Bicycle Help: Derailer adjustment / something broke (Video)

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brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,659
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Can someone give me a quick tutorial on how to adjust a derailer...

The one im working on seems to click on every gear and when not pedeling, the bike pedels itself...

Edit: Bike pedels itself only in gear 7,6,5 .... the higher gears, lower gears doesnt happen.

Edit: VIDEO HERE Not the best, but perhaps it will help
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
I haven't looked at my bike in a while...but are you sure it's the derailleur, or is the rear drive sprocket messed up?
 
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brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,659
1
81
The two rear pullys are parallel and straight like they are suppose to, and it was properly adjusted until a certain crash into a pole.
 
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dakata24

Diamond Member
Aug 7, 2000
6,366
0
76
i just road around my street turning those knobs on my specialized hardrock.. after alittle adjustment... tested out all the gears..
 
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amnesiac

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
15,781
1
71
Originally posted by: CadetLee
I haven't looked at my bike in a while...but are you sure it's the deraileur (sp?), or is the rear drive sprocket messed up?
Click to expand...

Ditto that. I wouldn't think that self-pedalling would be from the derailleur. Check to make sure the sprocket isn't screwed up.
 
HomeBrewerDude

HomeBrewerDude

Lifer
Jan 18, 2001
14,465
1
0
You have to find exactly where the clicking is coming from. i bet you bent something over and the chain is dragging on it.

Does the bike still shift well?
-able to get the chain to all the sprocket/gear combinations?
-shifting is fast?
-bike doesn't ever shift on its own when you go over a bump or up a hill?

If the bike is shifting well despite the noise, then it isn't an adjustment problem fo sure.



 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
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If your free wheel is sticky (full of gunk) or has somehow gotten damaged and isn't Freewheeling. That can cause it to "Self Pedal".

The deraileur being out of adjustment won't cause this.

But to adjust your deraileur, put the bike in the smallest cog. Then give the shifter one click. If it doesn't jump up to the next cog, run out the barrel adjuster (The little black thingy that the cable housing fits into on the rear deraileur) until it jumps up. Now click the shifter again. Repeat the adjustment.......

Once it's set for the first two or three gears, it should be right through-out the whole range. Barring the chain cage (the part of the deraileur with the two jockey wheels that the chain runs over) being bent out of parallel to the rear wheel....

If the free wheel is sticky....dribble some Tri-flow or some other kind of light oil into it while you try spinning it with your hand, this should flush out the gunk after a bit.

EDIT: You say you crashed into a pole? Maybe the drop-out on the drive side is bent and is rubbing against the free-wheel? That could cause the problem you discribe!
 
Don Vito Corleone

Don Vito Corleone

Elite
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
67
91
The bike "pedaling itself" is likely a broken rear axle - that is not an especially expensive repair if (as I suspect) the bike has a threaded, freewheel-style rear hub, as opposed to a more modern cassette hub. If it is a broken axle I would estimate the repair at, say, $30 including labor (though honestly I have always replaced my own, and it has been long enough that I may be completely off-base on price, and it will vary depending on what kind of hub you have). In any event this can be dangerous and you should take the bike in for repair.
 
HomeBrewerDude

HomeBrewerDude

Lifer
Jan 18, 2001
14,465
1
0
well, your freewheel is screwed up if the pedals are engaged all the time. thats in the back wheel assembly. i don't know what it will cost you but if you bring it over I will tear it apart for you.
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
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Another thing I've seen cause this is. A LOT of hair, grass, fishing line, or some other kind of wierd stringy matter wrapped around the inside of the free wheel, between the free wheel and the hub body.

(After 10-15 years working in Bike shops, and working on bikes since around 1965....I've seen it ALL) ;)
 
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brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,659
1
81
Originally posted by: yamahaXS
You have to find exactly where the clicking is coming from. i bet you bent something over and the chain is dragging on it.

Does the bike still shift well?
-able to get the chain to all the sprocket/gear combinations?
-shifting is fast?
-bike doesn't ever shift on its own when you go over a bump or up a hill?

If the bike is shifting well despite the noise, then it isn't an adjustment problem fo sure.
Click to expand...

Yes bike shifts good, smooth and fast, never shifts itself.

Nothing in the path of the chain... all the clicking is comming from the rear / derailer.
 
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brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,659
1
81
Originally posted by: yamahaXS
well, your freewheel is screwed up if the pedals are engaged all the time. thats in the back wheel assembly. i don't know what it will cost you but if you bring it over I will tear it apart for you.
Click to expand...


But its strange, it only self-engages only in the higher gears (smallest). I can't figure it out. A clean freewheel now, after I cleaned out the spider webs and some random dirt.

Ah heck, no more trying to do a salom on bike between a bunch of poles, expensive when you miss. I guess someone is going to the bike store tomarrow to get this fixed.
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
The drop-out's are the part of the frame that the axles fit into. The sloted thingies! ;)

Let me know what you find..
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
OH YEAH...I forgot about the spoke protector.

Like the hair/fishing line I spoke of in the other post, if the spoke protector is broken and rubbing against the free wheel, THAT can cause the free wheel to NOT free wheel...

I think we have found your problem!

All spoke protector does is keep your chain from getting pulled ito the spokes if your deraileur overshifts. As long as the stops on the deraileur are set correctly, you really don't need the protector.

(The stops I'm speaking of are the two screws on the deraileur. One keeps the chain from falling off the lower end, one keeps it from falling off the upper end.)

The good news is, it's a cheap fix. Take it to a bike shop and have them pull the free wheel off and remove the spoke protector. :)
 
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Thegonagle

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2000
9,773
0
71
Originally posted by: brtspears2
Hehe, I called up bike shop, they said "just break it off".
Click to expand...

I agree! I actually did just that on my bike just because I liked the cleaner look of the rear wheel without it. I like to think that I can maintain my bike well enough that the spoke protector will never come into play, plus the cheap plastic looks out of place with my bright silver XT cassette and shiny SRAM chain. I used a utility knife to deeply score it, then I broke it off and threw it away.
 
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Thegonagle

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2000
9,773
0
71
Originally posted by: brtspears2
Hmm, plastic protector off, still clicks, but at least its alot smoother.
Click to expand...
OK, the freewheel is going to click a little, but if the sound is drastically different from the pre-crash sound, you should probably bring it in, after you triple check that there is no broken plastic remaining wedged between the cassette and the spokes.
 
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brtspears2

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2000
8,659
1
81
Originally posted by: Garfang
Originally posted by: brtspears2
Hehe, I called up bike shop, they said "just break it off".
Click to expand...

I agree! I actually did just that on my bike just because I liked the cleaner look of the rear wheel without it. I like to think that I can maintain my bike well enough that the spoke protector will never come into play, plus the cheap plastic looks out of place with my bright silver XT cassette and shiny SRAM chain. I used a utility knife to deeply score it, then I broke it off and threw it away.
Click to expand...

heh, I just used some garden shears... cuts small branches and plastic spokes first try. Now when I think about it, it does look cleaner..
 
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