[mdf26]

Hello all! Brand new forum member here. I'm also a brand new rider. I've purchased my very first road bike online via bikesdirect.com. I have the Windsor Wellington 2.0. I've got the bike all assembled and I'm having one heck of a time with the front derailleur. I've watched probably around 50 youtube videos about adjusting it but I'm simply not having any luck. I finally had the bike shifting on all three crank rings with no load and after taking the bike around the driveway for the first time it will not shift at all. The derailleur is shifting but the chain simply rides against the side of it and does not shift. I'm frustrated to say the least. When I first got the bike assembled the shifter would only get the chain onto the smallest and second crank ring. The derailleur would not shift the chain up to the largest. After my youtube marathon of videos I finally got it to shift through all three rings. Now, 30 minutes ago I took the bike out for the very first time just up and down the drive and it will not shift the chain to anything but the smallest crank ring. What do I need to do?
Here is what I did when I first started into trying to adjust it:

1. Shift the derailleur to the smallest crank ring.
2. Remove the shift cable.
3. Align the derailleur using the limit screw over the smallest crank set.
4. Reattached the shift cable.
5. Shifted the derailleur to largest crank ring.
6. Aligned using the limit screw over largest crank ring.
7. Shifted to the middle crank ring.
8. Tweaked the barrel adjuster to center over the middle crank ring.

I had everything working under no load just fine. Once I got on it and rode it for about 10 minutes (with no shifting at all) I tried to shift to the second crank ring and it just moved the derailleur up and the chain remained on the smallest crank ring rubbing the derailleur. I got completely off of the bike and lifted it with one hand and shifted it back down to the smallest crank ring and attempted to shift it up to the second and it did the very same thing, moved up but the chain stayed and rubbed. I am obviously doing something wrong. Any help or insight will be greatly appreciated. I'm no bicycle mechanic but I do have several years experience as a diesel mechanic so I'm not completely oblivious but this has me frustrated and confused. Thank you in advance.

 

[cxwrench]

my recommendation is take it to a shop. you didn't mention anything about which cog you had the chain in when making these adjustments so who knows...they could be right, they could be way off.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Hello all! Brand new forum member here. I'm also a brand new rider. I've purchased my very first road bike online via bikesdirect.com. I have the Windsor Wellington 2.0. I've got the bike all assembled and I'm having one heck of a time with the front derailleur. I've watched probably around 50 youtube videos about adjusting it but I'm simply not having any luck. I finally had the bike shifting on all three crank rings with no load and after taking the bike around the driveway for the first time it will not shift at all. The derailleur is shifting but the chain simply rides against the side of it and does not shift. I'm frustrated to say the least. When I first got the bike assembled the shifter would only get the chain onto the smallest and second crank ring. The derailleur would not shift the chain up to the largest. After my youtube marathon of videos I finally got it to shift through all three rings. Now, 30 minutes ago I took the bike out for the very first time just up and down the drive and it will not shift the chain to anything but the smallest crank ring. What do I need to do?
Here is what I did when I first started into trying to adjust it:

1. Shift the derailleur to the smallest crank ring.
2. Remove the shift cable.
3. Align the derailleur using the limit screw over the smallest crank set.
4. Reattached the shift cable.
5. Shifted the derailleur to largest crank ring.
6. Aligned using the limit screw over largest crank ring.
7. Shifted to the middle crank ring.
8. Tweaked the barrel adjuster to center over the middle crank ring.

I had everything working under no load just fine. Once I got on it and rode it for about 10 minutes (with no shifting at all) I tried to shift to the second crank ring and it just moved the derailleur up and the chain remained on the smallest crank ring rubbing the derailleur. I got completely off of the bike and lifted it with one hand and shifted it back down to the smallest crank ring and attempted to shift it up to the second and it did the very same thing, moved up but the chain stayed and rubbed. I am obviously doing something wrong. Any help or insight will be greatly appreciated. I'm no bicycle mechanic but I do have several years experience as a diesel mechanic so I'm not completely oblivious but this has me frustrated and confused. Thank you in advance.

The most obvious thing to check is whether the cable slipped after you reattached it. Re-do the process and see how much slack is in the cable with the chain on the smallest chain ring and the shifter "all the way down" - shift it repeatedly while applying a little tension to the cable with your finger.

The next thing to check is the vertical and horizontal position of the derailleur cage. It should just clear the largest ring and obviously not hit any inner rings (sometimes that means raising it higher than "just clear the largest ring). The outer side of the cage should be parallel with the chain rings, though sometimes you have to adjust it so the inner cage plate is parallel. That is the range of adjustment and sometimes it needs a little tweak.

 

[mdf26]

my recommendation is take it to a shop. you didn't mention anything about which cog you had the chain in when making these adjustments so who knows...they could be right, they could be way off.

For the smallest crank ring I had the chain on the largest rear cog (28) and the smallest rear cog (12) for the largest crank ring. I may very well end up in the closest shop though. I live about 50-55 miles to the closest lbs so if I can't get it I will make the trip. :thumbup:

 

[froze]

Just in case those videos missed something read this: Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Front Derailleur Adjustments

I think the derailleur may be too low. Read the Park stuff and notice the "front derailleur height" section. But if not, then take note of the other stuff.

 

[TrojanHorse]

What kind of FD is it?

How's the shift effort? Hard? Really easy?

Check your cable routing too and make sure the cable is attached to the FD correctly. I know that when I first installed my current FD, I attached the cable wrong and the shift effort was high with all sort of accompanying shift problems.

Maybe post a picture too. Good luck!

 

[MikeWMass]

I second the Park Tools website, and also agree it sounds as though your derailleur may be too low on the seatpost.

 

[mdf26]

The derailleur says Shimano Triple on it. It is chrome and silver plastic. The shift is pretty tight or hard, however you would say it. I believe I have the cable attached properly, it is routed on the downtube and comes up under the bottom bracket. I will post a couple photos when I get the chance. I'm going to play with it and see what I can figure out on Monday. I'm working all weekend (nights) so I'm posting this from work. The fd may be too high, I only say that because on the park site the show a penny as the space and I think I might fit a couple in there right now. Thank you very much for the info so far. If I had to guess the model is the lowest shimano makes which is maybe the 2300? I'm so new to this I really have no idea. I do know that the rear derailleur is a shimano sora. Lol baby steps here...