Gear AdjustmentUpdated 7 months ago
Getting your gears running smoothly is essential to enjoying a good ride, in this handy guide we will show you how.
Rear derailleur
This derailleur is the SRAM Force 1, and you will need the following tools:
- 3mm allen/hex key
- 4mm allen/hex key
- Pliers, we prefer needle nose for this task
Shift into the smallest gear by turning the pedals and allowing the chain to go onto the smallest cog on the cassette. Undo the cable pinch bolt using the 4mm hex key.
If there is a cable adjuster on the gear lever body, or the derailleur body, screw it almost all the way in and then back it off 3 or 4 turns.
Check the derailleur stop by adjusting the H limit screw using the 3mm hex key. Make sure the H stop is set by aligning the chain with the smallest cog.
Pull through the slack of the cable and tighten the pinch bolt securing the cable in place. We like to use needle nose pliers to hold the cable taut.
Start to move up the gears adjusting the tension with the barrel adjuster on the derailleur. To add more tension screw anti-clockwise, for less tension turn the adjuster clockwise. The gears should be smooth and not wanting to jump into the next above/below cog.
Once in the biggest cog, check the L limit screw is set correctly. This ensures the chain/derailleur will not go into the wheel. Screw in clockwise to set the stop tighter, and anticlockwise to make the limit stop slacker.
Adjust the B limit screw this should be set at the manufactures recommendation to optimise gear performance. On this derailleur, the chain jockey wheel should be around 1 cm or a fingertip from the biggest cassette ring.
Front derailleur
Front derailleurs can be scary for a lot of people but once you have the knack, setting your front gears is a simple task any home mechanic can do. For SRAM 2 by front derailleurs, you will need the following tools:
- 2.5mm Allen/Hex Key
- 4mm Allen/Hex Key
- Pliers, we prefer needle nose for this task
Put the front shifter into the smallest gear and the rear shifter into the smallest gear and undo the cable pinch bolt.
Check the height of your front derailleur using the guide marks inside the cage, the largest chainring tooth should be just below the bottom line.
Set the inner or low stop with the L screw so the tail of the cage is in line with the outer edge of the large chainring. Run the rear derailleur through all the gears and check the chain does not catch on either side of the front derailleur cage. If it does catch, make quarter turn adjustments on the L screw until it runs smoothly. This is usually a 2.5mm hex key.
Pull the excess cable through and tighten the pinch bolt. It helps to use a pair of pliers to hold the cable taut whilst tightening with the other hand. This is usually a 4mm hex key.
Move the shifter into the higher gear whilst pedalling by hand moving the derailleur onto the bigger ring, do this slowly and watch for the derailleur moving too far and throwing the chain over the front side of the chainring. This should be done with the rear derailleur in the hardest gear. If this happens you will need to adjust the outer stop inwards using the H screw until the cage almost touches the chain about 1 - 2mm. Go up and down between the front gears and check it is shifting smoothly.
Shift the rear derailleur to around halfway up the cassette and make sure the front derailleur still shifts smoothly. Next, shift to the easier gear on the rear derailleur and again check the front derailleur shifts smoothly. You can make quarter turns to the H screw if any of these positions is not shifting smoothly.
The final step is to adjust the chain catcher using the 2.5mm hex key, begin by shifting into the inner chainring on both derailleurs. Tighten the chain catcher to bring it closer to the chain and loosen the bolt and push the chain catcher by hand to move it further away, it should be around 1 – 2mm from touching the chain.
Your gears should now be running smooth, fast and quiet, time to get out and smash those Strava PR’s.