UKC

I have just changed my frame to one that had continuous gear cable routing (rather having than sections of inner cable exposed.

I am having difficulty adjusting my front gears. I have to keep my front gear cable extremely loose and as a result have to push the shifter a long way in to change up. With any more tension in the cable it will shift two rings at once.

Any tips? Have scoured YouTube and can't find anything relating to this issue.

In reply to Gav M:

Sounds like you need to adjust the limit screws:

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustments

In reply to Alun:

Cheers, had a good fiddle with them and it's still much the same. Is it possible that the shifter has too much travel and needs adjusted?

In reply to Gav M:

Are your shifter and mech compatible - pull ratios might be different if they're mixed, hence the over shifting

In reply to Gav M:

There's no reason for the cable to be extremely loose - untensioned is enough. Set the small ring limiter so that it holds the shifter so that it doesn't rub when it's on the largest rear sprocket and smallest front ring. Set the barrel adjsuter (if there is one) so that it's in the middle of its adjustment range. Connect the cable so that it's not pulling the derailleur and is not under tension (making sure that the shifter's fully released first). Put the chain on the large ring and smallest sprocket. Pull the cable fully tight by hand and make sure that the limiter is set so that the chain doesn't rub. You should be good to go - not slack when released and not humming like a violin string when tight.

In reply to Gav M:

Any sharp bends in the cable outer? What condition are the outers/cables in? if you ligerally spray wd40 or similar in the end, do you get any brown dirty residue coming out?

In reply to Gav M:

Sounds like friction between inner and outer is too much for clean shifting. Check line if cable and if nice and smooth there may be nothing for it but to go back to how it was. The other option is to get a stronger spring for the derailleur to pull against the extra friction you've introduced.

In reply to all:

There shouldn't be any compatibility issue - these components worked fine on the old frame.

Both inners and outers are brand spanking new and free from sharp bends.

I've set it up according to instructions and it does work - any more tension and it over shifts, any less and it doesn't shift. But it is not a satisfying experience because I need to strain my thumbs to take up all the slack in the cable.

In reply to Gav M:

A few things to check:

Is the mech cage parallel with the chainrings?
Is the bottom edge of the mech cage no more than 2/3mm above the large chain ring, when in line with that chainring?
Is the cable sheath properly greased? Does it have and sharp bends or kinks in it? Are the end of the cable sheaths square & open/ free running?
(You're not trying to use a top-pull mech in a bottom pull configuration are you? (Or vice versa)

Don't knock yourself out, take it to a bike shop if it's getting beyond a joke.

In reply to blurty:

Along the same lines of blurty .

Are you aware of how the front mech picks up the chain on its Ramp when going sml to lrg ring? its worth understanding how this works as it may have a bearing on your issue. As in the height of the front mech clamp on the seat tube makes a difference wrt chainring.

In reply to mikehike:

I stopped greasing years ago after reading in a book that it can be counterproductive in modern teflon lined outers.

In reply to Gav M:

It's worth checking that the cable is clamped to the mech the right way. I have seen the cable clamped wrongly and the operation be like you describe.Sometimes there is a ramp just before the pinch bolt, its only a small difference but affects the pull ratio enough.