Servicing the front derailleur

Front derailleur cable tension pulls the cage outwards, shifting your chain onto larger chainrings, but when you release the tension, the derailleur relies on a spring to pull the cage back toward the frame and to pull your chain onto smaller sprockets. If your pivots are dirty or worn, the spring won’t be strong enough to pull back the change and shifts into lower gears will be slow.

Front derailleur: clean and oil If your front derailleur is on strike, your first remedy is a good clean with a long soak in light oil (WD40, GT85, Superlube). Periodically work the derailleur back and forth as far as you can – gradually increasing until you work across the full range of movements. This is easiest with the chainset removed. Dirt will probably ooze from the pivot points as you go. Wipe it off. Oil all the pivot points carefully. Use the shifter to slacken off the cable; shift it into the smallest chainring position. Take hold of the derailleur cage, pull it out from the frame as far as it will go, and push it back. Repeat a couple of times to work the oil into the pivots. Once…

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Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques (Digital) - 1 Issue, Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques 3rd Edition

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