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Problems with front deraileur

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  • February 19, 2016 at 5:45 pm #25401
    Taoam

    I have just bought in a sale a new Boardman CX Team 2014/15 model with SRAM Apex 10-speed (11-32 rear) and FSA Gossamer compact 50/34 chainset. I have not used a SRAM compact before and I cannot move the lh lever far enough to get onto the 50 chainwheel. I have no problems with Shimano gears on my other bikes. The dealer’s set-up seems OK so is it that my hand is too small? Any ideas would be welcome.

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  • February 21, 2016 at 8:57 pm #867113
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    milanino-branca

    Hi

    Hi

    I have a lot of experience with the front derailleur on the Boardman cx. Basically  it has not been set up correctly. It is a ‘ microshift’ derailleur and can be a little bit awkward to set up if you are not so experienced mechanically. Personally the  quality and operation of the front mech is poor. My advice would be to upgrade to apex/force and you will have no further problems. Good luck. 

    February 21, 2016 at 7:15 pm #867111
    0
    VeloUSA

    Here’s a quick check to see

    Here’s a quick check to see if it’s you, or if it’s mechanical. Do this stationary while the chain is in the smallest rear cog.

    1. Shift to the small chain ring

    2. Shift to the big chain ring while simultaneously looking at the derailluer cage

    3. The cage outer plate should be parallel to the chain

    4. The cage outer plate should have 1mm of space between it and the chain

    5. The cage should be 1-2mm above the large chainring

    6. If the above checks out OK, the issue is with your hand not pushing the lever far enough.

    7. If it doesn’t check out you have two options; 1) Google front derailluer adjustment and adjust it yourself. 2) Take the bike to your LBS and have the mech do it, if you trust him.

     

    February 19, 2016 at 7:20 pm #867109
    0
    pruaga

    I commute on a Boardman

    I commute on a Boardman Hybrid which had a similar problem.  The margins on the limit screw were very fine between not allowing shifting and the mech cage clipping against the crank arm.

     

    I got very frustrated with it, but my LBS sorted it very quickly and I’ve had no problems since.

    February 19, 2016 at 6:19 pm #867107
    0
    Tjuice

    First, if you’ve only just

    First, if you’ve only just bought the bike, you should take it back to the dealer and ask them to fix it (although it sounds as though their workshop staff are not great if they have supplied a bike unable to shift into the outer ring).

    That said, there’s nothing perculiar about SRAM gears.  Here are some possibilities of what could be causing the problem.  All very simply fixed:

    1) The little screw (possibly marked H) on the front derailleur that limits how far outboard the derailleur can move is screwed in too far, so that the derailleur cannot physically move far enough outwards to get onto the 50 ring

    2) The tension on the gear cable has been set way too loose.  There will be an adjuster (most often on the downtube) that will allow you to increase the tension a little.  If the tension is way, way too loose, you’ll have to take slack out of the cable at the derailleur itself

    3) The derailleur has been mounted incorrectly on the bike (e.g., wrong angle).

    Not sure how much experience you have of bicycle maintenance.  If you’ve got a bit (or if you want to have a go at trying to fix it yourself), then I would highly recommend having a look at the SRAM derailleur set up guides that you can find on YouTube.  Some of them are really excellent and explain in very precise detail exactly how you should be setting up the derailleur for optimal shifting.

    SRAM make great products and if set up well, the shifting can be light and precise (I might post separately on my adventures with this…)

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