Gears - grrrrr....

big_chris-2

Right, so my rear mech was one solid lump of mud after riding Swinley at the weekend. My gears were running nicely until this point, now there's some ghost shifting going on.

I've cleaned and lubed everything, but how do I approach the ghost-shifting? I've always been useless at making gears work so left it to my local shop, but I won't have time to get there before this weekend and I'm riding again on sat.

So, the high/low adjusters are at the right point, it must just be the cable tension that needs fiddling. Is this best done at the mech barrel-adjuster or the shifer? My plan is to just ride it down the road until it starts shifting randomly, then turn it either clockwise or anti-clockwise 1/4 until it gets worse or better, then fine tune it.

Unless there's a better way to go about it?

cooldad

Might be gunk in the cables, stiff link(s) in the chain, or indexing.
Check Parktools website for indexing. Easiest to do it off the bike.

big_chris-2

I've tried using the guide from the Park-Tools website but although it made sense when reading it, my gears certainly weren't much better having followed it!

I don't have a workstand so going to have to opt for the fiddle-ride-fiddle-ride-fiddle-shout-ride approach for now.

cooldad

Turn the bike upside down.

specialized hardrock

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... KPRg&pli=1

have a look at this it tells you most things i managed to learn how to adjust gears using my own knowledge so then i put it in this document 8)

let me know how u get on

Deepunder

specialized hardrock wrote:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=1227932898cc8f49&mt=application/msword&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=13cf09686b&view=att&th=1227932898cc8f49&attid=0.1&disp=attd&realattid=f_fx4l8lto0&zw&sig=AHIEtbRGWOLpIw9bmqu2Bl43e77iGJKPRg&pli=1

have a look at this it tells you most things i managed to learn how to adjust gears using my own knowledge so then i put it in this document 8)

let me know how u get on

Seems to be inaccessable this one mate

cooldad

It's not rocket science.
Set the limit screws with the cable loose. Tighten the cable.
Change down a gear, adjust until it changes cleanly. Check all the way through the cassette making any small changes necessary, but if one gear changes properly, they all should.
If this doesn't work you may have another problem such as bent hanger or deraileur.

specialized hardrock

al get another link made up for u and send u it or pm me your email adress n al email u it

big_chris-2

cooldad wrote:

It's not rocket science.
Set the limit screws with the cable loose. Tighten the cable.
Change down a gear, adjust until it changes cleanly. Check all the way through the cassette making any small changes necessary, but if one gear changes properly, they all should.
If this doesn't work you may have another problem such as bent hanger or deraileur.

It's easy if you know how... If it has trouble shifting up the cassette I'll be needing more tension, right? Is this best added at the mech, or the shifter? And how much at a time, in which direction?

Johnny Napalm

This is the easiest way to set the rear mech -

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

big_chris-2

Great video, cheers! Did he do one about front mechs too? I have even more trouble with that than I do the rear! It'll either go inner and middle, or middle and outer, but never all three

scarbs85

I've been using this website, all sorts of bike maintenance vids on here.
http://bicycletutor.com/

Front derailleur vid is here http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-front-derailer/

cooldad

Fronts are a bugger because they are much clunkier. Same principle though, set the limits and adjust the cable.
Sorry if my earlier post sounded condescending. I kind of enjoy indexing. There is something very satisfying about seeing the chain running up and down a well adjusted block. Hypnotic.
Fronts are neanderthal by comparison. Mainly due to the big jump between cogs I think. I have a road bike running 52/42 up front and it's much smoother.

big_chris-2

So to clarify:

- wind the barrels in at both mech and shifter for rear, and shifter for front.

- undo cable nut and set high/low using screws on both mechs, then tighten cables

- adjust indexing with barrels on rear mech

Sound about right? Gonna get myself a workstand this weekend I think and have a play.

chris_bass

i have a bit of trouble with gears too, i can get it about 95% right but there's always a bit of a dodgy change here and there!

if most gears change fine but the odd one is off does that mean there is a more sinister problem?

i usually get them all ok except for about the 4th gear?