing.shtml
05-30-19, 02:36 PM
#8
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In my experience, I've always been impressed by how well the cheaper shimano components can work. I also feel that 7 and 8 speed indexing is more forgiving than 9, 10,11 speeds as far as adjustments. I don't know that I would automatically blame the rear derailleur until eliminating other possibilities. Many of the possibilities have been mentioned. Sometimes its good to start from the beginning. There are plenty of good videos that will show one how. I had similar symptoms with a 9 speed Deore derailleur(a much better quality mech) and adjusting the B screw fixed it.
05-30-19, 05:15 PM
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Thanks for the input, folks! I'll give these ideas a try and see how it goes.
05-30-19, 08:04 PM
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No name unramped freewheels don't help
