Trek 1.2 '09 Shifting Gears problem.. (Extreme n00b)
medusa
Posts: 15
Hey there. My friend and I both brought Trek 1.2 09s and we are getting into cycling after during numerous 30miles + trips around kent/surrey and london on BMX's haha.
Anyway straight to the problem - We picked up both bikes and they were on the little wheel on the gears near the pedal, then we used the left handlebar to change the gear. This changed to the bigger wheel by the pedal and we cant seem to change it back. We were both at different places when this happend aswell. Its easy to explain with the pictures.
The pink line is the gear it started on, the green one is the one it is now on and refusing to change back.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Anyway straight to the problem - We picked up both bikes and they were on the little wheel on the gears near the pedal, then we used the left handlebar to change the gear. This changed to the bigger wheel by the pedal and we cant seem to change it back. We were both at different places when this happend aswell. Its easy to explain with the pictures.
The pink line is the gear it started on, the green one is the one it is now on and refusing to change back.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
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Comments
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You change gear by either flicking the little plastic thumbshifter / pushing the breaklever sideways (towards the bike). Can't remember which one goes up or down but try both and you'l soon figure it out.0
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On the left hand brake lever, push it inwards (towards the centre of the handlebar) whilst pedalling to get from small to large ring.
To go from large to small, press the small thumb lever down, whilst pedalling.
They won't change if the cranks aren't turning.
Shame Evans didn't brief you.0 -
Thats exactly how i thought they would change!
Afterall i changed it from the small one to the large ring fine. It just wont change backwards. My friend managed to change his by pressing flicking the silver brake bit to the right whilst pedalling. Ive tried this- still not working. Will give it another shot in a bit.0 -
It takes a firm press rather than a flick, so the lever is almost 45 degrees to the vertical. No need to do it too fast, just push the lever over and hold for about a second to let the chain climb onto the big ring. This is different to when changing down, where the chain should jump across with just a press of the thumb lever (as the front mech - that metal thing with 2 plates above the chainrings, has a spring to pull it across to the small ring).
It may be just your technique, but it could be that the cable is out of adjustment (or has slipped), in which case you should take it back to Evans and get them to sort it and show you how to use it. Don't be embarassed if its all fine and it's just technique, we all had to learn once
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You're not alone. I remember looking with bemusement at the shifters when I bought my first road bike. Fortunately the chap in the shop recognised the confused look and gave me a quick lesson on how the use them.0
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Thats alpha. I can click the right hand side one easily, so i presume its not down to technique? Will try pedalling inside and lift up the back wheel and change it now. I should be pressing the brake switch correct? Not the thumb switch?0
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Just tried it out again. Its like there is something disconnected on the switch. Like the left hand movement has disconnected from the rest of the gearing system.
When i change the right one i can feel tension on the switch and then it clicks and then changes. When i do the right one nothing happens.
The part that allows the chain to move does not seem to move when i press it and this is why its causing the problem. Is there a way of manually moving the bit holding the chain on the large ring near the pedals?
It hard to explain but it seems like its rock solid and just doesnt budge when i flick or press the thumb bit in. (The thumb switch doesnt seem like it can go in any further either!!)0 -
I think you need to go back to the shop. It is not unheard of for Evans to let a bike out not properly set up, it is probably something simple, but as you are a novice and it is a new bike it is probably unwise for us to try and explain diagnosing and fixing the problem.
Although you might be able to shift it manually, this won't solve your problem, so not much point really.0 -
Just to confirm, it's the little black thumb switch you should be using to get the chain to move back onto the smaller chainring (pink) Push it downwards quite firmly. It will only work properly when you're pedalling along. Leave the brake lever alone.
Same principle for the right hand shifter moving the chain from one rear sprocket to another: push the brake lever inwards to shift to a bigger cog, press the thumbswitch downwards to shift to a smaller cog.
The left hand, front shifter often requires more effort to operate because it's a much bigger jump between chainwheels than it is between rear sprockets0 -
If you are on the large chanring you'll need to flick the smaller lever located behind the left brake lever to the right to switch it back to the smaller chainring. It will click when you have done it so you may need to be firm with it the first few times.
Sometimes mine doesn't respond quickly so just try pushing the left brake lever fully to the right turn the crank a few times with the back whell off the floor and then push the smaller lever to the right and listen for the click. It should thne change down when you turn the crank.0 -
ShaunL wrote:If you are on the large chanring you'll need to flick the smaller lever located behind the left brake lever to the right to switch it back to the smaller chainring. It will click when you have done it so you may need to be firm with it the first few times.
Sometimes mine doesn't respond quickly so just try pushing the left brake lever fully to the right turn the crank a few times with the back whell off the floor and then push the smaller lever to the right and listen for the click. It should thne change down when you turn the crank.
I agree with your comments Shaun, just this bike has Sora shifters so there is a small thumb lever for changing down on the chainset (left shifter) rather than having a smaller lever behind the brake lever that you get on higher spec Shimano shifters. Just thought I'd point this out to avoid confusion for Medusa.0 -
I had that problem on my trek 1.7 after a few months (its not really a problem), you just have to push the little plastic lever really hard, it will feel like you are breaking it but it makes the gear change, this will then loosen it up again and it will work perfectly.
I thought my bike was broken when that happened but i took it to my LBS and they just pressed it in harder.0
