cmcanulty

I have a weird issue. If I need to get on the small chainring I have to shift from large directly to small and there is plenty of clearance for all rear gears. It will never shift from the middle chainring to the low though. The low screw for front is all the way backed out. By the way it used to work fine with the same parts.

dsbrantjr

Make certain that your cable is not beginning to fray inside your shifter/brifter, or elsewhere. Check this anytime there is s sudden change in shifting characteristics. Getting a broken-off cable out of a e.g. Shimano brifter is exquisite torture.

fietsbob

Assuming you have brifters.. of course, since that was not said.

bikernew

Have you checked(changed) index adjustment, using barrel adjuster for the FD?

RubeRad

Also check alignment, it sounds to me like the kind of symptom that could occur if the cage is rotated a little outboard. It needs to be completely parallel to the chainrings, and the bottom curve of the cage swinging as close as possible to the teeth of the big ring (like 1-2mm clearance).

cmcanulty

I will check the alignment maybe it changed a little when the bike fell over sometime. It's not the shifter as it is an old 70s bike with friction shifters

cny-bikeman

Most are familiar with chain "stretch," but as chains wear they are also more flexible side to side, and that will definitely affect shifting, particularly on the smaller chainrings. You may also find a bit more rattling when shifting up to the larger ring. Push your chain to the side halfway between chainring and cassette and compare to a new chain.

trailangel

Clean it.
Shift faster.... throw the shifter all the way at once.

zebede

Disconnect cable. Adjust height and rotation. Operate by hand and adjust limit screws. Reattach cable with shifter in low and chain on small ring.

I guess current problem is cable limits travel not screw. Probably attached cable with chain on middle. The big to small works due to momentum.