An Ode to the Barrel Adjuster

[kppolich]

Thank you for being there, dear friend.

You are a simple, inconspicuous life saver. Just when I was about ready to give up on setting the front derailleur tension that was causing some rubbing in higher gears- I remembered you. No need to pull the cable and force it with all my might- with a few twists you saved the day providing perfect tension for smooth, quiet shifting.

Thank you dear friend, until next time.

[charliedid]

It's the little things.

[old_fat_and_slow]

Bring back the down tube shifter mounts !

[saab2000]

I was hoping this ode would be in poetic form or a Haiku. Something at least in iambic pentameter. Possibly even taking the form of a song or march.

This thread is disappointing based on the title. A bit more lyrical whimsy would be appreciated in the future.

[teleguy57]

Saab, so take the content and give us your best sonnet, or even better, a limerick.... any product of your esteemed undergrad institution should easily set forth. Or, add handbells if that helps.

[saab2000]

Saab, so take the content and give us your best sonnet, or even better, a limerick.... any product of your esteemed undergrad institution should easily set forth. Or, add handbells if that helps.

Too busy. Had to reinstall a tubeless tire. :D

[choke]

When your gears are throwing a fit
Just reach down and give it a twist
Right there by your hand
It makes riding so grand
Barrel adjusters fix it lickety split

[ultraman6970]

Is not about the size, but how well it works.

[Seramount]

Saab, so take the content and give us your best sonnet...

ah, I see what you did there...

[Ronsonic]

I seriously wanted one of those when I was a kid.

[Bostic]

I was riding my BMC a few days ago and the front shifting was giving me grief (yeah yeah Sram Rival). I looked in front of me to reach down for the inline barrel adjuster and saw there wasn't one. Perhaps it was somehow hidden by the burrito handle bar bag. Stop the bike, root around all the cables. W De F! Really?? No inline adjuster for the front derailleur? Mentally cursing at the thought of having to adjust the cable.

Wait. This bike was built up by Mike at BMC. There is no way that would get overlooked.

Then I remember to look down and see the Shimano Downtime Cable Stops. Oh yeah, that's right. :bike:

[Peter P.]

Thank you for being there, dear friend.

You are a simple, inconspicuous life saver. Just when I was about ready to give up on setting the front derailleur tension that was causing some rubbing in higher gears- I remembered you. No need to pull the cable and force it with all my might- with a few twists you saved the day providing perfect tension for smooth, quiet shifting.

Thank you dear friend, until next time.

Please put that in the form of a haiku.

[palincss]

If you do happen to have downtube shifter bosses with Shimano cable stops mounted on them, let me tell you, there's a better way. IRD has what it calls a quick release downtube shifter boss cable stop that not only is much smoother adjusting than the Shimano item, it's slotted so you remove the cable and adjuster from the cable stop so that you can push the cable through the shifter and inspect it for wear and lubricate it.

The adjuster threads into a keyed sleeve, smooth on the outside and threaded on the inside that in turn slides into the cable stop housing. The key fits in the slot, holding the sleeve stationary when you turn the adjuster. To remove it all, create some slack in the cable by shifting to the smallest sprocket or chain ring, then pull the sleeve plus adjuster out of the housing. The cable comes out through the slot.

https://sep.yimg.com/ay/ird/ird-quick-release-downtube-cable-stop-13.gif

https://store.interlocracing.com/irdquredocas.html

[scoobydrew]

My favorite - Paragon stainless steel barrel adjuster (pictured on my Moots):

https://i.imgur.com/oswtB7Zh.jpg

[Louis]

Bring back the down tube shifter mounts !

Why is that?

Mine (and the DT shifters on them) never went anywhere.

[m_sasso]

If you do happen to have downtube shifter bosses with Shimano cable stops mounted on them, let me tell you, there's a better way. IRD has what it calls a quick release downtube shifter boss cable stop that not only is much smoother adjusting than the Shimano item, it's slotted so you remove the cable and adjuster from the cable stop so that you can push the cable through the shifter and inspect it for wear and lubricate it.

The adjuster threads into a keyed sleeve, smooth on the outside and threaded on the inside that in turn slides into the cable stop housing. The key fits in the slot, holding the sleeve stationary when you turn the adjuster. To remove it all, create some slack in the cable by shifting to the smallest sprocket or chain ring, then pull the sleeve plus adjuster out of the housing. The cable comes out through the slot.

Believe they come from S and S Machine.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/576db62a725e2552c362fdba/576f0959cd0f68ce8dcf407a/57acddb4e58c62525507f9e1/1470946742861/TCF-store-sands-IRD-DT-stops+%281%29.JPG?format=2500w

[schwa86]

Constant grinding noise
Front derailleur out of whack?
Barrel adjuster!