John
Question:
I just got a new bike with Nokon cables and after the second ride the gears don't shift well. I am having second thoughts about these expensive cables. What gives? Will I constantly have to bring my bike back for adjustments?
Answer:
Nokon cables and housings are very cool but they do tend to settle in, requiring a couple of adjustments. The good news is, you can learn to do this yourself. If you think about gearing, it is quite simple. The shifters and derailleurs are connected in two ways, by cables and by housings. The housing is a tube that the cable runs in, and since the cable is clamped and a fixed length, the adjusters really change the length of the housing tube and that is how the relative cable length is changed. This may sound a little complicated, but consider this. The cables don't really stretch, but as the housing settles in, it gets shorter. This means that the cable is not pulling as much on the derailleur.
You can test to see if the adjusters need to be moved out (loosening, which extends the housing and as such, tightens the cable) or the reverse, by listening to the different sounds the derailleurs make when you slowly apply pressure to the shift lever. By slightly tightening the cable while you are riding, you will hear if the derailleur quiets down or if the noise gets worse. Just adjust the cables one quarter turn at a time and if you go too far, go back. This is all the pro mechanics do and with care you can do the same.
Don't be surprised if you mess up a couple of times and if you get a chance, ask your mechanic to show you what to do. Everyone should be able to adjust their own gears and there is no time like the present to learn! Let me know if you need more help.