Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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Northeastperson
Posts: 31
Joined: 15 Nov 2021, 2:59pm

Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by Northeastperson »

Hi newbie worried cyclist here.

Since I got my bike a few weeks back I've had trouble at times changing up on the chainring. I've only finally learnt that I have to give the lever a hard push in one movement to get it to change.

Oops I've accidentally posted this too soon. That's what happens when you use your phone 🙂

Hang on. More to come.


... Anyway I've been messing around with the tension cable for the front derailleur and I'd like to know if this is an acceptable level of clanking or grinding noise when changing up.


Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by Jdsk »

Same bike as here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=148869&p=1656075#p1656075
?

Thanks

Jonathan
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Paulatic
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Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by Paulatic »

Sounds alright and appears, dimly, to lift up without any hesitation.
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Northeastperson
Posts: 31
Joined: 15 Nov 2021, 2:59pm

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by Northeastperson »

Jdsk wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 8:39pm Same bike as here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=148869&p=1656075#p1656075
?

Thanks

Jonathan
Yes I don't run to two bikes.
peetee
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Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by peetee »

Sounds about right for the grade of components you have on the bike. That said, I have heard a lot smoother from them when the chain is upgraded to, say, a KMC X8, for example and kept adequately lubed. Budget 7, 8 and 9 speed chains can be quite crude and noisy.
It would be worth having it looked at professionally anyway. And not by the place you bought it. They have left the front mech positioning sticker in place. I see this a lot, it sometimes causes noise issues on its own but even if it doesn’t the fact it is there at all suggests to me that the level of preparation and/or pre-sales checking is less than adequate.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
Northeastperson
Posts: 31
Joined: 15 Nov 2021, 2:59pm

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by Northeastperson »

peetee wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 10:13pm Sounds about right for the grade of components you have on the bike. That said, I have heard a lot smoother from them when the chain is upgraded to, say, a KMC X8, for example and kept adequately lubed. Budget 7, 8 and 9 speed chains can be quite crude and noisy.
It would be worth having it looked at professionally anyway. And not by the place you bought it. They have left the front mech positioning sticker in place. I see this a lot, it sometimes causes noise issues on its own but even if it doesn’t the fact it is there at all suggests to me that the level of preparation and/or pre-sales checking is less than adequate.
I guess the online shop I bought the bike from doesn't even open the box that came from China? They just pass it on to the purchaser?

If I got this from Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004TGL2K8#Ask the shifting is going to sound slick? I must look into this 🙂
MarcusT
Posts: 443
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 10:33am

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by MarcusT »

Looks like it works well enough. If you want to tweak it, you can adjust the height and angle of the der to see if you get better results. Just be careful with adjusting height as you may need to adjust the cable afterwards.
I wish it were as easy as riding a bike
peetee
Posts: 4292
Joined: 4 May 2010, 10:20pm
Location: Upon a lumpy, scarred granite massif.

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by peetee »

Northeastperson wrote: 3 Dec 2021, 11:10pm If I got this from Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004TGL2K8#Ask the shifting is going to sound slick? I must look into this 🙂
Not necessarily. I don’t know what the bike is and exactly what components are fitted or if they have arrived with you in perfect order. I can just see that they conform to the style of budget drivetrain and these can often be improved with a good quality chain.
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
gregoryoftours
Posts: 2234
Joined: 22 May 2011, 7:14pm

Re: Front derailleur changing smoothly enough?

Post by gregoryoftours »

It's shifting ok and as I'd expect. Just make sure you ease off pressure on the pedals as you shift when riding. Push past the click on the shifter and hold it there a moment before releasing to help it shift as well as possible. Front shifting especially is a pretty brutal and crude process on a derailleur geared bike, done as it is on the top chain run that is under tension.
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