Hi! I just picked up this Electra Cruiser 7D a few days ago for real cheap. after adding a new chain, I got to work on this derailleur. I'm a rookie at this (in fact, I can't even balance on a bike well) but I've been twiddling the barrel adjuster and limit screws back and forth for the last day or so and this is the best I've gotten it. Any tighter on the cable and the chains miss a cog. Any looser and the derailleur never makes it to the lowest speed, no matter how many times I start and stop pedaling or twist the gear shift. Also, it makes a horrible grinding noise in 1st gear. I'm stumped, esp. because the B screw seems to do nothing and it seems like it might be too close to the gear (which I saw is an issue with this derailleur on a few other posts)
Any help would be appreciated!
Can't get a seamless jump to lowest gear
byu/dukewoolie inbikewrench
by dukewoolie
9 Comments
Your hanger is most likely bent. If it looks anything like the picture then that’s the source of your problem.
https://preview.redd.it/vrq62rptilme1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=786ee27b07086023e6fcff07dc52d9165b733b45
i would check the limit screws again and i would try shifting gears with the bike upright.
did you watch Park Tool’s youtube video on rear derailleur adjustment? I’ll redo and follow their steps to the tee if I’m stumped.
Almost certainly it’s the b tension screw. You need about 5 millimeters between the cassette and the pulley and the cogs. With the size of the final jump, you may need to go for more like 6-8 mm. Make sure the derailleur and b tension screw are oriented on the hanger properly.
Adjust “B” limit screw. It’s too close to the cassette
Yeah. Seems awfully close to the gears
B screw
Already said by others, but check your “B tension” screw (look that up on google, might help)… your derailleur cage and jockey wheel are too close to the low gear cog and interfering with the shift, if you “tighten” the B-tension screw, the cage will be shifted back away a bit and should give you a smooth shift!
Everybody that’s saying the b screw is correct. You see the way the derailleur is bouncing up and down? That’s because the teeth of the sprockets are bumping each other. They’re too close together.
Shift into the second biggest gear. Adjust the B tension screw until it’s 3-5mm above the biggest gear.