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Rear Derailleur Cable Shifting Adjustment

We will assume you have gone through steps #1 to #3 in adjusting a rear derailleur. This is the last and possibly easiest step. You will require a bike stand or a person willing to hold the rear wheel in the air.

Due to spring tension the rear derailleur prefers to stay in the smallest cog ( assuming there is no cable tension ). Cable tension lifts the derailleur into the larger cogs. Hence if the derailleur does not move into larger cogs it needs more cable tension, achieved by turning the barrel adjuster counter clockwise. If the derailleur does not move into smaller cogs it has too much cable tension, and the tension must be relieved by turning the barrel adjuster clockwise.

In short our procedure ( or algorithm ) for adjsting the shifter is as follows. If the shifter is in a smaller number gear than the chain ( for ex. chain is in #2 cog while shifter in #1 ) one should turn the barrel adjuster clockwise. On the other hand. If the shifter is in a larger number gear than the chain ( for ex. chain is in #2 cog while shifter in #3 ) one should turn the barrel adjuster counterclockwise.

Step #1 View the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur.

barrel adjuster

Step #2 Put the bike in a stand or have a partner hold up the rear wheel.

bike lifted 

Step #3 Put the shifter in 1st gear and rotate the pedals. If the chain is not in the biggest cog we will assume it is in a smaller cog due to the limiting ( H & L ) screws do not allow it anywhere else. Turn the barrel adjuster counterclockwise & rotate the pedals until the chain is in the largest cog.

rear derailleur cable adjustment 

Step #4 Run through the gears on the shifter from 1 to 9 if the rear derailleur does not shift properly follow the procedure above

Step #5 Run back through the gears on the shifter from #9 to #1 if the rear derailleur does not shift properly follow the procedure above

Step #6 Test shifting through the gears several times to make sure it is proper. One can adjust the derailleur while riding by turning the barrel adjuster on the shifter clockwise or counterclockwise ( as explained in the procedure )

 
 
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