I have the v20c with a Microshift Arsis 11 front derailleur. Its shifting is not good; am currently limited to just using the small ring. When shifting into the big ring, about half the time it takes several rotations to complete the shift. About half of those throw the chain. When the limit screw is adjusted to so that the derailleur doesn't move so far to the right, the chain won't shift to the big ring. With it on a stand, when force on the brifter lever is removed after competing a shift, the derailleur moves back to the left about 1/8", which seems ridiculously large. The chain then rubs on the shifter. On an old diamond frame mountain bike, with Shimano components, the derailleur moves back maybe 1/32 of an inch after completing a shift. I don't see any way to prevent the back-movement of the shifter when the brifter is released. Is this a feature of Microshift levers?
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Front Derailleur
- Thread starter Joe Riel
- Start date
Rolling Along
Well-Known Member
It seems to me that you do not have it properly tuned. I have over 9700 miles on mine (same Microshift Arsis 11 on V20c) and have no issue. I do sometimes have to click twice for it to shift over. I think that is normal. The limit screw took some adjustment to not go too far right and come off after I replaced the internal shift cable (worn out). Also, when replacing the internal shift cable it needs to be pulled hard so there is no slack - my initial problem was that it would not go far enough to engage the big chain ring. After my friend pulled hard to get out the slack and tightened the cable stop then that problem was solved.
I'm sure it's not adjusted properly. When you shift into the big ring, and then take pressure off the brifter, how much does the derailleur move back (to the left)? That it moves back an 1/8" for me causes constant rubbing. Seems like I need to tighten the cable (with the little cable adjustment, which is almost impossible to turn with fingers) so that there is no rubbing when the derailleur is on the outer limit screw.
Is there a practical way to turn that adjustment? It is barely accessible and really hard to turn (the cable housing wants to twist when turning plastic nut thing).
I looked carefully at the "plastic adjust thingee" at the end of the cable housing. To adjust the cable length (technically the housing length), the outer plastic piece with the length-wise knurl is supposed to be turned against an inner threaded hollow piece that the cable runs through. There is no mechanism for preventing the inner hollow piece from turning (with the outer piece). If they turn together, no adjustment is made (the threads don't turn). Is there a way to hold the inner piece so turning the outer piece adjusts the length?
Is there a practical way to turn that adjustment? It is barely accessible and really hard to turn (the cable housing wants to twist when turning plastic nut thing).
I looked carefully at the "plastic adjust thingee" at the end of the cable housing. To adjust the cable length (technically the housing length), the outer plastic piece with the length-wise knurl is supposed to be turned against an inner threaded hollow piece that the cable runs through. There is no mechanism for preventing the inner hollow piece from turning (with the outer piece). If they turn together, no adjustment is made (the threads don't turn). Is there a way to hold the inner piece so turning the outer piece adjusts the length?
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Rolling Along
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I meant, "pinch bolt", not "cable stop" in the prior post.
I am not sure what "plastic adjust thingee" is. The V20c installation video has the user installing an inline barrel adjuster near the end where you clamp the cable at the pinch bolt. I did not bother installing an inline barrel adjuster. But if you did it is for fine tuning and I recommend finding a video like this:
On today's ride I tried to notice when I shifted between front chain rings. I found that I almost always do two quick clicks to shift from the small to the large chain ring. Once in a great while, only one click is needed. To shift down to the small chain ring only one click is needed. This is because of how the tension works. It takes a lot of tension to pull the cable up to the big chain ring. The shifter is geared to help, but the cable needs pulled tight for this to work.
If you are able to shift and go past the big chain ring - as in it goes off the right side of the bike then you probably have enough tension on the cable. All that is needed then is to adjust the limit screw to prevent it from going off the big chain ring. It should never fall back to the small chain ring without an intentional shift. If is falling back then you went too far with your limit screw adjustment. Also be sure to give it 2 clicks. One click is usually not enough to pull the cable to move the chain from small to big chain ring.
I am not sure what "plastic adjust thingee" is. The V20c installation video has the user installing an inline barrel adjuster near the end where you clamp the cable at the pinch bolt. I did not bother installing an inline barrel adjuster. But if you did it is for fine tuning and I recommend finding a video like this:
On today's ride I tried to notice when I shifted between front chain rings. I found that I almost always do two quick clicks to shift from the small to the large chain ring. Once in a great while, only one click is needed. To shift down to the small chain ring only one click is needed. This is because of how the tension works. It takes a lot of tension to pull the cable up to the big chain ring. The shifter is geared to help, but the cable needs pulled tight for this to work.
If you are able to shift and go past the big chain ring - as in it goes off the right side of the bike then you probably have enough tension on the cable. All that is needed then is to adjust the limit screw to prevent it from going off the big chain ring. It should never fall back to the small chain ring without an intentional shift. If is falling back then you went too far with your limit screw adjustment. Also be sure to give it 2 clicks. One click is usually not enough to pull the cable to move the chain from small to big chain ring.
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Rolling Along
Well-Known Member
Another inline barrel adjuster video (to give an idea of how to install one and so how it should work):
Thanks, the barrel adjuster is the part I didn't identify. The first video helped and also mentioned one of my problems: the inner part of the adjuster can turn with the outer part, which prevents changing the length. Because my adjuster has no markings, I scratched a line parallel with the cable on the inner part, now I can tell when the inner part turns. Also I didn't thread it all the way down, so there was about an 1/8" to grip with pliers to prevent it from turning when adjusting (without the pliers it turned). With that, I have managed to get the front derailleur to shift into the big ring without rubbing. Will be testing on the road tomorrow. Will have to replace the cable as it got a bit frayed at the cable clamp, but it should be fine for a ride.
Rolling Along
Well-Known Member
Glad you made progress. If the frayed part is after the pinch bolt then you don't need to replace the cable. If you do replace the cable as I did once, be sure to pull the new cable through tight before securing with the pinch bolt. It is easier with 2 people, one to pull with pliers and one to tighten.
Alas, the frayed part is on the tension side of the pinch bolt, so the cable will need replacement. I have some small vise-grips to clamp on the crimped end, that makes it possible to adjust it alone. My first attempts with pliers didn't work. The upside-down allen screw keeps it interesting.
