Should I just give up?

disgruntledgoat
disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
edited October 2009 in Workshop
I've been trying today to change the chain, brake blocks, cables and bar tape on my bike today, to get it ready for winter... I state trying.

Noticed after fitting the chain that my shifter for the rear mech had "lost" a click on the way "up" (as in, towards the 25) so at a given point it would always miss out a gear. Then whilst trying to solve that, I wrapped the chain up and it came out of the cage on the mech.

Forgetting it was a KMC chain i'd just fitted, I went to work with my chain splitter, and now can't get it back together (i've been at it for an hour and a half now). You'd think they never intended those pins to come out :wink:

I've been riding and trying to maintain my bikes for 10 years now and neither seems to get any better. The way i'm feeling right now, with no prospect of riding until I can get hold of another chain (whenever one could be delivered...), i feel like just giving up and doing something else. :cry:
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

@gietvangent

Comments

  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    Stick it back in the shed and look at it again tomorrow.
  • salsarider79
    salsarider79 Posts: 828
    It's why you use split links. Those things do not go back without several hours of swearing. SRAM split links should work with your chain.

    Do you have a nine or ten speed set-up? Either way did you get the correct chain? Nine speed chains won't work on ten speed set-ups and vice versa.
    If you have the correct chain, then you may have knocked the barrel adjuster on the rear mech, which could be why you are missing a gear. Which gear are you missing?

    I'm also unsure as to what you mean about the chain "came out of the cage on the mech". Sounds like it wasn't in properly or you have taken out the jockey wheels.

    Sometimes a cup of tea or coffee is the answer. Sort out the other things and come back to it. Done that several times with my motorbike....
    jedster wrote:
    Just off to contemplate my own mortality and inevitable descent into decrepedness.
    FCN 3 or 4 on road depending on clothing
    FCN 8 off road because I'm too old to go racing around.
  • jermas
    jermas Posts: 484
    Maybe you should buy a bike workshop manual or printout some information on bike maintainance. If you work step by step on whatever task it shouldn't be too difficult. Plus having the right tools always helps. Ooh and you can buy extra missing links (8, 9 or 10 speed)for the chain if you need to join it (don't reuse the pin).
  • ademort
    ademort Posts: 1,924
    The next time you want to do some maintainance on your bike have a look on youtube. You can find almost anything you need for bike repairs. Step by step instructions on how to do each job.If you look beforehand then you can see what tools etc that you need so you know eactly whats required for the job and have everything at hand to compete the task, surely idiotproof. :) If this doesnt help then yes you might be right, give up and do something else. :lol:
    Ademort
    ademort
    Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
    Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
    Giant Defy 4
    Mirage Columbus SL
    Batavus Ventura
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    salsarider79 wrote:
    It's why you use split links. Those things do not go back without several hours of swearing. SRAM split links should work with your chain.

    Do you have a nine or ten speed set-up? Either way did you get the correct chain? Nine speed chains won't work on ten speed set-ups and vice versa.
    If you have the correct chain, then you may have knocked the barrel adjuster on the rear mech, which could be why you are missing a gear. Which gear are you missing?

    I'm also unsure as to what you mean about the chain "came out of the cage on the mech". Sounds like it wasn't in properly or you have taken out the jockey wheels.

    Sometimes a cup of tea or coffee is the answer. Sort out the other things and come back to it. Done that several times with my motorbike....

    Ten Speed Chorus set up. It was defo a 10 sp chain too. The gear thing has been an issue for a while... But it was between the 12 and the 13 on the cassette and you could overcome the "missing click" by doing a kinf of half-shift.

    As for the chain coming out of the cage, I was back pedaling it when it was between gears and the chain got all wrapped up. When I sorted it out I noticed it was running outside the metal cage surrounding the jockey wheels and would not go back in.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    I have had this problem at work ( been doing my job for almost 26 years ) and the best thing to do is stop and start again tomorrow.

    Most of the time you will find you do it right fist time or at least after a short time.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    If you've pushed the pin right out then you can sometimes get them back in with a pair of those grips that have the jaws that move parrallelly (slip jaw adjustable pliers) or using the chain tool on just one plate.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • jermas
    jermas Posts: 484
    If you've pushed the pin right out then you can sometimes get them back in with a pair of those grips that have the jaws that move parrallelly (slip jaw adjustable pliers) or using the chain tool on just one plate.

    The rivets are capped to stop the side plates separating. The chain will probably snap under load.Ouch
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    jermas wrote:
    If you've pushed the pin right out then you can sometimes get them back in with a pair of those grips that have the jaws that move parrallelly (slip jaw adjustable pliers) or using the chain tool on just one plate.

    The rivets are capped to stop the side plates separating. The chain will probably snap under load.Ouch

    Been there, done that and one broken elbow is quite enough!

    That it took me this long to think of using the link from the other chain is a testament to my stupidity I fear...
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent

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