New bike - gears

BlazingSaddler

Hi all, excuse my ignorance and I’m only a casual recreational cyclist but I have just picked up a new bike from Halfords, now it’s nothing particularly fancy, an entry level Carrera but can you tell me would you expect all gears to be very smooth? (I guess you would!) It’s only 14 speed but sounds (and feels) particularly rattly when in 7th or 14th. Thanks and apologies!

magicbastarder

Generally you'd avoid going big ring up front to big ring at the back (or small to small) because this puts the chain through a more severe angle. When you mention the gears you're using, do you mean this, or big to small/small to big?

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

Generally you'd avoid going big ring up front to big ring at the back (or small to small) because this puts the chain through a more severe angle. When you mention the gears you're using, do you mean this, or big to small/small to big?

7th and 14th would be 'small/small' and 'big/small'. Whatever about 'small/small' any bike should be able to handle 'big/small' i.e. the largest gear available (or 'small/big' - the lowest gear available).

magicbastarder

Some people would call big to small first gear though, which is why I was trying to figure out where the issue is.

My assumption is that it's front derailleur rub.

BlazingSaddler

The problem is big ring at front, small ring at back (14th) and small ring at front, small ring at back (7th) . It sounds worse with big at front, small at back!

hesker

OP

It shouldn’t rattle at all. Bring it back to Halfords and they should sort it free of charge.

If you want to fix it yourself I’m sure you’ll get help here but need to provide more info.

magicbastarder

check to see if the chain is rubbing on the inside of the outer plate of the front derailleur when in the small cog at the back. if so, it just needs a bit of adjustment, something halfords should do for you.