Tuning Tips From Captain Ahab 11/13/2015.
I have been thinking of making a How-To
DIY series video for TeamBOR’s YouTube Channel for some time now, but never
have got around to it, and since I am more of a writer than an actor I figured
I would just write down some instructions for you all. Now here is the warning; this is how I tune a
bike, I am not a paid professional bike mechanic, but I have built and tuned
many bikes and probably will tune a bike better than you will get it done in
most local bike shops (I have seen many local bike shops turn out some
horrifying work, but to be nice I won’t name names.) I feel like tuning a bicycle is very artistic
and mechanical at the same time and is why I enjoy it so much. I love to have a couple drinks and un-wind
while tuning a bike. I only wish my
hearing was good enough to play loud music and hear the tune of the bike, but
since I am partially deaf I have to play the music low to hear the bike. If you get good at tuning, or drink more,
hearing the bike becomes less of an issue; although your results may vary. I do have a mechanical background and have had
many many hours wrenching (and building) on just about anything; including cars,
Jeeps, bikes, boats, houses, and airplanes.
Word to the wise; make sure you use your bike stand and if you don’t
have one I suggest buying one, but in a pinch you can use a hanging bike rack
off the back of your car. A bike stand
will make your life easier and is worth the money. If you are on the trail, then get a buddy to
hold the rear tire off the ground. Now here
is the second warning, if you are not good with tools, have little patience, or
are not sure about your ability, then turn back now and head to your bike
shop. If you think you have what it
takes, then keep reading. This
instruction will be based from a 3x10 mountain bike (normal rise derailleurs,
trigger shifter, Shimano), but once you get it down, you will be able to tune
any bike. This is not suitable for
children as I speak of drinking and perhaps self-inflicted pain from here on out,
so if you are looking for G rated instructions, then please stop reading (I did
edit out some profanity…kind of).
Step 1. Take a Phillips Screw driver and stick it
into either of the two screws on either of the derailleurs. It doesn’t matter which one. Now turn it ¼
turn clockwise and with your other hand smack the living sh!+ out of the hand
that is holding the screw driver and repeat to yourself that you will never do
that again. Repeat this process until it
sinks in your brain that these screws are end stop screw adjustments and are
not “tuning” adjustments. If you feel
the urge, go ahead and punch yourself in the face. Let it sink in.
Step 2. Let’s look at that front derailleur. Get the correct Allen wrench and disconnect
the cable. That’s lefty-loosy
idiot. Well now your sh!+ out of luck
and committed. Get a beer and have a
drink and breathe deep. Prayer and Yoga
will help you maintain your balance through the next few steps. Put the rear derailleur in the small outboard
ring. Push that front derailleur out with
your fingers while pedaling the crank with your hand…not your foot dumb@$$. Let the chain go into the big outer
ring. Now look at the alignment of the
derailleur with the chain and chain ring.
Is it straight? Look at the gap
between the bottom of the derailleur and the top of the chain ring. Does it
have about 2-3mm of gap? If not, you are
going to have to unclamp that b!+ch and re-position it so it does line up with
the chain ring and have the correct gap. Good luck and God be with you. Now that the derailleur is clamped correctly,
push that thing out as far as possible and make sure the chain doesn’t come off
(outside of) the big ring. This is where
the screws come in. Select the H or High
screw and turn it until you get the chain in the big chain ring without it
falling outside or making a sh!+ ton of noise.
It needs to be pretty much centered on the chain and the chain shouldn’t
be rubbing on the derailleur. Now let go
of the derailleur. Did it pinch your
finger? Good. Have another drink and
breathe. Now the chain when cranked
should be in the inboard little ring or “granny” or low. Put the rear derailleur in the inboard or big
ring. Adjust the L screw until the chain
doesn’t fall inside the frame side, nor shifts to middle, nor make a sh!+ ton
of noise while cranking. Now crank and
push it out to the big ring, now let it go and go to the little, repeat as
necessary while making micro adjustments to the screws until it is right. This may take you hundreds of times. Get it right!
Use your vision, hearing, hell smell the thing if it helps you, but get
it right. You have just adjusted the
stop screws that keep your chain on. Now
take your screw driver and put it away or we will be slapping your hand
again. Turn the barrel adjuster on the
shifter all the way in and then back it out one full 360 degree turn. Grab the cable and pull with one hand and
while shifting to release all the tension on your shifter with your other
hand. The cable should be pulling out
and getting longer. Make sure you crank
until the chain falls into the little front gear. Attach the cable. Put the rear derailleur in the middle
ring. Now crank and shift to middle or 2nd. Did it shift?
I bet it did. If not, turn the
barrel adjuster out until it does, or runs true on the middle ring. Now crank and shift to the outer ring or 3rd. You may have to adjust the barrel again. Repeat until you can shift into all three
gears with ease. If you are having
trouble, then you did something wrong and will have to start over.
Step 3: Now let’s move on to the
rear derailleur. Do we have to talk
about smacking your hand again?
Disconnect the cable. Crank and
the derailleur should drop with no spring tension to the little outboard gear
or top or high normal (not Shimano Rapid Rise or low normal). I have had a few Rapid Rise derailleurs, and
although the concept sounds solid, I found the delivery of shifting
unacceptable while riding, so stick with traditional derailleurs. (A note about SRAM derailleurs, they suck,
and sometimes the screws are backwards.) Now adjust the high screw so that the
chain is centered on the smallest ring and doesn’t fall off into the frame, nor
upshifts to the 2nd smallest while being cranked. With your hand push the derailleur up to the
big inboard ring. Adjust the other screw
“L” so that the chain doesn’t fall off into the spokes, nor doesn’t stop in the
second biggest ring. (Note: if you do
this correctly invest in a chain whip and take your cassette off to get rid of
that stupid plastic spoke protector, because it’s lame.) Make the chain run centerline on the big
inboard ring. Let go of the derailleur
and crank it back down to the little outboard ring. Turn the shifter barrel adjustment all the
way in and then one full turn out. Hold
the cable and gently pull while shifting, pulling the cable out. If your rear derailleur has a barrel
adjuster, then turn it in and then 1-1/2 turns out. If your derailleur has a screw that pushes
into the derailleur hanger, then adjust this until about 1 chain link drops
between the bottom of the cassette and the top of the top derailleur jockey
wheel. Connect the cable. Put the front chain ring in the big ring, the
rear is in the little ring. Crank. Shift one gear up. Adjust the barrel on the rear D first (if you
have one) to make it shift up one gear smoothly. Shift it all the way up to the big rear
ring. Shift the front to the inner
little ring. Adjust the rear barrel
until it shifts smoothly to this ring.
Go back and forth a couple times to make sure it shifts inboard and
outboard smoothly. Now put the front
inboard and the rear outboard and crank.
Does it make noise? Well it cross
chained and you shouldn’t ride like that anyway. That’s the fasted way to break your
chain. Your chain should always be as
straight as possible when riding, but this configuration does not have any
cable tension on it and is best for storage.
Now put the front in the middle ring and shift the rear up and down or
in and out, which ever saying suits you best.
It should be shifting relatively well.
If it doesn’t you screwed up and need to start over. If it’s skipping a little or hanging up some
on one gear use the barrel on the shifter to correct. You may need to use the shifter barrel to
correct some while riding also, but when you get good at tuning this will not
be needed. You now can tune a bike, so
go ride it.
NOTE: Buying a good repair manual
is a good idea. Mountain Bike
Maintenance by Mel Allwood is a good tool to have in your box. – Ahab.