I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.
First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem - it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely solved the problem.
Second, if the chain is on the middle chainring up front and the large cog in the rear and I turn the cranks backwards, the chain tends to move toward the second largest cog and eventually the chain/derailleur/cogs all jam up together. As the shifing itself has been just fine I figure the problem has something to do with the "b" adjustment screw in that the top pulley of the derailleur is either too close or too far away from the cog, but I don't know which.
I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.
First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem - it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely solved the problem.
Screw the barrell adjuster all the way in and then tighten the cable. No need to use the barrel adjuster to postion the front der, use the limit screws.
Quoted message said:
Second, if the chain is on the middle chainring up front and the large cog in the rear and I turn the cranks backwards, the chain tends to move toward the second largest cog and eventually the chain/derailleur/cogs all jam up together. As the shifing itself has been just fine I figure the problem has something to do with the "b" adjustment screw in that the top pulley of the derailleur is either too close or too far away from the cog, but I don't know which.
Screw the b limit screw 'in', to move the top pulley away from the cogset. Generally tho, this chainline, altho useable, will often cause the chain to go to a smaller cog when pedalled backwards. Avoiding that is really the key.
I've been running a complete Ultegra triple setup on my Merlin road bike for several weeks now and I'm having a couple of small problems.
First, I've found that the wire running to the front derailleur tends to go slack over time requiring frequent fiddling with the barrel adjuster mounted on the head tube. The wire itself isn't the problem - it's been on the bike for about a year now - and the wire isn't slipping at the derailleur clamp. It seems the barrel aduster itself is tightening due to road vibration and the pull of the spring in the derailleur. I've replaced the original Merlin adjuster with one that's longer and has a stronger spring; that's helped, but hasn't completely solved the problem.
Screw the barrell adjuster all the way in and then tighten the cable. No need to use the barrel adjuster to postion the front der, use the limit screws.
Quoted message said:
Thanks for the reply. I probably should have specified that this is the 9-speed Ultegra group with the 6510 brifter that works for both doubles and triples. The limit screws are set properly, it's the effective lengthening of the inner wire (as the barrel adjuster screws in) that's fouling things up. I guess I could screw the adjuster all the way in and then "preload" the inner wire by moving the derailleur "out" before tightening down the clamp, but it'd be just luck if I got the adjustment right. I might have to resort to this, though.
Thanks for the reply. I probably should have specified that this is the 9-speed Ultegra group with the 6510 brifter that works for both doubles and triples. The limit screws are set properly, it's the effective lengthening of the inner wire (as the barrel adjuster screws in) that's fouling things up. I guess I could screw the adjuster all the way in and then "preload" the inner wire by moving the derailleur "out" before tightening down the clamp, but it'd be just luck if I got the adjustment right. I might have to resort to this, though.
Thanks again.
Tom Young
Hi, I had the same problem with the barrel adjuster on my DA triple FD. I cut a piece of rubber in the shaspe of a U. I wedge that around the base of the adjuster, so it can't move. So, readjust it properly, then find your own simple way to secure it.
Mine hasn't moved, since I put the rubber piece in. And it is removable for adjustments. It really quite simple;-)
I discovered that my local Ace Hardware store has 5mm nyloc nuts. (These are nuts with a short nylon sleeve which "locks" the nut in place.) I took a 5mm tap and ran it through the nut and part of the way into the nylon sleeve (without the partial threading of the sleeve you can't turn the adjuster by hand) and then ran the adjuster through the nyloc nut from the nylon side. So, the "hex" portion of the nut sets into the barrel holder mount on the head tube OK and the partially threaded nylon sleeve keeps the adjuster from tightening up on its on, but still allows me to make adjustments by hand.
