new to road-bikes & frustrated

2112

Hi there,
I'm new to this, converted to road bikes and excited because I know I'm going to love it and because I just got a really nice bike even though I can't really afford it.
However I am frustrated because I can't seem to get the gears to work. I suspect the problem is with me (lack of brains) and not the bike. :?
Are bikes packaged and sent in such a way that you have to tighten the gear cable tension at the derailleurs? When I press the gears (thumb button or lever beneath the brake) nothing happens. No cables move, etc.
Help!
I will be so grateful to anyone who can help me with this.

John.T

The dangers of buying on the internet. You have not given us much information. Make and model of gears etc is helpfull. As a rough starting point both gear cables should have just a little slack in them when you are on the small chainring and the small cog.
Check out Park Tools website. It tell you how to do most jobs on a bike.
http://www.parktool.com/repair/

2112

Thanks, John T. It's a Dave Hinde L'Etape Sport Bike - Campagnolo Mirage 10 Groupset. I just got it yesterday, which is why I think there is more likely to be a problem with me than with the bike...

http://davehinde.veriovps.co.uk/Merchan ... d0f96bd7f9


In all other ways the bike seems great. I am very keen to get riding and wondered if there is anything I need to do to the gears to get the bike roadworthy. The bike came mainly assembled - just had to put the handlebars, seat, pedals, etc on.

John.T

Your best bet is to go to the gears section of Park Tools and check that your settings match theirs. It is always good to find out how things work on your bike in case they play up out on the road. It can save a long walk home.

a_n_t

with mirage [campag] the levers behind the brake levers move the chain from small to large sprockets [push it inwards], the thumb "buttons" move down from larger to smaller sprockets [push it down].

If that doesn't work then something is amiss!

2112

Then something is amiss! When I move the levers and buttons, nothing happens.
Problem is, I live in a very remote place (hence getting the bike from the internet). Far, even, from any bike shop. I don't have a car - cycling is more fun! - so if it's not fixable by me then it will be a major hassle.

avoidingmyphd

are you pedalling along, or just pressing the buttons in the lounge? nothing will happen if it's the latter.

2112

No, I've been trying when cycling or otherwise moving the pedals, not when stationary!
I'm wondering if they slackened the tension in the gear cable before packaging the bike to send it out.

Rockhopper

Maybe you are not pushing the lever far enough.

Rockhopper

Maybe you are not pushing the lever far enough.

2112

I'm pushing the lever as far as seems sensible - firmly but not recklessly. The cable doesn't move, which is why I think maybe it has something to do with the tension. But I really don't know.

fizz

So does the mech move if you pull the cable itself, rather than trying to use the shifters ?

2112

Hi Fizz,
I tried pulling the cable itself and yes, the mech seems to move.

fizz

2112 wrote:

Hi Fizz,
I tried pulling the cable itself and yes, the mech seems to move.

Cable tension is what your problem is then I would suggest.

Have a read of this, you should be able to fix your problem easily enough

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html[/url]

John.T

If the cables do not tighten up when you move the levers then the cable has not been fitted to the lever correctly. Again Park Tools or Sheldon Brown should be able to show you how to rectify this. If as you say you live far from help it is even more reason to learn how to do it yourself. You could also go to the Campag web site and down load the relevent info from there. Nothing on a bike is rocket science, you just need to find the correct info and work through it. The only thing that is a bit of an art is wheel building but that only takes practice really.

gavintc

I do not wish to alarm you, but google "David Hinde Problems". I think you should take the bike to a bike shop for the problems to be resolved. It may cost you a few quid, but I think you will be happier with the outcome.

biondino

Do the cables seem slack?

2112

Thanks for letting me know...I live a long way from a bike shop. Hmm. I am going to phone D. Hinde shop tomorrow and see what they say. I don't think I'll do anything to the bike meantime. I'll call in the morning and we'll see if I can't sort it based on any advice they give.
Of course, maybeI should have visited this site before I ordered my bike.
Live and learn.

2112

biondino wrote:

Do the cables seem slack?

They don't seem massively slack, but neither are they very tight. If I pull on the cable as an earlier poster suggested, the mech does work.

John.T

That tells you that the cables are conected to the mechs. Do the cables move at all when you operate the levers. If not then the problem is in the lever. Probably the nipple not seated properly. It is most unlikely to be faulty commponents, just faulty assembly. You have to work through faults in a logical manner. ie- If the cable works the mech then the cable is fastened to the mech OK. If the lever does not pull the cable then that is where the trouble is so check there. Try operating the side button while pulling on the cable. If this releases more cable then the cable is connected but is set too slack. If nothing happens then the nipple is not seated. Turn back the lever hood and check in there.

chuckcork

If you are goingt o have to maintin your bike yourself, what with being a long way from the nearest bike shop, then it is probably worthwhile getting a book on bike maintenance like Zinn[/]

alfablue

2112 wrote:

Thanks for letting me know...I live a long way from a bike shop. Hmm. I am going to phone D. Hinde shop tomorrow and see what they say

Good luck, they have the worst record for customer service possible, I hope they are at least polite to you - fingers crossed!

stronginthesun

send it back and demand a refund , its faulty . if you bought a faulty microwave from argos you would expect a refund ?

2112

Sending it back would be a real hassle for me, because I live on an island, far from the nearest post office, etc. I think if I lived somewhere more central I would have sent it back.
I phoned the company this morning and spoke to a guy who wasn't exactly tripping over himself to be helpful. He was fairly abrupt and surly. "I don't understand what your problem is," he said after I had explained everything to him quite clearly twice. He is sending me a new part. I asked how long it would take. "That's up to Royal Mail," was his helpful and charming response.

From now I am going to avoid Dave Hinde.
On a related point:

Does anyone know the best way to get the logo stickers off a bike? I feel bad enough that I gave this company so much of my hard-earned money; the last thing I want to do now (or when I get the bike properly roadworthy) is advertise them...[/i]

SCR Pedro

Hey there,

I don't know if the same principals apply for Camagnolo, but if they do, then this instructional video may be of some use. It's saved my ass before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ

cheers
Pedroski

stronginthesun

is there anyone near you who is in to cycling ? maybe they would help out . by the way its a good looking bike .