Rear Shifting Issues

bungle73

In the summer, after many years of sitting in the garage, I decided to get on my bike again. The shifting wasn't happening as smoothly as it should, which I put down to corroded cables (they were the same ones that came with the bike), so I changed both inners, and every was fine...until now. Now, suddenly, the rear isn't working properly again. Now, matter how I adjust it I cannot get it to go smoothly both up and down the cassette.

I don't think it's the derailleur, because if I move it with my fingers it moves smoothly up and springs back with no problem.

Could it be a faulty shifter? It's the one that came with the bike, so now is quite old and well used (I bought the bike in 1999). It's Shimano, but I have no idea what model as it doesn't say. It's just plain black plastic.

I have a couple of STC-RC shifters laying about that I could replace it with. Worth a shot? Or any other ideas?

I don't have a proper work stand, so I'm having carry out the adjustments with the wheel hub resting on the side of a box, so I can turn the cranks.

cooldad

Change the outers.

cooldad

And just turn the bike upside down to adjust things.

bungle73

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736297#p19736297]cooldad[/url] wrote:

Change the outers.

OK, thanks. I'll try that.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736298#p19736298]cooldad[/url] wrote:

And just turn the bike upside down to adjust things.

I've tried that before and it seems to affect shifting. I suspect because the derailleur is not hanging the correct way up. Plus it's a lot easier to turn the cranks and use the shifters with the bike the right way up.

BTW is there any way to multi-quote on this forum?

brianbee

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736301#p19736301]Bungle73[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736297#p19736297]cooldad[/url] wrote:

Change the outers.

OK, thanks. I'll try that.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736298#p19736298]cooldad[/url] wrote:

And just turn the bike upside down to adjust things.

I've tried that before and it seems to affect shifting. I suspect because the derailleur is not hanging the correct way up. Plus it's a lot easier to turn the cranks and use the shifters with the bike the right way up.

Get a piece of rope and tie the bike to a washing line or get a piece of rope make a washing line and tie the bike to it. I suspend mine off the rafters in the garage

bungle73

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736305#p19736305]brianbee[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736301#p19736301]Bungle73[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736297#p19736297]cooldad[/url] wrote:

Change the outers.

OK, thanks. I'll try that.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736298#p19736298]cooldad[/url] wrote:

And just turn the bike upside down to adjust things.

I've tried that before and it seems to affect shifting. I suspect because the derailleur is not hanging the correct way up. Plus it's a lot easier to turn the cranks and use the shifters with the bike the right way up.

Get a piece of rope and tie the bike to a washing line or get a piece of rope make a washing line and tie the bike to it. I suspend mine off the rafters in the garage

Doesn't it swing around though?

Chunkers1980

Yes, but is fine is solely used for indexing.

The Rookie

Turning it upside down won't make any difference at all to indexing, which is obvious if you just look at it!

That said I just lift the rear of the bike by the saddle and spin the cranks, no need to overthink this!

brianbee

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736468#p19736468]Bungle73[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736305#p19736305]brianbee[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736301#p19736301]Bungle73[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736297#p19736297]cooldad[/url] wrote:

Change the outers.

OK, thanks. I'll try that.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736298#p19736298]cooldad[/url] wrote:

And just turn the bike upside down to adjust things.

I've tried that before and it seems to affect shifting. I suspect because the derailleur is not hanging the correct way up. Plus it's a lot easier to turn the cranks and use the shifters with the bike the right way up.

Get a piece of rope and tie the bike to a washing line or get a piece of rope make a washing line and tie the bike to it. I suspend mine off the rafters in the garage

Doesn't it swing around though?

Not to any detriment no. As above there is no engineering r reason why you cant turn it upside down, But its a hell of a lot easier to to get to the controls if its the right way up ?

bungle73

I'm just going to buy a stand - I've already had my eye on one. And, besides, I need it for other maintainence as well, not just gear indexing.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736492#p19736492]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Turning it upside down won't make any difference at all to indexing, which is obvious if you just look at it!

Well, all I know is that I've tried indexing with the bike upside down in the past and couldn't get it to go right, but then when I had the bike the right way up it went ok.

That said I just lift the rear of the bike by the saddle and spin the cranks, no need to overthink this!

But then you can't turn the cranks and use the shifters at the same time, unless you've got someone else to help you, which I haven't.

The Rookie

Click shifter, lift, turn pedals, brake put back down.......your still overthinking it, there is no need to shift while the pedals are turning at all!

Chunkers1980

And if you're in the correct ball park with the first setup you then do it riding with the barrel adjuster while it's all loaded which can be slightly different.

larkim

I don't know whether this is overthinking things or not, but i have definitely had repeated occurrences of indexing things perfectly whilst the bike is up in a stand, only for the indexing to be slightly ropey when it is actually being ridden.

Is this just my imagination, or is it possible that lower end (Shimano Acera, Sora, SRAM X5) derailleurs and crank combinations might be subject to this? Is this the barrel adjuster point being made by Chunkers1980?

Chunkers1980

Yes, think about it. There's very little load through everything on a stand. Come to ride it and things move (mostly via flex) once load is applied so depending on cable runs and how prone to even the slightest movement mechs are then it's not exactly the same as in the stand.

cooldad

Hence a tweek on the barrel adjuster if necessary.

bungle73

I've changed the outers, and the rear shifting seems much better now. Thanks. I haven't actually ridden it yet though, as my bike is out of action atm, as I needed to get a new(er) front cable, because I couldn't re-use the old (new) one.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19736672#p19736672]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Click shifter, lift, turn pedals, brake put back down.......

I've tried doing that and it's way too much hassle. And you can't make adjustments while the the pedals are turning.

your still overthinking it, there is no need to shift while the pedals are turning at all!

I don't think so. The need is that it's easier doing it that way, and I can go up and down the full range of gears in one go, which is impossible if you have to keep lifting the bike up

davidradar

Oh one last thing, how clean is your drive train. A clean & lube go a long way to help smooth shifting. Just remember your chain need to be replaced occasionally.

bungle73

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19738585#p19738585]DavidRadar[/url] wrote:

Oh one last thing, how clean is your drive train. A clean & lube go a long way to help smooth shifting. Just remember your chain need to be replaced occasionally.

I cleaned it (and lubed it), and the whole bike, the other day. I have a chain checker tool - the current chain is fine atm.