It’s new bike day, either you’re waiting for it to turn up, or you have it in your front room.

Whether you’re a seasoned rider wanting a reminder or a new cyclist who needs some help, we are here to support you. In that vein, we’ve written a few guides to get you started. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive guide, just to get you moving and comfortable on your new bike.

As always if we’ve missed something or if you need any further help, give us a call or an email on the contact form which you can find here and one of our team will be happy to help.

Continuing from our New Bike Guide, which you can find here. In these articles, we’re going to take a deep dive into some of the more important topics.

New Bike, Fresh Drivetrain: But Not Perfect Yet

There’s nothing quite like New Bike Day, the excitement of fresh components, and pristine paintwork. But as soon as you hit the trail or road a few times, you might notice something frustrating: your drivetrain isn’t shifting as crisply as you expected.

If your gears hesitate, feel sluggish, or make more noise than they should, you’re not alone. A brand-new drivetrain doesn’t always run perfectly straight out of the box. Even high-end setups need time to bed in properly, and without the right adjustments, you could experience premature wear, poor performance, or even component damage.

This guide will walk you through the bedding-in process, explain what’s happening inside your drivetrain, and show you how to adjust your gears for flawless performance.

Why Does a New Drivetrain Need Bedding In?

Unlike a well-worn setup, a brand-new drivetrain consists of components that haven’t yet settled into their natural wear patterns. Several factors contribute to this:

• Factory Lubrication: New chains come coated in a factory-applied lubricant designed for storage and shipping rather than performance. This grease can attract dirt and cause initial sticky shifting or excessive noise.
• Cable Stretch: Gear cables stretch during the first few rides, affecting indexing and causing shifting to become inconsistent or sluggish. This is completely normal and requires minor readjustment.
• Tight Tolerances: New cassettes, chainrings, and jockey wheels have zero wear, meaning they haven't yet conformed to the chain’s movement. This can result in slight inefficiencies until they wear in properly.
• Settling Components: Even if your bike was professionally assembled, minor shifts in bolts, hanger alignment, or B-tension screws can occur after initial rides, affecting gear changes.

Common Symptoms of a Bedding-in Drivetrain

If you experience any of these issues after your first few rides, your drivetrain is likely still settling in:

• Slight hesitation when shifting – gears feel slow to engage.
• Unusual drivetrain noise – ticking, clicking, or chain chatter.
• Chain skipping under load – especially in the middle of the cassette.
• Shifting feels “off” – some gears engage cleanly while others don’t.

Fortunately, these issues are temporary and easily fixable with a combination of bedding-in techniques and fine-tuning adjustments.

Checking Cable Tension (Indexing Adjustment)

Symptoms of Incorrect Cable Tension:

• Slow or hesitant shifting when moving to a harder gear (smaller cog).
• Overshooting gears or skipping under load.
• Inconsistent gear changes, some shifts are smooth while others lag.
  

How to Fix It:

• Locate the Barrel Adjuster: Found on the derailleur or near the shifter, this small dial fine-tunes cable tension.
• Test Shifting Performance: Shift through the cassette. If it hesitates when moving to a smaller cog, there’s too much tension. If it struggles to shift up, there’s too little tension.

Adjust in Small Increments – Turn the barrel adjuster ¼ turn at a time:

1. Turn counterclockwise (loosen) to increase tension (if shifting feels sluggish).
2. Turn clockwise (tighten) to reduce tension (if shifting overshoots).
3. Re-test – Shift through all gears again and repeat adjustments as needed.

Pro Tip: If shifting still feels off after adjusting cable tension, check for cable friction, kinks, or housing wear, as these can cause inconsistent performance.

Adjusting the Rear Derailleur

Limit Screws: Prevent Over-Shifting

Why It Matters: Limit screws stop the derailleur from shifting the chain too far inward (into the spokes) or too far outward (off the cassette).

• Find the Limit Screws: Usually marked H (high limit) and L (low limit) on the derailleur body.

Adjust the High Limit (H-Screw):

1. Shift to the smallest cog.
2. If the chain jumps past the smallest cog, turn the H-screw clockwise (tighten).
3. If it hesitates to reach the smallest cog, turn the H-screw counterclockwise (loosen).

Adjust the Low Limit (L-Screw):

1. Shift to the largest cog.
2. If the chain tries to move into the spokes, tighten the L-screw.
3. If it hesitates to reach the largest cog, loosen the L-screw.

Pro Tip: Minor derailleur hanger misalignment can mimic limit screw issues. If adjustments don’t work, check for a bent hanger.

B-Tension Screw: Adjusting Chain Gap for Smooth Shifting

Why It Matters: The B-tension screw controls the distance between the top jockey wheel and cassette, affecting shifting speed and chain retention.

• Find the B-Tension Screw: Typically located at the rear of the derailleur where it meets the hanger.

Optimal Distance:

1. Shift to the largest cog.
2. Adjust until the top jockey wheel sits about 5–6 mm away from the cassette teeth.
3. If the jockey wheel is too close, the chain might struggle to shift cleanly.
4. If it’s too far, shifting may feel slow or unresponsive.

Pro Tip: Different drivetrains have specific B-tension settings refer to your groupset’s manufacturer guidelines for precise recommendations.

Checking Chain Wear and Lubrication

Symptoms of Chain Wear or Poor Lubrication:

• Noisy drivetrain (grinding or squeaking).
• Chain skipping under load.
• Rough pedalling feel, especially in high torque situations.

How to Fix It

• Check Chain Wear: Use a chain wear gauge to measure stretch. If the gauge indicates 0.5% wear, start planning for a replacement. At 0.75% or more, the chain should be changed immediately to prevent cassette damage.

Re-Lubricate the Chain:

1. Wipe off any dirt or excess old lube.
2. Apply a quality lubricant (wet or dry, depending on conditions).
3. Backpedal a few revolutions to distribute the lube evenly.
4. Wipe off excess lube to prevent dirt buildup.

Pro Tip: Avoid over-lubrication! Too much lube attracts grit, leading to premature wear and inefficiency.

A brand-new drivetrain is like a finely tuned instrument it needs time to break in and perform at its best. While it might not shift perfectly straight out of the box, following the bedding-in process and fine-tuning adjustments will make sure it operates smoothly, maximising efficiency and extending the lifespan of your components.

Rushing the process or ignoring early signs of misalignment can lead to premature wear, poor shifting, and unnecessary frustration. But with just a little attention in the first 100 miles, your drivetrain will settle into flawless, crisp shifting, giving you the best possible ride.