Rear Derailleur adjustment for newbies

[lordofthemark]

As many of you may be aware the squeaking is back, despite the new chain and cassette, and after I lubed the chain (prior to GPR) Jeanne Streetsmarts said something about it sounding like the noise a cat makes sometimes? It is only when I am certain gears, not all. Given that last time Phoenix addressed it by adjusting the derailleur, and that it sounds to me at least like its coming from there, I think it must be the derailleur.

My questions to the hive mind - is adjusting a derailleur hard (assume I have a pretty full slate of tools, thanks to the building's bike room) ? Is there anything I can seriously mess up if I do it wrong?

[bentbike33]

As many of you may be aware the squeaking is back, despite the new chain and cassette, and after I lubed the chain (prior to GPR) Jeanne Streetsmarts said something about it sounding like the noise a cat makes sometimes? It is only when I am certain gears, not all. Given that last time Phoenix addressed it by adjusting the derailleur, and that it sounds to me at least like its coming from there, I think it must be the derailleur.

My questions to the hive mind - is adjusting a derailleur hard (assume I have a pretty full slate of tools, thanks to the building's bike room) ? Is there anything I can seriously mess up if I do it wrong?

I cannot think of anything to adjust on a rear derailleur that would relieve a squeak. Assuming the squeak happens while pedalling, it is probably one of the jockey wheels that could use some lubrication.

[hozn]

Adjusting a rear derailleur is easy; you just need a phillips-head screwdriver (or small hex on some newer derailleurs). There are many youtube videos.

But I don't think that's your problem. A misadjusted derailleur won't shift correctly or will make nasty chain grinding noises while it tries to "half shift". Mine is making that noise right now because I probably got a bunch of mud jammed up in there at Iron Cross race.

It might be your jockey wheels on the RD that are squeaking, in which case you can spray them with triflow lube or something and see if that fixes it.

But there are other things that can squeak too: shoes (rubber tread on the pedals), maybe pedals themselves, hub endcaps, etc. But hopefully lubing the jockey wheels is all it is.

[hozn]

This is probably worth posting. It is the definitive anthology of investigation avenues for squeaks, clicks, rattles, etc.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

Here's another: http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/keepitquiet.html

[TwoWheelsDC]

Can't say I've ever had a "squeaking" that was solved by a simple RD adjustment. If the bike shifts fine (meaning it runs smooth while in a given gear, in addition to actually shifting smoothly) and is all lubed up well, then I can't really think of any adjustment that would fix some sort of nondescript squeaking. If your RD is in need of adjustment, you should be getting some feedback through the drivetrain as you ride, along with some roughness in the drivetrain sound (but not a squeak). Does it just sound like it's coming from the RD while you're on the bike, or have you put it on a stand and traced the sound to the RD area?

One easy culprit to check...make sure your rear skewer is snug. I had a squeak that I eventually tracked down to my hubs, where the little grippers had worn down allowing the hub to move against the dropout, which necessitated keeping the skewers really tight. You generally don't need the skewers super tight, but they should be nice and snug.

[Tania]

But there are other things that can squeak too: shoes (rubber tread on the pedals), maybe pedals themselves, hub endcaps, etc. But hopefully lubing the jockey wheels is all it is.

Disc brakes too - I've been plagued by this for months now. It's not the standard "tsing tsing tsing" rotor rub, it's more a squeee squeee squeeee. I can prove it's the brakes by loosening up the thru axle just a bit and turning the wheel. We're pretty sure it's frame flex because it only happens when I'm putting down power (and mostly as my left leg starts the down stroke) but not 100%.

I lent it to someone for DCCX and it came back squeak free. For now.

[lordofthemark]

Can't say I've ever had a "squeaking" that was solved by a simple RD adjustment. If the bike shifts fine (meaning it runs smooth while in a given gear, in addition to actually shifting smoothly) and is all lubed up well, then I can't really think of any adjustment that would fix some sort of nondescript squeaking. If your RD is in need of adjustment, you should be getting some feedback through the drivetrain as you ride, along with some roughness in the drivetrain sound (but not a squeak). Does it just sound like it's coming from the RD while you're on the bike, or have you put it on a stand and traced the sound to the RD area?

I did put it up on a stand and it sounded like it came from there, but I didn't try listening to the pedals, I suppose. Note, I ride regular shoes on the flat side of my dual pedals, and I do not have disk brakes, so its not either of those. Will try lubing the jockey wheels.

[hozn]

Disc brakes too - I've been plagued by this for months now. It's not the standard "tsing tsing tsing" rotor rub, it's more a squeee squeee squeeee. I can prove it's the brakes by loosening up the thru axle just a bit and turning the wheel. We're pretty sure it's frame flex because it only happens when I'm putting down power (and mostly as my left leg starts the down stroke) but not 100%.

I lent it to someone for DCCX and it came back squeak free. For now.

Is it the front wheel? Just as another thing to throw out, my 15m endcaps for my Novatec hubs squeak a bit; it is solved by adding some grease around the rubber gasket on the endcaps, but has to be re-applied periodically . Not sure what it is about that design, but this is the second hub, so it's something in the design.

But certainly your suspicion that it's rotor rub in certain frame-flex situations sounds likely too, especially if the pads track pretty close. I've definitely had some squeaking when swapping wheels and rotors were no longer correctly aligned. I think the squeak was because I was also down close to the end of the pad and the pad spring clip was starting to rub the rotor. (I've also had it happen where that spring clip gets bent and sticks out in front of the pad, making squeaking sounds, though that usually makes noise when braking too.)

I had to stop and change my rear brake pads this AM on the way into work. They sounded horrible. I think I see why ... :-) Iron Cross was not too gentle.

[Steve O]

If you can put it on a stand (or hang it on a tree branch or whatever) and turn the pedals, you should be able to ascertain if the squeak is coming from the derailleur.
If it doesn't squeak on the stand but it does while you are riding, then it is you that is squeaking.

[Judd]

If you can put it on a stand (or hang it on a tree branch or whatever) and turn the pedals, you should be able to ascertain if the squeak is coming from the derailleur.
If it doesn't squeak on the stand but it does while you are riding, then it is you that is squeaking.

Don't hang your bike from a tree, Jeanne.