Hmmm

Hi all,

I am very inexperienced in bike mechanics and am in need of learning how to index my gears on my own. It's not something I want to run to a shop for every time my shifting gets off. I've tried to index before and am having a hard time figuring it all out.

I'm running SRAM Apex 1x on a 2018 Giant TCX.

I've learned that I'm supposed to put the chain in the smallest cog and set the low limit, then the largest cog and set the high limit. Then use the barrel adjuster to fine tune the steps in-between each cog. I've watched videos but can't seem to get this right and am posting here.

The problem is, I can't figure out which screw is the high and low on the derailleur. There is no label. The other issue I'm running into, I'm not seeing the derailleur move when I change the high or low limit screws. Am I supposed to see it move into place? As of now the high limit is too high, the low is maybe a little low. I can only see the derailleur move when I move the barrel adjuster.

I will say, prior to these gears getting off they worked very well. I had a problem while attempting a nasty cobbled section of road when my derailleur jammed forward. Once put back into place everything worked fine, it just seems to need some tuning help.

Thanks in advanced. I know this is such a basic thing. I would like to learn how to take care of this bike on my own and I will start with learning how to index properly.

Hmmm

Ok, standby. Just figured out the H and L limiter screws. Maybe posting this was a mistake.

Le Mechanic

I converted my gravel/commuter bike using Rival 1x. I made a video of the process, which is the same for apex..

leob1

This makes me think it may not be just an indexing problem. Did the jamming bend the derailer hanger? Even what would seem to be a slight bend can make your shifting wonky.

Hmmm

I'm worried that might be it. I set the H and L and spent a lot of time adjusting the tension at each cog. It shifted wonderfully with me off the bike. This mornings ride didn't go so well. Little jumps here and there, no matter what I did I couldn't get it to sit still. It would hold a gear ok but when I looked down the chain would twitch either up the cassette or down, not a full shift but almost be pulled slightly in one direction.

Would a shop be able to help with a bent derailleur hanger? Or cage? What's next if I can't get the chain to sit well on the cogs?

02Giant 

Align the derailleur jockey wheels to the low cog, then the high cog, pushing it to it's limit (by hand) without the chain and without the cable attached. Install the chain on the high cog, attach the shift cable with the shifter in the high cog position, if needed tweek the high and low limits.
You don't adjust the barrel(tension) adjuster on each cog.

Hmmm

Thank you for this help. I found that one side of a link in the chain is broken and I am sure that is part of the problem, causing the jumping from cog to cog. I am sure it needs to be further indexed.

Thanks guys for all the help.