Chain clipping front derailler

Sounds like you need more cable tension on the FD. Trace the cable that controls the FD up the line toward your handlebars and you should find a barrel adjuster somewhere (most likely on the shifter itself). Turn the barrel adjuster to make the cable housing longer. Assuming your outer limit screw is okay, this should fix you up. If you have bumped the entire FD out of kilter somehow you might need to tweak its attachment to the frame, which would be a complication.

Derailer Adjustment-How To

The LBS should easily be able to take care of this but it is good to learn how to do this yourself.

billydonn said:

Sounds like you need more cable tension on the FD. Trace the cable that controls the FD up the line toward your handlebars and you should find a barrel adjuster somewhere (most likely on the shifter itself). Turn the barrel adjuster to make the cable housing longer. Assuming your outer limit screw is okay, this should fix you up. If you have bumped the entire FD out of kilter somehow you might need to tweak its attachment to the frame, which would be a complication.

Derailer Adjustment-How To

The LBS should easily be able to take care of this but it is good to learn how to do this yourself.

Thanks for this great explanation and link. Let me try this. If I don't post back, assume all went well. 🙂

I tried tightening the knob on the left shifter, which did indeed prevent the chain from clipping the front derailler while on the biggest chainwheel and smallest sprockets. However, at this setting the chain was clipping the FD on the middle chainwheel for most of the rear sprockets. Then I tried tightening/loosening/randomly tinkering with the outer/inner screws on the FD itself, which caused changes as to which gear settings caused the chain to clip the FD.

Now, I am at the point where the middle chainring works fine (doesn't clip the FD on any rear sprocket setting), but the left shifter is so tight that I cannot shift the chain up onto the largest chainwheel! I really don't know what I am doing with the inner/outer screws.

My goal is to make prevent the chain from clipping the FD on ALL gear settings, and be able to shift to all chainrings.

brian_biker said:

I tried tightening the knob on the left shifter, which did indeed prevent the chain from clipping the front derailler while on the biggest chainwheel and smallest sprockets. However, at this setting the chain was clipping the FD on the middle chainwheel for most of the rear sprockets. Then I tried tightening/loosening/randomly tinkering with the outer/inner screws on the FD itself, which caused changes as to which gear settings caused the chain to clip the FD.

Now, I am at the point where the middle chainring works fine (doesn't clip the FD on any rear sprocket setting), but the left shifter is so tight that I cannot shift the chain up onto the largest chainwheel! I really don't know what I am doing with the inner/outer screws.

My goal is to make prevent the chain from clipping the FD on ALL gear settings, and be able to shift to all chainrings.

It generally is not very realistic to expect to be able to use all gear combinations on a triple crankset. Using the big front ring and big cogs on the rear is called crosschaining and you should avoid it. Same with the small front ring and little outer cogs. On the middle front ring you might be able to use all rear cogs.

Bad idea to turn those limit screws without understanding what they do. This is explained at Sheldon's and many other internet sites. It sounds like you have taken too many turns on the cable tension and then moved the outer limit screw so as to prevent the FD from going out as far as it needs to.

Recommendation: Read FD adjustment internet instructions very carefully and then disconnect your cable at the FD and start all over again. Some video links are below along with another text explanation with pictures. OR take your bike to the LBS.

How To Adjust Your Front Derailleur - Bicycle Tutor
[ame=[MEDIA=youtube]nzSUaPYZsMw[/MEDIA]]YouTube - Bicycle Repairs : How to Fix Front Bicycle Dérailleur Gears[/ame]
[ame=[MEDIA=youtube]ngm6dr-1na0[/MEDIA]]YouTube - 9 - Front Derailleur Adjustment[/ame]
Park Tool Website