Gears screwed up in the snow

Anonymous

Not sure what happened but last time I took the bike out in the snow the gears were really screwed up, as if the indexing was all wrong. i.e. couldn't get onto the smallest chainring of crankset, but the shifter indicates it's on the smallest, then moving to the middle on the shifter moved the chain onto the largest ring instead.

I hadn't fiddled with anything before that point so wondered if the cold had played a part in it. Maybe also because the bike was in the warm for a bit then into the cold. Gear cables expanding, contracting perhaps? Or maybe they've got stuck after a previous ride in the mud & snow.

Of course I tried to fiddle about with them on the trail and now they're messed up even more, so I need to sort them out properly. Going to learn once and for all how to set gears properly. Make use of the bikeradar repair guide I bought for starters I think

forcutty

Just be glad that you don't have XT front mech then!!!! The bolt on the cable of mine sheared off due to ice getting behind it!! Strangely after analysis at work the bolts are faulty and have been over tempered!!
Have sent the bolt and report back to Shimano just to mearly state that theres a problem and too peev them off :twisted:
You can easily fix the mech though

tlw1

mine froze in the snow - left them alone & on the next ride they were ok.

In theory I can set gears up, in practice I am sh1te

thistle_

Deadkenny:
What you describe sounds like the cable is too tight which could have been caused by the cold, but it would take a lot of cold to make it contract that much. It's normally more noticeable on the rear where the jump between cogs is smaller.

Another thought - is your front deraulleur straight? Have you fallen in the ice and twisted it? (this was a problem on my bike once upone a time)

matthew:
Mine have been filling with snow so I can't get in the top two cogs on the back Doesn't help that on my commuting bike there's something up with 3 and 4 on the back and the chain keeps jumping on them! Spintastic.

tjwood

Both my housemate and I suffered dodgy changing due to ice in the shifters - even a small amount of moisture in there frozen was enough to screw things up.

Also salt and general muck from the roads can cause cables to stick etc.

So now things have warmed up give the cables a clean and lube and re-index the gears - the Park Tool guide is pretty good.

diy

Deadkenny: This sounds very much like your cable outers are clogged with crap, which is preventing the cable from moving freely. Try stripping the inner cable out and "blowing" through the outers with degreaser and then relubing before refitting the cables.

Anonymous

Given the thing a bit of a mini overhaul. Did find one of the adjusters was way too loose. Whether it had come undone just due to vibrations, the cold, or whatever I don't know. There was a fair bit of gunk around there though before I cleaned it off recently.

Anyway, did some cleaning of the cables, lubed here and there and the cables are moving freely. Had to set the adjustments pretty much from scratch and seem to have got it right except for slight rubbing on the highest gear (which I've had for a while anyway, but I rarely use the highest gear). Only thing I'm not too sure about are the limiter screws. Foolishly I had messed about with them. They're the one thing I never quite understand. I believe they're suppose to stop the dérailleur (I think ?) from shifting too far, but know little about them other than that (if I'm right, I could be wrong). I've got it shifting up and down all the gears fine though, and apart from this rubbing in the highest gear it's okay.

The Rookie

The daughters seized up due to ice getting in the cables, good dry out and plenty of WD40 fixed it.

Simon

diy

Kenny there are loads of good guides on Utube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3bVgP_MNwc