Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Drought.gov

 Drought To Start The Year:

As of December 20th or so, Waterloo Iowa was experiencing its driest December on record. That obviously changed when we got significant rains over Christmas. However; we aren't getting any snow (yet) and if we don't see rain by Spring, well..... 

Obviously that's going to make for a bad set-up for farmers, wildlife, and probably everyone living around here. From a gravel rider's standpoint, it may mean more of conditions like last year, and frankly, the year before that as well. Loose, deep gravel, lots of dust, and none of that classic "three-track" that we all love to ride on here. 

And then again by March we may be dealing with flooding. But not likely as this "El Niño" we are in now is said to be a pretty strong one and that usually means warmer than normal and sometimes not very much precipitation. With the base levels of water in the area at very critically low levels, it is going to take quite a wet spell to catch us up. 

Meanwhile I will try to enjoy what I am handed. A milder January may be just what I need to get a jump-start on mileage for 2024. We'll see.....

The new Velo Orange eccentric BB (Image courtesy of Velo Orange

A New Way To Create A Single Speed Device:

Got a traditionally threaded, 68mm/73mm bottom bracket shell on your bicycle? Want to make that bike a single speed? One of your options is from Velo Orange. For about a hundy, you can convert your bike to a single speed with this eccentric bottom bracket which supports any 2-piece, 24mm spindle cranks. 

The bottom bracket comes with a tensioniing tool as well, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, at the time of this posting, the part is out of stock, but if you subscribe to Velo Orange's newsletter, you'll get notice when it comes back into stock. You can see more on this part HERE. 

Comments: Some folks give eccentrics a bad rap, but I've used a Wheels Manufacturing part similar to this and it works great. Use grease when installing, torque the part to spec, and it shouldn't make a peep. I don't need another single speed, but if I wanted to turn a vertical drop-out bike into a single speed and it had a traditionally threaded bottom bracket? Yeah, I would give this part a go. 

Also, having a drop out like that with an eccentric is, in my opinion, the very best way to have a single speed. Especially with a disc brake set-up. There are zero issues with resetting brakes, lining up the wheel in the frame, or moving swinging bits and locking them back down again. You just pop a QR and boom! Done and done. My OS Bikes Blackbuck MTB is like this and it is a joy to work on.

Alt Derailleur From Rivendell?

If you are a follower of Rivendell, or Grant Petersen, then you may have seen this prototype rear derailleur that Rivendell is working on. Called the OM-1, it is a "rapid-rise" design, meaning that the spring pulls the derailleur into the lowest gear, not the smallest cog/highest gear. Not like 99.9% of derailleurs you've ever seen. 

You can read the minimal amount of info out on this HERE, (Scroll down the page)

Comments: I've worked on a LOT of the old "Rapid Rise" rear derailleurs Shimano produced in the early 2000's. The high-end XT, LX, and such were rare. They didn't last long in the marketplace. But the Nexave, Altus, and CX-30 types were made a little longer, and in much higher production numbers. It was these derailleurs that I saw most often. 

I'll get this out of the way up front: I really don't like Rapid Rise. It was super-finicky to tune and you are working against gravity and friction, a pretty heady combo, when trying to dial in one of those Shimano variants. Additionally, the Nexave and definitely the CX-30 variants were inevitably corroded and and their parallelogram's pivots would have high friction. Sometimes so bad you'd have to replace the derailleur. 

Now, Grant and his team are probably well aware of all of that, but there is a LOT of "uphill battle" here, and I mean that in the best sort of way. I get that people are excited for a very versatile derailleur, but there are literally thousands of great 7,8,and 9 speed derailleurs floating around out there waiting for you. That and Shimano CUES, which is also 8,9,10, and 11 speed compatible all in one derailleur. (Don't "at me" with your pull ratio excuse. Use friction shifters!) 

So, with all of that, I wish Rivendell well in their tilting at windmills. I have a hard time seeing the point in this exercise, but maybe this trips your trigger? Good on ya.

Shimano Re-ups Rebound Virtual Gravel Challenge:

Last year, Shimano announced a virtual gravel event called "Rebound" which asked riders from all over the world to join in and ride gravel on June 3rd, 2023. The ask was simple and rides would be compiled on Strava. Here was the basic premise:

"In the spirit of Unbound, we encourage you to pick one of the following distances: 25 miles (40 km), 50 miles (80 km), 100 miles (160 km) or 200 miles (320 km). "

Well, Shimano wants to see if this can become even larger than last year and they are promoting the idea again for 2024. (See the site HERE) This year the ride is happening on June 1st.

Comments: You can read what I said about the idea last year HERE.  This year I feel the same, and I would join in on this but for the fact that I'll probably be in Emporia, or just back from there, that day. Otherwise, I'd love to participate in this. (Again, read my comments from last year as to why that is)

I guess my only other thought on this is a question: "Does this event happen without what we went through with the pandemic?" Virtual events were nearly unheard of previously to that, and certainly the whole idea of the "getting together of the gravel family" aspect did not lean toward a virtual event format. 

But I think Rebound exists because we had to do virtual events in 2020 and 2021 to some extent. We are more open to that concept, and it feeds the American mindset of independence and self-sufficiency which, I cannot say exists in the rest of the world, but for sure it does here. That is neither an indictment or supportive of self-support, independent riding, or virtual events, its just my observation. I just cannot help but think that without 2020-2021, rebound doesn't happen. 

Season 2 Has Started!

The Guitar Ted Podcast (GTP) has kicked off its second season already with a new episode sponsored by CORE4.

This time N.Y. Roll and I speak to the group etiquette and tactics which seem to be somewhat of a missing link in gravel circles and on some road group rides. 

I think we are pretty clear in saying we are not "The Experts". but we wanted to kick off a conversation regarding group ride technique so that information gets disseminated that may help someone avoid serious injury or death. We feel riding skills are important, and that some folks don't know, or haven't practiced those time-honored skills that make group riding safer and less stressful. 

You can find the podcast at THIS LINK or wherever you get your podcast feed from. Thanks to CORE4 for the sponsorship! 

That's a wrap for the first FN&V of 2024! Have a great weekend and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

SunTour S-1 Rear Derailleur. (Image courtesy of Disraeli Gears)

 Really Old Rear Derailleur Idea Gets Resurrected - Again!

Bicycle technology is a strange soup made up of really smart ideas cooked up in the late 19th/early 20th Centuries and reinvented as "new" ideas decades later. Today I have a fun one that popped up because Rene Herse came out with a "Nivex" rear derailleur recently, a design manufactured around 1935. Then it was infamously resurrected by SunTour in the early 1990's. 

The new RH remake looks to be made of a CNC'ed aluminum, although their site gives little information on it. The piece is manufactured partially in the USA and Taiwan. The derailleur necessitates the use of a chain stay braze-on to mount it, and a special shifter that pulls a continuous cable is also part of the system, but not included in the $729.00 price for the rear derailleur. 

Comments: I've worked on several of the SunTour examples. They were indexed at the derailleur for seven speed cassettes and free wheels, usually. This rear derailleur from RH will be friction, so it could work with many different speed systems. Its main benefit is that it remains tucked up and out of the way from trail debris and it is less likely to be bent, or cause a bent hangar due to its more robust, low profile mount. 

The Nivex rear derailleur. (Image courtesy of Rene Herse)

This particular RH example is, in my opinion, inferior to the SunTour model in that it relies on a CNC type manufacturing design which, in my experience and observation, is not as robust a way to manufacture a thing like a rear derailleur as the stamped metal construction that most S-1 rear derailleurs employed. RH says the Nivex (The name is derived from one of the original makers of this design in the early 20th Century) is rebuildable and spares will be available. Yep! That's what the 1990's CNC rear derailleurs had going for them as well. That doesn't help when you grenade a rear derailleur in the middle of nowhere. (I blew two 1990's examples up, so I know about that) 

Then there is the price tag. Considering that you may have to modify your steel frame (aluminum and carbon frame owners probably aren't going with this, but you could) and that you need a shifter to match up, this is going to send your little weirdo rear derailleur experiment over the 1K mark easily. Hmm..... Why?

You could just as easily do an old friction shifter and an old 1990's XT rear derailleur for peanuts and not have to mod a frame. Same experience, less cabbage. You decide.....

The route for the 2009 Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational

Asking For A Friend:

Recently a reader of this blog asked about the 2009 route for the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational which I spoke about in detail in this post recently. the request was whether or not there were cues or a gpx file for the route. 

Upon further inspection, I found 2/3rds of the original route, but what happened to the rest is a mystery. No matter, because I can recreate that with little problems. However; I also would modify the route to reflect the way that we did it in 2014/15 instead.

The reason being is that when the route starts out of Backbone State Park, the options for over nights and resupply make a lot more sense. Starting in the State Park allows you the option of camping there, and Backbone State Park is a very nice venue to start from, with amenities for showers, camping, cabin rentals, and stuff to do for support/family members that are not riding, if that is the case for you. 

It also puts you in Elkader around lunchtime, (if you start bright and early, as you should), and that village has several lunch options. Resupply towns fall in good places as well. You'd have Wadena, Volga, (admittedly not much there) and Elgin. Plus Garber, and just off course, Edgewood, although by that time you'd be so close to coming back through Strawberry Point you may as well stay the course. 

So, anyway... Any interest in me doing up the route again, making it available in gpx and in cue sheet forms? Let me know. I probably would do this on a free will donation basis, just so you know. Merry Christmas!

Velo Orange's eccentric bottom bracket.

Velo Orange Teases New EBB Option:

Sometimes you just have to simplify, but if that means going single speed for you, it may not be an option with your particular bike. Some companies in the past have recognized this fault of some frames to have any way to tension a chain for single speed use and have offered eccentric bottom brackets, or in the case of the ENO hub, an eccentric rear hub. 

Velo Orange sent out an email to its subscribers to their newsletter last Monday showing, amongst other future offerings, an eccentric bottom bracket. It works by utilizing outboard cups which are then set up with a pair of offset bearings. This allows for a 24mm spindled crank set, (typically Shimano), to be adjusted to tension a chain even if your bicycle has vertical drop outs or a rear through axle set up.  

I used a similar idea that was offered by Wheels Manufacturing to set up my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 as a single speed, only thing being that my bike had a PF-30 shell. The Velo Orange offering will work with a threaded BSA bottom bracket shell in 68mm or 73mm widths. So, for instance, I could get this and set up my Gen I Fargo as a single speed, or- I could use that bottom bracket to allow for a single speed bail-out option should I have a rear derailleur failure. 

This bottom bracket that VO is offering looks to be adjusted via the hexagonal shaped outer casing using a large wrench, I would assume. There seems to be what looks like a grub screw there which I would imagine sets the tension so the eccentric stays where you adjust it. No price has been revealed, but VO says that they expect these in for sale in late February, early March. 

Scott Bikes Debuts Solace eGravel Bike:

Scott bikes introduced a new electrified bicycle yesterday for gravel riding/racing called the Solace. Featuring a sleek, integrated motor and battery, the bike weighs in with zero accessories at 26.5lbs. It has great geometry, and it is claimed that it's new mid-motor has almost zero drag, so that if you had to go without the electrical assistance, it wouldn't feel draggy. It has a generous weight limitation of approximately 262lbs including rider and gear.

Comments: First, a question- Aren't electrified bicycles supposed to "get people who cannot/normally would not ride out riding? Aren't these bicycles supposedly here to improve the cycling experience for those who could not participate well, or at all, without electrification? 

Your answer to those questions should inform your opinion of this new bike. I would argue that this new Scott Solace does none of the things those questions seek to answer. 

First off, it costs over ten thousand dollars. Nuff said there, I think.

Secondly, its range for assistance, which admittedly can vary due to terrain, rider weight, etc, is very limited. One reviewer I read said that at 82K rider weight, he was only able to get twenty-seven miles before he ran out of battery, and that was with 900Ft of elevation gain. (!!!) 

Finally, the bike weighs over 26 pounds. Great for an electrified bike, but it is obvious that most of the time you are riding it won't be that sort of bike, especially if you like your rides to go for a few hours at a crack. So, spending 10k+ for that? 

Fail.

That's a wrap for this week. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Friday News And Views

SunTour S-1 Rear Derailleur. (Image courtesy of Disraeli Gears)

 Really Old Rear Derailleur Idea Gets Resurrected - Again!

Bicycle technology is a strange soup made up of really smart ideas cooked up in the late 19th/early 20th Centuries and reinvented as "new" ideas decades later. Today I have a fun one that popped up because Rene Herse came out with a "Nivex" rear derailleur recently, a design manufactured around 1935. Then it was infamously resurrected by SunTour in the early 1990's. 

The new RH remake looks to be made of a CNC'ed aluminum, although their site gives little information on it. The piece is manufactured partially in the USA and Taiwan. The derailleur necessitates the use of a chain stay braze-on to mount it, and a special shifter that pulls a continuous cable is also part of the system, but not included in the $729.00 price for the rear derailleur. 

Comments: I've worked on several of the SunTour examples. They were indexed at the derailleur for seven speed cassettes and free wheels, usually. This rear derailleur from RH will be friction, so it could work with many different speed systems. Its main benefit is that it remains tucked up and out of the way from trail debris and it is less likely to be bent, or cause a bent hangar due to its more robust, low profile mount. 

The Nivex rear derailleur. (Image courtesy of Rene Herse)

This particular RH example is, in my opinion, inferior to the SunTour model in that it relies on a CNC type manufacturing design which, in my experience and observation, is not as robust a way to manufacture a thing like a rear derailleur as the stamped metal construction that most S-1 rear derailleurs employed. RH says the Nivex (The name is derived from one of the original makers of this design in the early 20th Century) is rebuildable and spares will be available. Yep! That's what the 1990's CNC rear derailleurs had going for them as well. That doesn't help when you grenade a rear derailleur in the middle of nowhere. (I blew two 1990's examples up, so I know about that) 

Then there is the price tag. Considering that you may have to modify your steel frame (aluminum and carbon frame owners probably aren't going with this, but you could) and that you need a shifter to match up, this is going to send your little weirdo rear derailleur experiment over the 1K mark easily. Hmm..... Why?

You could just as easily do an old friction shifter and an old 1990's XT rear derailleur for peanuts and not have to mod a frame. Same experience, less cabbage. You decide.....

The route for the 2009 Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational

Asking For A Friend:

Recently a reader of this blog asked about the 2009 route for the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational which I spoke about in detail in this post recently. the request was whether or not there were cues or a gpx file for the route. 

Upon further inspection, I found 2/3rds of the original route, but what happened to the rest is a mystery. No matter, because I can recreate that with little problems. However; I also would modify the route to reflect the way that we did it in 2014/15 instead.

The reason being is that when the route starts out of Backbone State Park, the options for over nights and resupply make a lot more sense. Starting in the State Park allows you the option of camping there, and Backbone State Park is a very nice venue to start from, with amenities for showers, camping, cabin rentals, and stuff to do for support/family members that are not riding, if that is the case for you. 

It also puts you in Elkader around lunchtime, (if you start bright and early, as you should), and that village has several lunch options. Resupply towns fall in good places as well. You'd have Wadena, Volga, (admittedly not much there) and Elgin. Plus Garber, and just off course, Edgewood, although by that time you'd be so close to coming back through Strawberry Point you may as well stay the course. 

So, anyway... Any interest in me doing up the route again, making it available in gpx and in cue sheet forms? Let me know. I probably would do this on a free will donation basis, just so you know. Merry Christmas!

Velo Orange's eccentric bottom bracket.

Velo Orange Teases New EBB Option:

Sometimes you just have to simplify, but if that means going single speed for you, it may not be an option with your particular bike. Some companies in the past have recognized this fault of some frames to have any way to tension a chain for single speed use and have offered eccentric bottom brackets, or in the case of the ENO hub, an eccentric rear hub. 

Velo Orange sent out an email to its subscribers to their newsletter last Monday showing, amongst other future offerings, an eccentric bottom bracket. It works by utilizing outboard cups which are then set up with a pair of offset bearings. This allows for a 24mm spindled crank set, (typically Shimano), to be adjusted to tension a chain even if your bicycle has vertical drop outs or a rear through axle set up.  

I used a similar idea that was offered by Wheels Manufacturing to set up my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 as a single speed, only thing being that my bike had a PF-30 shell. The Velo Orange offering will work with a threaded BSA bottom bracket shell in 68mm or 73mm widths. So, for instance, I could get this and set up my Gen I Fargo as a single speed, or- I could use that bottom bracket to allow for a single speed bail-out option should I have a rear derailleur failure. 

This bottom bracket that VO is offering looks to be adjusted via the hexagonal shaped outer casing using a large wrench, I would assume. There seems to be what looks like a grub screw there which I would imagine sets the tension so the eccentric stays where you adjust it. No price has been revealed, but VO says that they expect these in for sale in late February, early March. 

Scott Bikes Debuts Solace eGravel Bike:

Scott bikes introduced a new electrified bicycle yesterday for gravel riding/racing called the Solace. Featuring a sleek, integrated motor and battery, the bike weighs in with zero accessories at 26.5lbs. It has great geometry, and it is claimed that it's new mid-motor has almost zero drag, so that if you had to go without the electrical assistance, it wouldn't feel draggy. It has a generous weight limitation of approximately 262lbs including rider and gear.

Comments: First, a question- Aren't electrified bicycles supposed to "get people who cannot/normally would not ride out riding? Aren't these bicycles supposedly here to improve the cycling experience for those who could not participate well, or at all, without electrification? 

Your answer to those questions should inform your opinion of this new bike. I would argue that this new Scott Solace does none of the things those questions seek to answer. 

First off, it costs over ten thousand dollars. Nuff said there, I think.

Secondly, its range for assistance, which admittedly can vary due to terrain, rider weight, etc, is very limited. One reviewer I read said that at 82K rider weight, he was only able to get twenty-seven miles before he ran out of battery, and that was with 900Ft of elevation gain. (!!!) 

Finally, the bike weighs over 26 pounds. Great for an electrified bike, but it is obvious that most of the time you are riding it won't be that sort of bike, especially if you like your rides to go for a few hours at a crack. So, spending 10k+ for that? 

Fail.

That's a wrap for this week. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Guitar Ted's How-To: Rear Derailleur set-Up Basics - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of how to set up a rear derailleur from scratch on your bike. Again, this applies to the way I would take a new rear derailleur for a mechanical system and set it up to work properly. This would also work for anyone swapping on a used rear derailleur as well. While this doesn't cover electronic rear derailleurs, many of the same basics still apply. 

Now, if you missed the basics of rear derailleurs, that post is HERE and a link to yesterday's post is HERE. I will assume you have read and understood that previous material. 

Keep in mind that if you have any hesitation at all in doing this task, stop and seek the help of a professional bicycle mechanic. Getting any of this wrong can lead to serious injury, property damage, and even death. So, unless you are confident in your mechanical skills and unless you own the proper tools, don't attempt this! 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will remind you that this post only will deal with how to set up the lower limit screw.  How to set up the "B Tension" screw is best done while doing a tune on the cable and rear shifting, so that will come later. . See that link for the earlier steps in this process which MUST be completed BEFORE you do these steps. Now, on with the show.....

The "LOW LIMIT" screw does not come into play until the rear derailleur is at full extension. This happens in your lowest gear on the cassette, or the "biggest cog" if you think of things in that manner. Its job is to prevent the rear derailleur's travel inboard to the point that the chain goes over the top of that last cog and into the spokes. It also aligns that upper jockey wheel on the rear derailleur so it is perfectly in-line with the last cog of the cassette. 

Above you can see #1 which is the "LOW" screw and where it hits the inner portion of the parallelogram of this Shimano XT rear derailleur at point #2. Remember from yesterday's post that turning that "LOW" screw clockwise prevents travel inboard and turning it counter-clockwise allows that travel to continue further inboard toward the spokes. This assumes that your cable tension is correct, that you have the correct, operational shifter, and nothing is damaged or bent on a complete system. But for this job, we aren't worried about that just yet. 

Now, for a quick diversion...... Since setting the "LOW" limit screw is best done with a chain on, I am going to show you a couple of hacks I use to make chain installation a bit easier. Both of these work best if you have a repair stand, by the way. 

First, you want to get the derailleur in the position I have shown to the left here. This will probably mean that your bike will have its front wheel on the ground and the back one straight, or almost so, above it in the work stand. What you want is to make a straight path downward for the chain toward the ground through the derailleur cage. 

This allows you to use gravity to your advantage, instead of fighting gravity - if you were trying to put the chain through the rear derailleur with the bike in a horizontal position. This technique I am sharing makes the job of threading a chain through a derailleur far easier. But again- it works best with a repair stand. Don't have one? Well, I would guess that if you have read this far, you want to do some of your own work on your bicycles. The best thing you can add to your tool stash is a repair stand. Get one!

Drop the chain in from the top, using gravity to feed it through the cage.

Okay, now on with the show... Tip: Make certain that you have cut your chain to length (use the old one as a guide if you can), and make sure you thread the chain in the right orientation. 10, 11, and 12 speed chains will likely have either a top side or bottom, or a right and left orientaion. Check your chain manufacturer's tech spec guide or ask a mechanic if you are not sure about this. Most 9 speed, 8 speed, and 7 speed chains are not affected by this.

Using gravity, you should be able to drop the chain in from the top, through the cage, and past the upper jockey wheel of the derailleur, (which is the lower one as this is oriented here in the image) , and then pass through at least half the chain. You can even thread the chain through a front derailleur at this time, if that applies to your bike. Then adjust your stand back so the bike sits horizontally again. 

Hack #2: Use a bungee cord to hold the cage forward like this to relieve chain tension for ease of quick link attachment.

Ever had trouble connecting those Shimano quick links? Read on...

Now for Hack #3- This applies mostly to Shimano quick links, but some SRAM 7 & 8 speed links are stubborn to go into place as well. If you have had trouble connecting a quick link like this, here's a quick way to solve the problem. First, carefully attach the link with the chain tension relieved as I have shown with the bungee. Try to get the link as tight as you can first, as I have shown immediately above with this Shimano 11 speed link. 

Then, carefully, slowly pedal the bike forward so the quick link is in the "top run" of the chain as I have shown immediately above here. Get the quick link about midway from the cassette cog and the chain wheel. Then, grab a rubber mallet, (you can use your hand, but it usually hurts if you do!), and apply the rear brake firmly with one hand and then strike a pedal (Usually should be the right side since it is closet to you)  sharply with the rubber mallet, as if you were going to pedal forward. This will snap the link into place. Done! 

Now- On to setting initial "LOW" limit for the derailleur. You'll see why I like to have the chain on for this in a minute.... (Here is a link to yesterday's post for reference if needed)

With the rear derailleur on the smallest cog on the cassette, place your hand as I have shown here on the rear derailleur. Use your left hand, as you'll need your right hand to pedal with. Pedaling slooooowly, push with your thumb on the derailleur's knuckle in the direction shown. (Towards the inboard side of the bike). 

The derailleur should start walking the chain up the cassette toward the biggest cog. You may find that with a new rear derailleur that you can only get so far, then you cannot push the derailleur any further, but you are two, maybe three cogs from the largest cassette cog. Okay, if that is the case, you need to turn the "LOW" limit screw counter-clockwise. Always make small, incremental adjustments. I'd turn it maybe a quarter turn at a time, and recheck how far the derailleur can be pushed up. Repeat the process until you can get the chain to drop into the last gear on the cassette, but no further!

Now, lets say that you can push that chain up and it wants to go over the last cog if you keep pushing. (This is why you want to pedal SLOWLY and be very careful) If that seems to be the case, the "LOW" limit screw needs to be turned clockwise, again a quarter turn at a time, until you cannot push the chain off the last cassette cog. 

Showing the technique at the extreme end of the derailleur's travel here.

Keep in mind that you do not need to use excessive force, or much force at all to manage this technique. The carefully applied force and slow movement of the drive train as you pedal will yield the best results here. 

Now if you've found that point where you can get the chain to drop in the last, largest cog on the cassette and not have the chain go over it, you've got the "LOW" limit in the ballpark. You should be okay as far as a safe system now. I'd recommend doing a finer adjustment if necessary when you get to adjusting the cable for shifting, but that will be for my next post in this series. I'll also show how to set up the "B" tension screw for optimal shifting when I get to how to tune the rear derailleur as well.

At this point, your basic set-up of the rear derailleur is complete. Stay tuned for more "How-To" posts soon.

Guitar Ted's How-To: Rear Derailleur set-Up Basics - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of how to set up a rear derailleur from scratch on your bike. Again, this applies to the way I would take a new rear derailleur for a mechanical system and set it up to work properly. This would also work for anyone swapping on a used rear derailleur as well. While this doesn't cover electronic rear derailleurs, many of the same basics still apply. 

Now, if you missed the basics of rear derailleurs, that post is HERE and a link to yesterday's post is HERE. I will assume you have read and understood that previous material. 

Keep in mind that if you have any hesitation at all in doing this task, stop and seek the help of a professional bicycle mechanic. Getting any of this wrong can lead to serious injury, property damage, and even death. So, unless you are confident in your mechanical skills and unless you own the proper tools, don't attempt this! 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will remind you that this post only will deal with how to set up the lower limit screw.  How to set up the "B Tension" screw is best done while doing a tune on the cable and rear shifting, so that will come later. . See that link for the earlier steps in this process which MUST be completed BEFORE you do these steps. Now, on with the show.....

The "LOW LIMIT" screw does not come into play until the rear derailleur is at full extension. This happens in your lowest gear on the cassette, or the "biggest cog" if you think of things in that manner. Its job is to prevent the rear derailleur's travel inboard to the point that the chain goes over the top of that last cog and into the spokes. It also aligns that upper jockey wheel on the rear derailleur so it is perfectly in-line with the last cog of the cassette. 

Above you can see #1 which is the "LOW" screw and where it hits the inner portion of the parallelogram of this Shimano XT rear derailleur at point #2. Remember from yesterday's post that turning that "LOW" screw clockwise prevents travel inboard and turning it counter-clockwise allows that travel to continue further inboard toward the spokes. This assumes that your cable tension is correct, that you have the correct, operational shifter, and nothing is damaged or bent on a complete system. But for this job, we aren't worried about that just yet. 

Now, for a quick diversion...... Since setting the "LOW" limit screw is best done with a chain on, I am going to show you a couple of hacks I use to make chain installation a bit easier. Both of these work best if you have a repair stand, by the way. 

First, you want to get the derailleur in the position I have shown to the left here. This will probably mean that your bike will have its front wheel on the ground and the back one straight, or almost so, above it in the work stand. What you want is to make a straight path downward for the chain toward the ground through the derailleur cage. 

This allows you to use gravity to your advantage, instead of fighting gravity - if you were trying to put the chain through the rear derailleur with the bike in a horizontal position. This technique I am sharing makes the job of threading a chain through a derailleur far easier. But again- it works best with a repair stand. Don't have one? Well, I would guess that if you have read this far, you want to do some of your own work on your bicycles. The best thing you can add to your tool stash is a repair stand. Get one!

Drop the chain in from the top, using gravity to feed it through the cage.

Okay, now on with the show... Tip: Make certain that you have cut your chain to length (use the old one as a guide if you can), and make sure you thread the chain in the right orientation. 10, 11, and 12 speed chains will likely have either a top side or bottom, or a right and left orientaion. Check your chain manufacturer's tech spec guide or ask a mechanic if you are not sure about this. Most 9 speed, 8 speed, and 7 speed chains are not affected by this.

Using gravity, you should be able to drop the chain in from the top, through the cage, and past the upper jockey wheel of the derailleur, (which is the lower one as this is oriented here in the image) , and then pass through at least half the chain. You can even thread the chain through a front derailleur at this time, if that applies to your bike. Then adjust your stand back so the bike sits horizontally again. 

Hack #2: Use a bungee cord to hold the cage forward like this to relieve chain tension for ease of quick link attachment.

Ever had trouble connecting those Shimano quick links? Read on...

Now for Hack #3- This applies mostly to Shimano quick links, but some SRAM 7 & 8 speed links are stubborn to go into place as well. If you have had trouble connecting a quick link like this, here's a quick way to solve the problem. First, carefully attach the link with the chain tension relieved as I have shown with the bungee. Try to get the link as tight as you can first, as I have shown immediately above with this Shimano 11 speed link. 

Then, carefully, slowly pedal the bike forward so the quick link is in the "top run" of the chain as I have shown immediately above here. Get the quick link about midway from the cassette cog and the chain wheel. Then, grab a rubber mallet, (you can use your hand, but it usually hurts if you do!), and apply the rear brake firmly with one hand and then strike a pedal (Usually should be the right side since it is closet to you)  sharply with the rubber mallet, as if you were going to pedal forward. This will snap the link into place. Done! 

Now- On to setting initial "LOW" limit for the derailleur. You'll see why I like to have the chain on for this in a minute.... (Here is a link to yesterday's post for reference if needed)

With the rear derailleur on the smallest cog on the cassette, place your hand as I have shown here on the rear derailleur. Use your left hand, as you'll need your right hand to pedal with. Pedaling slooooowly, push with your thumb on the derailleur's knuckle in the direction shown. (Towards the inboard side of the bike). 

The derailleur should start walking the chain up the cassette toward the biggest cog. You may find that with a new rear derailleur that you can only get so far, then you cannot push the derailleur any further, but you are two, maybe three cogs from the largest cassette cog. Okay, if that is the case, you need to turn the "LOW" limit screw counter-clockwise. Always make small, incremental adjustments. I'd turn it maybe a quarter turn at a time, and recheck how far the derailleur can be pushed up. Repeat the process until you can get the chain to drop into the last gear on the cassette, but no further!

Now, lets say that you can push that chain up and it wants to go over the last cog if you keep pushing. (This is why you want to pedal SLOWLY and be very careful) If that seems to be the case, the "LOW" limit screw needs to be turned clockwise, again a quarter turn at a time, until you cannot push the chain off the last cassette cog. 

Showing the technique at the extreme end of the derailleur's travel here.

Keep in mind that you do not need to use excessive force, or much force at all to manage this technique. The carefully applied force and slow movement of the drive train as you pedal will yield the best results here. 

Now if you've found that point where you can get the chain to drop in the last, largest cog on the cassette and not have the chain go over it, you've got the "LOW" limit in the ballpark. You should be okay as far as a safe system now. I'd recommend doing a finer adjustment if necessary when you get to adjusting the cable for shifting, but that will be for my next post in this series. I'll also show how to set up the "B" tension screw for optimal shifting when I get to how to tune the rear derailleur as well.

At this point, your basic set-up of the rear derailleur is complete. Stay tuned for more "How-To" posts soon.

Guitar Ted's How-To: Rear Derailleur Set-Up Basics - Part 1

 Hey Everyone! This is a follow-up on the series on "How-To" posts and this time I am continuing on with rear derailleurs. The basics on parts of a rear derailleur were discussed in THIS POST. Make sure you are familiar with the parts of a derailleur first as these following posts today and tomorrow will cover basic set-up and adjustments. Following these posts I will get into how to adjust shifting with the cable adjustment feature found on many rear derailleurs- but not all. Stay tuned for more on that coming soon. 

Today's post will get into how one would start to set up a brand new, or new-to-the-bike, rear derailleur. There are certain things you will want to do in a certain order that will make your life a lot easier when replacing one of these mechanisms. Also- while I will not discuss electronic rear derailleurs here, many of these basic principals still apply. Always refer to manufacturer's instructions, or take it to a bicycle technician if in doubt. Getting today's lesson wrong (or tomorrow's) can result in damaged parts and possibly a crash and injury/death. (No kidding!) So, if you have any questions at all about your understanding of these basics, get help! It's not worth it to take a chance here. 

Okay, with that out of the way, I would start this process with the chain off. You should have the rear wheel installed with whatever cassette you are going to use. The rear derailleur can then be mounted to the hangar of the frame (replaceable hangar in most cases, probably) and then we can get started.

First, let's familiarize ourselves with the important parts of today's discussion in regard to setting up a rear derailleur. I'll refer to the image above: Working from Left to Right...

1. The cable fixing bolt, where the cable attaches. To get here, you may have to follow a circuitous path (SRAM) or specific leverage arms may have to be engaged. These are specific to individual derailleurs and may not apply in your case as well. Check manufacturer's manuals on your specific derailleur or consult an expert if in doubt. (This part won't be covered today or tomorrow)
   
2. The "HIGH" limit screw on a Shimano rear mech is almost always the upper of two screws, or as in this case with a GRX rear derailleur, a pair of 2mm hex head bolts. These are used ONLY ONCE and then you should not have to touch them again. 
3. The "LOW" limit screw. Both the "HIGH" and the "LOW" limit screws do what they say- They LIMIT derailleur travel. One on the "high"- or smallest cog of the cassette side, and the "low" is for the lowest gear/largest cassette cog side. These LIMIT the travel of the rear derailleur so your chain does not go off into the spokes or off on the other end into the frame. NOTE- These screws DO NOT AFFECT HOW YOUR BICYCLE SHIFTS, other than in one important way, which I will get to in my follow-up post. 
4. The "B Tension" screw, or as in this case, a 2mm hex head screw. This is the adjustment for the upper jockey wheel's relationship to the cassette. This will be discussed in more detail when I get to the end of this post.

Now, if you have the rear derailleur mounted, with no chain on, and no cable attached, you are ready to set the derailleur's travel limits using the limit screws. First, determine what type of screw/bolt you are looking at. Most of the time these will be JIS/Phillips type screws which have what looks like a "cross" slotted head. Other times you may see Torx/flat blade screwdriver heads. Other times you may see these 2mm hex head bolts, as with the example above. 

Also worth noting is that the "HIGH" and the "LOW" limit screws won't always be arranged in the same manner. Refer to the following images for more...

A typical SRAM MTB set up with the HIGH and LOW screws reversed from the typical Shimano positions.

Another SRAM set-up where the screws are not marked.. Note the interface tool type.

What if, as in the last image above, you don't have any markings to know which is "HIGH" and which screw controls the "LOW" limit? Well, you can visually inspect the rear derailleur for clues. 

Most rear derailleurs (NOT ALL) have a "resting" position. This is the state of the mechanism when there is no cable attached. The rear derailleur is typically in its "collapsed" state, which is when the HIGH limit screw will be in contact with some part of the rear derailleur. Visual inspection should lead you to identify which screw is the HIGH one. That leaves the other screw as being the LOW limit. See the following images...

#1: This screw rests against the derailleur at point indicated by #2 when the rear derailleur has no cable attached. So, this is the "HIGH" limit screw on this derailleur. 

On this SRAM rear derailleur you can see the limit screws protruding from the inside of the parallelogram part of the rear derailleur. The nearest to to foreground is the "HIGH" limit, as can be seen by the indicator on the parallelogram's outer side. But if that marking weren't there, you'd be able to see that this screw would be in contact with the inner part of the front knuckle of the derailleur if it were at rest. I have the derailleur partially actuated for this view. 

Now that you know which screw is which, and how to determine that, you can move on to setting the limits of derailleur travel. Typically, you'd set the "HIGH" limit first, as this is the critical 'starting' point for shifting. If the start point is off, the indexing of your shifter won't place the rear derailleur in the exact position it needs to be in to do its job. So, in a way, this particular screw is crucial to the operation of your shifter, but once it is set, you forget it!

As with either limit screw, clockwise rotation of the screw results in limitation of movement to the "outer-side" of the system. So, in the case of the "HIGH" limit screw, clockwise rotation sets a limit for movement further inboard as you turn that screw. Counter-clockwise rotation of the screw results in setting the limit further outboard, so the derailleur will move away from the center of the bicycle as you make this adjustment. 

Ideally, you want the upper jockey wheel of your rear dérailleur to sit directly underneath the smallest cassette cog when the rear derailleur is at rest. Adjust that limit screw until you see that relationship, and that is your "starting point" to adjusting the shifting. Now when the cable is adjusted correctly, (more on that later on in this series), your shifter will index correctly with the cassette and the rear derailleur will "derail" the chain properly to the next lowest gear, and when coming back again, it won't hesitate or overshoot the last cog and go into the frame. 

Okay, that's enough for today! Tomorrow I will cover the trick I use to set the low limit screw. The "B tension" screw discussion will come later. Also, in a following post, I will get into how to connect the rear cable, how to address cable tension for your rear derailleur, what tricks I use, and that should be all you'll need to set up and adjust most rear derailleurs out there. 

Tomorrow: Rear Derailleur Set-Up Basics - Part 2

Guitar Ted's How-To: Rear Derailleur Set-Up Basics - Part 1

 Hey Everyone! This is a follow-up on the series on "How-To" posts and this time I am continuing on with rear derailleurs. The basics on parts of a rear derailleur were discussed in THIS POST. Make sure you are familiar with the parts of a derailleur first as these following posts today and tomorrow will cover basic set-up and adjustments. Following these posts I will get into how to adjust shifting with the cable adjustment feature found on many rear derailleurs- but not all. Stay tuned for more on that coming soon. 

Today's post will get into how one would start to set up a brand new, or new-to-the-bike, rear derailleur. There are certain things you will want to do in a certain order that will make your life a lot easier when replacing one of these mechanisms. Also- while I will not discuss electronic rear derailleurs here, many of these basic principals still apply. Always refer to manufacturer's instructions, or take it to a bicycle technician if in doubt. Getting today's lesson wrong (or tomorrow's) can result in damaged parts and possibly a crash and injury/death. (No kidding!) So, if you have any questions at all about your understanding of these basics, get help! It's not worth it to take a chance here. 

Okay, with that out of the way, I would start this process with the chain off. You should have the rear wheel installed with whatever cassette you are going to use. The rear derailleur can then be mounted to the hangar of the frame (replaceable hangar in most cases, probably) and then we can get started.

First, let's familiarize ourselves with the important parts of today's discussion in regard to setting up a rear derailleur. I'll refer to the image above: Working from Left to Right...

1. The cable fixing bolt, where the cable attaches. To get here, you may have to follow a circuitous path (SRAM) or specific leverage arms may have to be engaged. These are specific to individual derailleurs and may not apply in your case as well. Check manufacturer's manuals on your specific derailleur or consult an expert if in doubt. (This part won't be covered today or tomorrow)
   
2. The "HIGH" limit screw on a Shimano rear mech is almost always the upper of two screws, or as in this case with a GRX rear derailleur, a pair of 2mm hex head bolts. These are used ONLY ONCE and then you should not have to touch them again. 
3. The "LOW" limit screw. Both the "HIGH" and the "LOW" limit screws do what they say- They LIMIT derailleur travel. One on the "high"- or smallest cog of the cassette side, and the "low" is for the lowest gear/largest cassette cog side. These LIMIT the travel of the rear derailleur so your chain does not go off into the spokes or off on the other end into the frame. NOTE- These screws DO NOT AFFECT HOW YOUR BICYCLE SHIFTS, other than in one important way, which I will get to in my follow-up post. 
4. The "B Tension" screw, or as in this case, a 2mm hex head screw. This is the adjustment for the upper jockey wheel's relationship to the cassette. This will be discussed in more detail when I get to the end of this post.

Now, if you have the rear derailleur mounted, with no chain on, and no cable attached, you are ready to set the derailleur's travel limits using the limit screws. First, determine what type of screw/bolt you are looking at. Most of the time these will be JIS/Phillips type screws which have what looks like a "cross" slotted head. Other times you may see Torx/flat blade screwdriver heads. Other times you may see these 2mm hex head bolts, as with the example above. 

Also worth noting is that the "HIGH" and the "LOW" limit screws won't always be arranged in the same manner. Refer to the following images for more...

A typical SRAM MTB set up with the HIGH and LOW screws reversed from the typical Shimano positions.

Another SRAM set-up where the screws are not marked.. Note the interface tool type.

What if, as in the last image above, you don't have any markings to know which is "HIGH" and which screw controls the "LOW" limit? Well, you can visually inspect the rear derailleur for clues. 

Most rear derailleurs (NOT ALL) have a "resting" position. This is the state of the mechanism when there is no cable attached. The rear derailleur is typically in its "collapsed" state, which is when the HIGH limit screw will be in contact with some part of the rear derailleur. Visual inspection should lead you to identify which screw is the HIGH one. That leaves the other screw as being the LOW limit. See the following images...

#1: This screw rests against the derailleur at point indicated by #2 when the rear derailleur has no cable attached. So, this is the "HIGH" limit screw on this derailleur. 

On this SRAM rear derailleur you can see the limit screws protruding from the inside of the parallelogram part of the rear derailleur. The nearest to to foreground is the "HIGH" limit, as can be seen by the indicator on the parallelogram's outer side. But if that marking weren't there, you'd be able to see that this screw would be in contact with the inner part of the front knuckle of the derailleur if it were at rest. I have the derailleur partially actuated for this view. 

Now that you know which screw is which, and how to determine that, you can move on to setting the limits of derailleur travel. Typically, you'd set the "HIGH" limit first, as this is the critical 'starting' point for shifting. If the start point is off, the indexing of your shifter won't place the rear derailleur in the exact position it needs to be in to do its job. So, in a way, this particular screw is crucial to the operation of your shifter, but once it is set, you forget it!

As with either limit screw, clockwise rotation of the screw results in limitation of movement to the "outer-side" of the system. So, in the case of the "HIGH" limit screw, clockwise rotation sets a limit for movement further inboard as you turn that screw. Counter-clockwise rotation of the screw results in setting the limit further outboard, so the derailleur will move away from the center of the bicycle as you make this adjustment. 

Ideally, you want the upper jockey wheel of your rear dérailleur to sit directly underneath the smallest cassette cog when the rear derailleur is at rest. Adjust that limit screw until you see that relationship, and that is your "starting point" to adjusting the shifting. Now when the cable is adjusted correctly, (more on that later on in this series), your shifter will index correctly with the cassette and the rear derailleur will "derail" the chain properly to the next lowest gear, and when coming back again, it won't hesitate or overshoot the last cog and go into the frame. 

Okay, that's enough for today! Tomorrow I will cover the trick I use to set the low limit screw. The "B tension" screw discussion will come later. Also, in a following post, I will get into how to connect the rear cable, how to address cable tension for your rear derailleur, what tricks I use, and that should be all you'll need to set up and adjust most rear derailleurs out there. 

Tomorrow: Rear Derailleur Set-Up Basics - Part 2

Guitar Ted's How-To: Rear Derailleur Basics

Back again with another post on "How-To" and this time it will help you to understand rear derailleur basics. 

The last How-To post was about tubeless rim taping and can be found HERE. There is a link from that post to another How-To on tubeless tire mounting, by the way. 

Okay, this post will NOT describe every rear derailleur situation, but it WILL describe how almost every rear derailleur on modern bikes works, even electronic ones, to a degree. All rear derailleurs owe there basics to how these devices evolved up to the era of indexed shifting which dawned in the 1980's. 

While variations on the theme have been produced, almost every rear derailleur since the 1980's has basics that are the same in function. That's what this post will help you to understand, and when you understand these basic principles, your understanding of adjustments and care for rear derailleurs should be enhanced. 

Or let's hope so! 

Okay, on with the show here.....

Rear Derailleur Basics: Anti-clockwise from the upper left.....

1. "B" tension screw. This can be a Phillips (It isn't really, but for sake of simplicity here...) head screw or a hex head screw. It determines where in space that the upper jockey wheel (See #7) tracks the cassette or freewheel cogs. Needs only to be set once- then forget it!
2. Outside (or HIGH) limit screw. Can be a Phillips, (again- it isn't really, but..), or a hex head screw. On Shimano rear derailleurs it is almost always the upper/higher screw. On SRAM it is usually the lower one. On SRAM rear derailleurs with screws set side-by-side it is the innermost to the rear wheel screw. Generally marked with an "H", but not always. The function of this limit screw is to keep the derailleur from traveling too far outward and just enough to place the upper jockey wheel underneath the smallest cassette/freewheel cog in the highest gear setting. Set once and forget it!
3. Inner (or LOW) limit screw. Similar to #2 only the opposite is true with regard to which screw it is and what it does. This one is really important to get right or your chain will go over the top of the cassette/freewheel and into your spokes, and likely will destroy the rear derailleur in the process. Limit the travel of the rear derailleur so that this does not happen, but so that the chain will shift into the lowest gear. Set once and forget it!
4. Rear cable adjuster. This tensions the derailleur cable so that the shifter will operate the derailleur correctly. (Not applicable to electronically shifted derailleurs, of course) This should only be adjusted when the derailleur is in its resting position, (almost always in the highest gear, but there are exceptions), and should be adjusted so that when the shifter is activated, the chain moves immediately into the second smallest cog. Counter-clockwise rotation of the adjuster tightens the cable, and clockwise loosens it. The adjustment procedure will be covered in a different "How-To" post. NOTE: Not all rear derailleurs have this. Most notably some SRAM rear derailleurs. 
5. Rear derailleur cable attachment: Not applicable to electronically shifted systems. The big thing here is to make sure you thread the cable past the fixing bolt in the proper manner or the rear derailleur will not operate correctly. SRAM rear derailleurs and some newer Shimano rear derailleurs require a specific, circuitous routing, so be careful when replacing a cable! This matters on ALL rear derailleurs, by the way. 
6. Chain routing: When replacing a chain, be extra careful to route the chain through the rear derailleur properly. It is easy to get this wrong which can lead to noises, poor shifting, and permanent rear derailleur damage. 
7. Jockey Wheels: The arrow points to the lower one here, but there is an upper one as well. Both need to be cleaned and lubricated regularly. Failure to do this will result in excess friction, requiring more watts of work from the rider. Failing to clean and lubricate jockey wheels can also lead to premature wear, poor shifting, noises, and more. If you dare to remove a jockey wheel keep in mind that the upper one cannot be swapped for the lower and vice versa. They have specific design and functions. Also: It is imperative that when you replace the axle bolts that they be treated with thread locking compound to prevent them from backing out while riding and possibly causing a crash. 
8. Rear derailleur attachment bolt. Most often a 6mm hex head, but it can be a Torx bolt on some higher end rear derailleurs. Once attached you generally don't have to ever mess with this bolt.

Even oddball rear derailleurs like this one from Ingid use these same basic mechanical principles.

Okay, so this isn't really a "how-to" so much as it is a "how it is". The thing is, once I do get to the article on how to adjust these, I don't want you to ask me "Hey Ted, What does that screw do?". You should know now because you read this article. 

As you may have guessed the next "How-To" will address setting up and adjusting the rear derailleur. Stay tuned...