Rear Derailleur adjustment for newbies

[bentbike33]

Here are three pictures of the rear derailleur, from different angles. It does not appear out of place to me, but perhaps others have more insight.







I again looked at the chain. I saw nothing that looked to me like a bad link, no loose plates, and it moved smoothly over the jockey wheel. It did make slipping noises over the cassette gear, but I could not what physically was doing that.

I am thinking of just taking it in to a bike shop at this point. There is one a block from here, and I am sorely tempted.

When you say "slipping noises" do you mean it sounds like it is trying to shift unsuccessfully? Or does the chain pop up to a bigger cog then back down in short bursts? If that, you might just need a slight cable adjustment (probably tightening) by turning one of the barrel adjusters (at the shifter or derailleur) counter-clockwise (lefty-loosey).

[hozn]

Here are three pictures of the rear derailleur, from different angles.

Probably the most useful angle, when trying to diagnose shifting issue, is one taken from directly behind the derailleur at various points in the cassette; this should show the RD jockey wheel relative to the cogs and indicate if derailleur needs adjustment. Showing this position for a few different cogs (e.g. gears 2, 5, 9) should also hint at whether the hanger might be bent -- though that might also be possible to tell from the angle of the RD cage.

[bentbike33]

One more thing to check is for a slightly frayed derailleur cable. One or two of the component wires in the cable can break and bunch up in the cable housing leading to all kinds of misbehavior in an indexed shifting system. Your pictures aren't quite high-res enough to tell, but it does not look like there is any fraying near the derailleur anyway.

[Judd]

I am thinking of just taking it in to a bike shop at this point. There is one a block from here, and I am sorely tempted.

Looks like Karen gave you a lemon. I advise consulting legal counsel at this point. Or just taking it to a cool bike shop that will show you what was wrong and how they fixed it.

[lordofthemark]

Looks like Karen gave you a lemon. I advise consulting legal counsel at this point. Or just taking it to a cool bike shop that will show you what was wrong and how they fixed it.

I take full responsibility for being a wimp on what some people consider to not even be hills (and thereby causing what was certainly an avoidable chain suck scenario)

[Steve O]

I'm 50/50 that all you need is an adjustment. A couple tweaks of the barrel adjuster; making sure the limit screws are set right; good to go.

Let me know if that's all it turns out to be.

[huskerdont]

If you haven't done it much, derailleur adjustment really is the kind of thing where it helps to watch an expert do it once, either in person or on a video. Once you have (and can remember which way to turn the barrel), that part is pretty easy, and if it doesn't work, then you know you probably have something else going on.

[lordofthemark]

If you haven't done it much, derailleur adjustment really is the kind of thing where it helps to watch an expert do it once, either in person or on a video. Once you have (and can remember which way to turn the barrel), that part is pretty easy, and if it doesn't work, then you know you probably have something else going on.

It is done. Took it to Conte's Navy Yard, they adjusted the derailleur, and that fixed it. They did talk me through it, but wanted me on the other side of the counter while I watched, I probably could not do that myself without watching some videos. The shifting is now fine. They also spray lubed the jockey wheel (my spray lube from Amazon should arrive today along with some new lights, but oh well) and the squeak is gone too.

[Steve O]

I'm 50/50 that all you need is an adjustment. A couple tweaks of the barrel adjuster; making sure the limit screws are set right; good to go.

Let me know if that's all it turns out to be.