Hi, can you help me put my gears back together please?

Spangledstar

Hi there, I'm a complete newb when it comes to fixing bikes but I'm having a go with my front deraileur.

However, when I took apart the bit where the gear changers are a little rubber screw like thing fell out and I don't know where it goes back in.

Also on the right hand side of the pics is another rubber plug like thing that fell off when I hit a bump and I have no idea where that came from. The bike seems to have been ok since then though. I'm more worried about the gear screw.

Hope you can help and thanks for any advice.

cooldad

One on the left looks like the bung for the hole you feed the cable through.

Spangledstar

Hi cooldad, thanks very much for replying so quickly. I'm afraid I just messed up. I went to investigate and I turned the bike upside down forgetting I had taken apart the gear changer. Very embarrassing but basically the thing has fallen apart. I think a little tiny clip that holds in the spring near the cable outlet has fallen off and also a larger spring appeared from nowhere which has now disappeared on the floor.

Is it possible for me to ride the bike with just the back derailleur functioning and also is it possible to just buy the gear changer part or do I need a whole new set of gear changers?

Thanks again, sorry for all the questions.

EDIT: I don't want you to do my research for my but is it possible I can just buy these and replace the ones on my handle bars and I'll be ok with the rest of the equipment?

Thanks

JBA

Oops!

Why did you take the shifter apart?

Riding with just a rear shifter working is fine except the front mech will now be in its natural position and you'll be on the granny ring on the front.

All spares are available.

What shifter is it?
(Make and model)

Spangledstar

Hi JBA, thanks for playing.

It says SRAM X5 on the front.

I was trying to fix the front derailleur as when I used it the chain kept making grinding noises and wouldn't catch properly. Don't know what caused it, maybe a bump. When I tried to tighten the cable it got very frayed so I decied to put a brand new cable on.

EDIT: It's a 27 speed gear bike.

asdfhjkl

Yeah, you can just replace the shifter and it'll work fine with the existing derailleur. Shouldn't be too difficult to fix though, if you have all the parts. Like another poster said, the small screw on the left is just a cover for the port which you remove the cable by when replacing it, meaning you don't need to dismantle the shifter. No idea what the other bit is. Look on the SRAM website for the service manual, they usually have an exploded diagram which labels all of the parts and might help you figure out where it goes.

cooldad

Before you randomly try any other 'repairs' read Parktools.
You don't take the shifter apart to replace the cable. In fact there is rarely any need to take one apart.

Spangledstar

Hi asdfhjkl, thanks for replying.

I was hoping to put it back together but I've lost the screw that fell oiut of it. I feel so embarrassed that the cable can be changed without taking the whole thing apart :oops:

http://www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/catego ... ger-28875/

Those are the exact shifters but I can't see them for sale anywhere.

Would I just buy a 3 speed shifter of any type?

cooldad

Yes, for the front Sram and Shimano will both work.

Spangledstar

Thanks cooldad, I shall order the Shimano Altus then.

Just one last question and then I'll just make a decision.

Would you recommend either:

Shimano Altus 27 Speed Bicycle Gear Lever Shifter Pods

or

Shimano Acera STEF65 EZ Fire 3x9 27 SPEED Sti Gear & Brake Bicycle Lever SET - SILVER?

Thanks again for all your advice and quick replies. Very grateful.

JBA

You can buy a pair of the newer X5 shifters for less than £30

Or front only for £18.

There are a few for sale on eBay as well.

As cooldad has said though, read up / watch a few videos on how to complete maintenance tasks before breaking anything else.

Spangledstar

Hi JBA, thanks for replying again.

Yeah I seen a set for £25. I did a little research and it said Shimano shifters won't go with SRAM derailleurs apart from maybe the left hand side for the front mech?

I think I'll try and get just the one left hand 3 speed X5 or X7 mech if that is the case. Pity though cause there is an Alivio set going for around £30 which is supposed to be very good quality.

I definitely can't get a different brand from SRAM for the back wheel?

Thanks for the links!

I'm going to order this evening. Will be on the granny wheel for a week but it should get my fit I guess

Oh yeah and I'll never attempt anything without looking at at least 3 YouTube videos haha. After that it's going for a service so I can just relax about it.

cooldad

With people changing to single rings there are normally loads of front shifters on Ebay going cheap.

Spangledstar

Hi cooldad, thank you for replying with that information.

I dont mean to keep asking questions but because I normally only use the centre ring for my purposes do you think it would be cheaper me just to get a single chainset and keep the 9 cassette on the rear?

I've never heard of a single ring bike before, apart from a single speed bike with one ring on the front and the back.

dj58

Here you go, read these.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w ... ing-29342/

http://www.ridemorebikes.com/single-cha ... ain-guide/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyiUoMSQfRI

Spangledstar

HI DJ58, thanks very much for replying and showing me those guides.

I think next year I'm going to give that a go. I have already ordered an X7 3 speed gear shifter as I think I'll need to learn a bit more about bike mechanics before I can tackle taking the crank shaft off even though they make it look easy in the guides. I particularly like the step by step Bikeradar Workshop instructional as that says you can just keep a ring from the mech you already have rather than the $$$ of the other guide. The video is good too, the guy being very clear.

I think it's a great idea, I never have problems with the rear derailleur, it's always the front one that has sounded like a cement mixer at times so it would be great to get rid of it. However, I'll just settle for the easy route by not changing gear from the middle ring

Oh course I will though once the new shifter is set up, I won't be able to help myself if it's really smooth :oops:

Thanks again. I will let you know how I get on with the new shifter next weekend hopefully.

reformedfatty

Just a further bit of info - if your front derailleur is making noise, its normally the chain rubbing against the cage, and provided it's correctly adjusted in the first place, will only occur if you are cross-chaining which is although your bicycle will let you do it, is mechanically unsympathetic at best, see http://www.bicyclechainrings.com/crosschaining.html

Spangledstar

Hi reformedfatty, thanks very much for replying with that excellent link. I think that is exactly what was happening because I was messing with gear changes heavily when I thought I had put the derailleur out of alignment.

I'm going to have to read that article a few times and count the size of my cassette and front wheelrings because it was a little technical, not least the part about changing both gears at the same time :shock:

I understand the concept though and why it happens, just pure friction at the extreme gear changes.

Thanks again, will be great to know that in future

I have just a niggling question now, on my old SRAM X5 trigger shifters the gears are marked so you can see which one you are in eg 1,2 and 3 have a red marker indicating which gear and the same for the 9 on the right shifter.

This new X7 shifter is just blank. Is it considered a bit more cool/professional to just know what gear you are in when you are changing?

Sorry if that is an really dumb question, I just assumed the marking would be even more apparent the higher up the quality range?

In the instructions it says, after feeding cable through housing and stops, 'make sure the shifter is in gear position "1" (front shifter) or the highest gear number (rear shifter)'. Then attach it to the derailleur.

cooldad

Many people remove the windows. You don't really need to know the numbers. Just change when needed.

Less messy clutter on the bars.

The Rookie

You cant see the display when riding in the dark anyway!

Spangledstar

Hi cooldad, thanks for replying again. That puts my mind at rest regarding that. I never used them anyway, I just thought maybe the were missing on this new one. I mean I only use the middle ring so I didn't need to use them, not saying I knew by years of experience haha.

Is there a way to make sure the gear is in positoin "1" before I fix it to the derailleur? I won't ask any more questions after that as I will just use a YouTube video for the front derailleur part

Spangledstar

The Rookie wrote:

You cant see the display when riding in the dark anyway!

Haha, that is a very good point :P Thanks

JBA

With no cable tension on it the front mech will be in 'position 1', i.e. in line with the smallest chain ring. The spring in the mech is always trying to pull it that way. When you change up to the middle and outer chainrings it is the cable tension that pulls the mech outwards.
To make sure the changer is in 'position 1' push the shorter of the 2 levers until it won't move any more.
As others have said, there is no need for silly windows on changers. If it's too hard to pedal change down. If your legs are flying around too fast, change up. Simples.

Spangledstar

Hi JBA, thanks for replying again. I thought I was just about to reach the step you mentioned.

I lined up the derailleur with the chainrings and then I hooked up the cable. However, when I tried to fully tighten the twisty bit ( sorry I don't know what it's called, it is the adjustable bit near the shifter) it started to come off. So I twisted it a bit the other way so it went back into position. When I try to change gear it will only go from the smallest ring to the middle ring, I can't move the shifter to get it to hook onto the large ring and I'm hyperventilating because I think I might make a mistake trying to adjust it.

Can anyone give me an idea as to this final step and what it might be that I'm not doing right please?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

cooldad

Read Parktools and start again.

Spangledstar

Hi cooldad, thanks for replying. I will have a look at the Parktools website. Have I really messed up that bad I have to take it all apart again?

Antm81

The twisty bit on the shifter sounds like the barrel adjuster. The park tools guide should give direction on how to initially set this as it fine tunes the cable tension.

Spangledstar

Hi Antm81, thanks very much for replying with that info. What is confusing me and I can't see a direction for it is when I've hooked up the cable when the chain is on the lowest front ring how do I know how much cable the barrel adjust will take? When I turn it one way it seems to fall out then after turning it another way (after adjusting the H screw on the front derailleur) I managed to get the gear to change to the middle ring of the front chainwheeel but still it won't go anywhere near the outer large ring and I don't want to turn the adjustment barrel too much for fear of either too much cable going into it or too much coming out.

I hope that makes sense.

cooldad

Spangledstar wrote:

Hi cooldad, thanks for replying. I will have a look at the Parktools website. Have I really messed up that bad I have to take it all apart again?

No idea, and can't tell from your picture, but the barrel adjuster doesn't need to be tightened up - only maybe a small tweak, so if you read Parktools it will tell you the proper process to follow, and the correct terms.
The easiest thing is slacken everything off and do it right.

Antm81

Whilst the cable is disconnected from the mech wind the barrel adjust all the way in so its tight and then back out again 2 turns, that way tension can be adjusted either way once everything is back together.

JBA

Why did you adjust the H screw? It should have been set correctly as you haven't changed the front mech.

You need to take a step back, read / watch Park Tools and start again from scratch. Take your time and it will be fine.