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Questions and answers about sports

Chain really noisy near front derailleur on low gears but doesn’t appear to be rubbing.

5 min read

Asked by: Laquita Pearson

Is it normal for chain to rub on front derailleur?

It is possible that the front derailleur will rub the chain slightly even on properly adjusted bikes. This is likely on some bikes when riding in the largest sprocket in front and the smallest cog in back.

How do I stop my bike chain from rubbing on the front derailleur?

If the chain is rubbing the outer edge of the derailleur cage, try increasing the cable tension using the barrel adjuster by turning it counterclockwise one quarter to one half turn at a time—increasing the tension will pull the cage out and farther away from the bike.

How do you fix a noisy front derailleur?


Quote from video: So again mark don't know what bite you've got but if you do have a square tapered bottom bracket remove your right hand chain set and then just rotate it 90 degrees refit onto the bottom bracket axle.

Why does my bike make noise in certain gears?

If you hear a constant clicking (especially in certain gears), it could mean that your shifter cables have stretched enough to pull your derailleur out of alignment, causing your chain to ride between gears or rub on the derailleur cage.

What happens if front derailleur is too high?

Derailleur Alignment & Positioning



Most front derailleurs can be adjusted for height and rotation. If the cage is set too high over the largest ring, it may not perform well. Too high a cage can cause a slow shift, and can allow the chain to shift over the largest ring.

How tight should front derailleur cable be?

You need to pull it pretty tight before clamping it to the derailleur. Probably as tight as you can. Usually I find that’s still not tight enough, so I screw the barrel adjuster down all the way before putting the cable in and then open it up until the tension is correct.

How do I stop my bike chain from making noise?

Keep your Chain Lubed and Clean and Re-grease Derailleur or Chain Guide Pulleys/Jockey Wheels.

  1. First thing’s first, check to make sure your chain is clean and well-lubed. …
  2. Remove chain tension by engaging the “clutch” on your SRAM MTB derailleur or removing the chain from the chain ring.

Why is my chain making a clicking noise?

How to Fix a Clicking Chain. A clicking noise often comes from your chain wanting to jump up or down a gear on the rear cassette. This can typically be fixed by adjusting the tension of the cable that runs from your shifter to your rear derailleur.

How do you get rid of chain rub?

Quote from video: First shift to the small cog. Turn the outer limiting screw counterclockwise. That is outward pull about 1/4 of a turn. And try shifting again that is taking care of the.

How do you test a front derailleur?

To check the position of your front derailleur, shift it so that the derailleur arm is positioned over the outermost chainring. The derailleur “cage” (the long, curved section of the derailleur that the chain passes through) should be approximately 2mm above the teeth of the chainring (when viewed from the side).

Should I adjust front or rear derailleur first?

In a nutshell, adjust the front derailleur first, then the rear. Show activity on this post. If the derailers just need minor tweaking (they are basically in adjustment but are “not quite right”) then you adjust the one that is obviously wrong, check the overall adjustment again, then again adjust what needs adjusting.

How do you align a front derailleur?

Quote from video: Directly over the largest ring here we'll pull the shifter or cable to line up these two planes. The closest gap between the teeth and the adder cage should be two to three millimeters.

Why is my bike chain catching?

One of the most common reasons for a skipping chain is simply a drivetrain that needs a simple indexing adjustment. This is so common that even many brand new bikes can exhibit these symptoms.

How do you adjust a front derailleur?

Quote from video: Use a hex wrench as a gauge when the cage is set to high you risk the chance of the chain falling off the largest ring when you shift.

What is cross chaining on a bicycle?

Cross-chaining is when you’re in your big chainring and the biggest cog on your back cassette, or on your small chainring and your smallest cog. The problem is that this stretches your chain diagonally to its limits, and needlessly so, since you could just shift to your other chainring and find a similar gear ratio.

How do you adjust a front derailleur barrel adjuster?

Turn the barrel adjuster clockwise (a quarter turn at a time) to move the derailleur cage inward, away from the chain surface. Turn it the counterclockwise direction to move the cage outward.

How do you get rid of chain rub?

Quote from video: First shift to the small cog. Turn the outer limiting screw counterclockwise. That is outward pull about 1/4 of a turn. And try shifting again that is taking care of the.

Should you adjust the front or rear derailleur first?

In a nutshell, adjust the front derailleur first, then the rear. Show activity on this post. If the derailers just need minor tweaking (they are basically in adjustment but are “not quite right”) then you adjust the one that is obviously wrong, check the overall adjustment again, then again adjust what needs adjusting.