# Help! My derailer won't let me go into my lowest gear.



## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

I have my shifter on the lowest gear it will go, but the derailer won't go far enough over for the chain to catch. What do I do?


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## GoodVibrations (Feb 20, 2004)

Gnar said:


> I have my shifter on the lowest gear it will go, but the derailer won't go far enough over for the chain to catch. What do I do?


Reset the low stop and Index your rear derailure ... peace-


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## GoodVibrations (Feb 20, 2004)

If you mean the large cog (lowest cassette gear) reset the High Stop and Index -
peace-


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## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

*Could you tell me how to in easier terms*



GoodVibrations said:


> If you mean the large cog (lowest cassette gear) reset the High Stop and Index -
> peace-


Could you explain how to do that in the style of one of those Books for Dummies. I have no idea what your talking about.


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## MVRIDER (Jan 15, 2004)

Gnar said:


> Could you explain how to do that in the style of one of those Books for Dummies. I have no idea what your talking about.


Ok,
There will be 2 philips head screws on the back of your deraileur. 1 will have an "H" by it that is the High limit, the other will have an "L" by it. That is the low limit. If you cant get into the biggest cog, open up (loosen) the "H" just a bit, try a quarter turn at a time. If you can't get into the smallest cog, open up the "L" a bit, just the same if youre trying to shift to the smallest cog and the chain comes all the way off the sproket you'll need to close up the "L" screw a bit. If your flying down the trail and you shift into the biggest cog and you deraileur goes all the way into your spokes and chops it off and f's your wheel all up and you have to walk back, you know that you opened your "H" up too much, so adjust it back just a little. 

Seriously though, do a lot of test shifting while your working on the thing, you'll discover that it may take alot of tweeking. A good book ( my bible ) is Zinn and the Art of Mountainbike Maintenance. It covers all that good shtuff.

Here's where I get exposed for the Trolo that I am.


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## duc135 (Jan 20, 2004)

Gnar said:


> Could you explain how to do that in the style of one of those Books for Dummies. I have no idea what your talking about.


On your rear derailleur there should be two screws next to each other. These are limiter screws which determine the maximum travel of the derailleur. They prevent the derailleur from moving the chain too far in either direction and possibly breaking your spokes or damaging you frame. One should be labeled L (for low) and the other is H (for high). You should turn the one labeled L counter clockwise until the derailleur allows you to shift to the lowest gear (largest cog). The pulleys on the derailleur should line up with the largest cog.

Duc


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## cantin03 (Jan 22, 2004)

*here is how to*



Gnar said:


> Could you explain how to do that in the style of one of those Books for Dummies. I have no idea what your talking about.


here is how to


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## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

*Still Not Working*



Gnar said:


> Could you explain how to do that in the style of one of those Books for Dummies. I have no idea what your talking about.


I had the L screw almost all the way out and it won't go far enough over to line up with the cog. It wont go high enough either to reach the biggest cog. What the hell?


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## duc135 (Jan 20, 2004)

Gnar said:


> I had the L screw almost all the way out and it won't go far enough over to line up with the cog. It wont go high enough either to reach the biggest cog. What the hell?


When you say lowest gear I'm assuming you mean the largest cog correct? Are you turning the cranks? If you are just turning the screw then the chain is preventing the derailleur from moving.

The cable might also be too tight. There should also be a barrel adjuster at the base of the shifter where the cable enters it. Turn that clockwise to allow some slack in the cable to allow the derailleur to move. After you do this you will need to screw the adjustment screw (L) on the derailleur back in and adjust it as I described earlier or you're going to be asking for trouble.

What brand/model shifter/derailleur do you have? How many gears are on the rear? Has it ever been able to shift to this gear?

Duc


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## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

*Duc*



duc135 said:


> When you say lowest gear I'm assuming you mean the largest cog correct? Are you turning the cranks? If you are just turning the screw then the chain is preventing the derailleur from moving.
> 
> The cable might also be too tight. There should also be a barrel adjuster at the base of the shifter where the cable enters it. Turn that clockwise to allow some slack in the cable to allow the derailleur to move. After you do this you will need to screw the adjustment screw (L) on the derailleur back in and adjust it as I described earlier or you're going to be asking for trouble.
> 
> ...


I have a Shimano Deor and there seems to be 9 cogs. It used to shift to the gear, but over the past two weeks it hasnt. What is the barrel adjuster, and what does it look like?


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## duc135 (Jan 20, 2004)

Gnar said:


> I have a Shimano Deor and there seems to be 9 cogs. It used to shift to the gear, but over the past two weeks it hasnt. What is the barrel adjuster, and what does it look like?


The barrel adjuster is a round knob at the end of the cable where it goes into the shifter. There is also one at the other end of the cable where it goes into the derailleur. They both serve the same purpose. The one near the derailler might be hidden underneath a rubber boot.

Duc


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## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

duc135 said:


> The barrel adjuster is a round knob at the end of the cable where it goes into the shifter. There is also one at the other end of the cable where it goes into the derailleur. They both serve the same purpose. The one near the derailler might be hidden underneath a rubber boot.
> 
> Duc


I loosened the barrel adjuster and tightend the cable. Then I adjusted the L screw and now it works just fine. Did I do it right, because everything seems to be lining up just fine now and the gears change perfectly?


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## duc135 (Jan 20, 2004)

*You have done well, my son...*



Gnar said:


> I loosened the barrel adjuster and tightend the cable. Then I adjusted the L screw and now it works just fine. Did I do it right, because everything seems to be lining up just fine now and the gears change perfectly?


Now try to snatch the pebble from my hand.


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## duc135 (Jan 20, 2004)

*Actually.....*



Gnar said:


> I loosened the barrel adjuster and tightend the cable. Then I adjusted the L screw and now it works just fine. Did I do it right, because everything seems to be lining up just fine now and the gears change perfectly?


I meant to say you need to turn the barrel adjuster counterclockwise to tighten the cable. I'm just so used to mine (XTR Rapid Rise, which is the reverse of everything else they make), but you seemed to get by just fine. You are now on your way to self sufficiency. I'll send you my bill.


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## gonzostrike (Jan 3, 2004)

*paint your frame Pink and put on a Monster T, that will do it*

your bike just doesn't look PinkBike enough. that's the problem.


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