Good afternoon fellow wrenchers and mechanics. I recently picked up a Cannondale Topstone 3 with a Shinano Sora 2×9 gearset. I’m loving the brand-new-bicycle, however, it’s been back at the LBS twice in the past week (since purchase) and all for the Sora front derailleur. And I’m still having issues, might take it back a third time, but if the tech couldn’t figure it out after two visits I have no confidence they’ll get it on the third.
The issues first started when I noticed grinding sounds in the top 3 gear combinations (2×7, 2×8, 2×9). I tried to adjust the front derailleur myself, had no luck, took it back to the bike shop. LBS added a new cable and supposedly readjusted the front derailleur, but I still have a small sound in the fastest 2×9 gears, and now I can’t access any of the lower gear-ratios because the derailleur won’t shift into the lower gear. I’m getting tired of spending more time at the LBS than on the road.
Is there a way for me to set it up in a “zero position” and adjust from there? Should I just take this bike to a different local bike shop and pay for tuning? Are there even return-policies on used bicycles? I feel like I bought a lemon or the Sora derailleurs are shit, because my other bicycle that was half the money has had no issues with the Shimano Tourney equipment. If anybody here has been in the same boat before I’d be happy to read some advice.
Thanks in advance, picture for attention.
Also yes, I did test-ride the bicycle in a parking lot, I should have given it a more extensive test (and I learned my lesson for next time), but I guess I assumed it’d be mechanically flawless, since it was a new bicycle. 🙁
by Peenork
8 Comments
The mech looks too low and appears to be touching the chainring at the left side.
Are you aware of the trim positions on the shifter?
With the gear combinations you list; are we speaking a straight chainline or big-big/small-small? If the chain is going across then that may be the culprit.
I know that 105 and up have trim positions for that, no Idea with Sora though.
You could give the adjustment a go.
Setup works like this:
1. Shift to the easiest gear.
2. Loosen the frond derailleur cable.
3. Check if FD is parallel to chainrings, adjust if need be.
4. Adjust lower limit screw. Leave agap of about 1mm closest (the chain will wiggle a bit) on the plate towards the bike.
5. Clamp cable. The right tension is trial and error. You want it just tight enough to NOT already move the FD.
6. Shift to the hardest gear and adjust limit like 4. but on the outside plate.
7. If you have the two trim middle positions, cable tension is what adjusts them.
Honestly, I feel you. FD can be a bitch to get right.
Watch all the front derailleur videos from parktool and you should have enough knowledge to fix this yourself. It’s fiddly, but not rocket science. It’s a cable that pulls on a lever with a spring for return.
2x shouldn’t be that hard, though it looks like the mech is hitting the big chainring but that could just be the angle of the camera.
There should be no shortage of guides on YT on how to do it, here’s one from a quick search
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNHZ6bYzt6U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNHZ6bYzt6U)
These derailleurs aren’t amazing but they aren’t that hard to set up. Look up a video or take it to a different shop.
Long arm front d needs a barrel adjuster inline to get a precise adjustment especially when trimmed
I feel you.
I had the same problem. Claris/Sora can be a PITA if you don’t have a few model-specific tips, to the point where I wanted to swap drivetrains after fucking with it for 3 days to no avail. And an LBS didn’t do it properly either. Then I got a tip from another LBS that changed my whole outlook on this system, and I kept it. Once you do it successfully once, it’s fine.
It’s more or less identical to the Claris FD, which I have, and it can be a bitch because the tension is really high and the throw/pull angle of the cable is kinda shitty. This results in not enough movement even when the cable is taught. BUT! It can absolutely be done.
**First thing to know** is you’ve got to go over that pin and then almost 180 back down, so that the cable end is traveling toward the floor, not toward your leg (if you were sitting on the bike). [Here’s the PDF of the install manua](https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/dm/RBFD001/DM-RBFD001-01-ENG.pdf)l. Look at Page 18 for the correct route. Don’t be afraid to use that pin for leverage when you pull the cable. You won’t bend it.
The manual mentions a converter adaptor that can go on that derailleur. Mine didn’t use it, and it looks like yours doesn’t either, so ignore that part.
I started by tightening the L screw to push the cage out toward the larger chainring. Like halfway between (I know, this is messed up, but bear with me). Then I also left myself some room on the barrel adjuster to add cable tension when I’m done, in case you need it.
Route the cable properly according Pg 18 of that pdf. Wrap the cable around your hand (a glove helps here), and give it some good tension, pulling toward the floor. Don’t go overboard here, but also don’t be afraid to pull it on that pin. Clamp it down while maintaining tension.
Now, you can back off the L screw back into its proper position. This should top-off the high-tension needed to make it function properly. If it doesn’t totally, or it’s too much tension, use the barrel adjuster to fine-tune.
Finally, adjust it according to [Park’s video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNG7g83lI-s). Father Calvin knows the way.
For shits and giggles, here’s the [Park Rear Derailleur video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZxPIZ1ngY) Knowing how to adjust front and rear is incredibly empowering and you will want to keep learning. Pretty soon you’ll be doing all your own maintenance!
If you still can’t figure it out, post again. I might not have been that clear. I can send pics of mine or even post them here if you need. But once you use the mechanical leverage of the limit screw and the barrel adjuster to get it tight enough, you’ll be fine. This drove me nuts for most of a week until I got it to work. You got this.
You should take it back and insist that they fix it or replace it.