'81 Schwinn World Sport: derailleur help please!
05-10-10, 09:44 AM
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'81 Schwinn World Sport: derailleur help please!
I'll start off by saying I'm a complete novice, I know hardly anything about bikes or riding, save what I learned in about 4 hours of research lastnite. That said, I bought this bike for $50 off Craigslist to commute to work. I was cleaning it yesterday and in my haste in taking apart the derailleur to clean it, I believe I either reassembled it wrong or it's not affixed to the bike in the original manner. While it rides ok around the block ok, the chain doesn't appear to have much tension on it, a reason for concern if I'm going to be 4-5 miles from home. Would anyone kindly have pictures or diagrams of how this is supposed to look? Help would be greatly appreciated since I need it on the road to go to work in the morning! Pics available if needed
edit: one other thing. when I took apart the derailleur I removed a spring that determines the "springiness" of the device. there were three holes (which I'm assuming are performance settings) the spring could be inserted in, all with varying levels of tension on the spring. how do I know if my setting is correct?
edit: one other thing. when I took apart the derailleur I removed a spring that determines the "springiness" of the device. there were three holes (which I'm assuming are performance settings) the spring could be inserted in, all with varying levels of tension on the spring. how do I know if my setting is correct?
Last edited by given.am; 05-10-10 at 11:07 AM.
05-10-10, 09:54 AM
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Bikes: Mercier Kilo WT 2009, Fuji Sunfire 1.0 2009, Schwinn Traveler 1988, Cannondale SR 500 1988, Giant Boulder MTB 1989, Trek 800 1997, Schwinn Speedster 1968, Schwinn Collegiate 1974, Schwinn Varsity 1962, Raleigh Three Speed 1971, and 3 cruisers.
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If the bike has the old style rear dropout, just pull the rear wheel towards the rear and make sure the chain is taught.
The mark should still be there from all the years of riding.
The mark should still be there from all the years of riding.
05-10-10, 10:13 AM
#3
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Post some pic, or visit the patron saint of bike lore, www.sheldonbrown.com, see if that clears things up.
05-10-10, 11:02 AM
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Post some pic, or visit the patron saint of bike lore, www.sheldonbrown.com, see if that clears things up.
05-10-10, 08:06 PM
#5
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I have that same derailleur. never messed with the internals so i cant help you re. the spring. but if the chain is slack you can just loosen the bold and rotate the whole derailler in the dropout until it tightens up to where you want it.
that said. before i realized this i rode it a little slack for a while and never had a problem
that said. before i realized this i rode it a little slack for a while and never had a problem
05-10-10, 08:13 PM
#6
Mechanic/Tourist
I would suggest you put the spring in the middle hole and screw in the screw your picture shows at the rear of the derailleur just below the top pivot until the derailleur body is approximately parallel to the chainstay (easier if you pull back on the derailleur as you turn in the adjustment screw). That will increase the chain tension as well as allow the derailleur to shift better.
05-11-10, 10:31 AM
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I have that same derailleur. never messed with the internals so i cant help you re. the spring. but if the chain is slack you can just loosen the bold and rotate the whole derailler in the dropout until it tightens up to where you want it.
that said. before i realized this i rode it a little slack for a while and never had a problem
that said. before i realized this i rode it a little slack for a while and never had a problem
I would suggest you put the spring in the middle hole and screw in the screw your picture shows at the rear of the derailleur just below the top pivot until the derailleur body is approximately parallel to the chainstay (easier if you pull back on the derailleur as you turn in the adjustment screw). That will increase the chain tension as well as allow the derailleur to shift better.
Last edited by given.am; 05-11-10 at 10:34 AM.
05-11-10, 11:23 AM
#8
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how can I rotate the entire derailleur in the dropout since that screw is screwed into the dropout as well? I'm thinking I screwed it in in the wrong spot and that's my problem all along. I tried affixing the screw to the hole in the frame (identical on both sides) but it wouldn't stay on. I don't know how I managed to make such a seemingly elementary problem turn so complex.
though, if all else fails .. you might try removing that extra screw, rotating the whole thing and letting the axle bolt keep it in place. seems to stay in place in mine that way. might be worth a shot if the spring alone cant get you tensioned correct.
Last edited by Chris Chicago; 05-11-10 at 11:27 AM.
05-13-10, 07:17 AM
#10
Mechanic/Tourist
Absolutely do not rotate the derailleur mounting plate - that raises the derailleur pivot, changing the geometry from what it was designed to be. Besides, who wants the derailleur to fall off every time you remove the rear wheel? Only tension the spring further if the chain is still slack after adusting the position of the body using the screw I mentioned.
