Drive train problem and a Wiggle moan

LycraVirgin
LycraVirgin Posts: 55
edited February 2013 in Road beginners
So I have just been out for my first ride on my brand new road bike which I purchased from Wiggle. Disappointed to find the front and rear mechs are not working properly. The rear doesn’t change smoothly up and down the cassette , skips and jumps gears. When on the smallest 3 rear sprockets and big ring the chain is rubbing the front mech. There also seems to be a similar rubbing noise from the rear mech on a couple of sprockets that I can’t place exactly where it’s coming from. On closer inspection I have also noticed there is already wear on the big chain ring teeth after one short ride! I’m not an expert but I understand about not putting too much lateral force on the chain so I was careful keeping the gears matched front and rear. I also accept that that the rear mech could need dialling in after being removed for transportation, but shouldn’t really. For £800 its disappointing, I don’t have a bike stand and have never adjusted a mech. Also annoying you can’t actually phone wiggle, you can only send an email and then have to wait 8 hours for a response.
Guess I’m going to have to try adjusting it myself, any tips? And any ideas on why the teeth have worn on the chain ring so quickly? Thanks in advance
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Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    one the teeth are not all the same.

    yes you will need to add some tension to the cables.

    have a read of parktools
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    To expand on Nicks answer, the teeth are supposed to be like that, they aid gear shifts.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Ok thanks, that explains the chain ring. Good job I posted in the beginners section. A lot of useful info on the park tools website – good tip. Looks like my first financial bike accessory shafting will be a fecking bike stand! Padded lycra jump suit on ice - small mercys
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    To expand the answers even more

    1. The teeth are deliberately profiled to different shapes, some even look snapped off. This is to give slicker gear changing and helps clean the chain - it was all designed by computer.

    2. New bikes, even costing 10 times yours, need a quick service after using for a few hundred miles. This is usually cable stretching and index and is normal.

    As you have said, you may have knocked the indexing dial. The fact is, these are simple maintenance you should learn and love....ie, it'll save you a fortune in servicing costs. Turn the bike upside down and do it, no need for a stand just yet.
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    Simple fix, don't sweat it.

    Between Youtube and Parktools, there's plenty of expert advice, indexing your gears is not hard.
  • Jesus Wept I just want to ride the damn thing. Whilst I have embraced these forums as a wealth of useful information I can’t help but sigh a little in exasperation.

    ‘ New bikes, even costing 10 times yours, need a quick service after using for a few hundred miles. This is usually cable stretching and index and is normal.’

    Point taken but this bike had zero miles and a ‘PDI check sheet’ with a big tick next to check cable tension.

    ‘As you have said, you may have knocked the indexing dial’

    I appreciate your faith in my ability as a mechanic but WTF is an indexing dial?

    ‘Simple fix, don't sweat it.Between Youtube and Parktools, there's plenty of expert advice, indexing your gears is not hard’

    Whilst I appreciate your input flasher I beg to differ. I guess it’s easy when you know how, much like picking the right moment to whip open the trench coat.

    Ok so I have a multi tool and a print-out from park tools, the bike is upside down and its..... well fecked. I need a pair of pliers so I now have a bike with no working front mech at all.
    Sorry to be a whinging bastard but I’m a bit like Clarkson, I just want to drive it and have no interest in mechanics. As I moaned in the first place it cost me £800 so don’t really see why this should be my introduction to road biking. For that money you would expect to be able to go round the block before being cursed with ‘cable stretch’
  • Suggest you take a chill pill and step back for a bit.

    You purchased a bike on line & therefore have to live with that fact. Its not your fault, but its not Wiggles either that as an online company you are not going to get the levels of service you would do if you purchased your bike from a local bike shop.

    Sounds like the only issue is the gear indexing & to be honest as others have said it is a simple fix with little or no knowledge needed. Either Youtube or look it up on line it is very simple & I should know I learnt that way myself not to long ago & I have no real mechanical skills.

    If you are generally not that good at mechanical work then go find a local bike shop to do it for you.

    Or even better lots of local bike shops run "basic workshop sessions" and you can go learn the basic's. They are a very worth while exercise, as you will learn the basics such as changing tyres, gear indexing, replacing & setting up brakes. All of which are skills you may need out on the road when riding your bike & come as part and parcel of owning a bike. Just the same as checking your car tyres, washer fluid & oil levels really.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Wiggle probably do no more than open the box and check its all there and then repack it for mailing. Its not their fault. The good thing about buying from your LBS is they do all this for you so you never need to bother (If they are a good LBS of course) Everything you say that is wrong could be rectified with nothing more than a screwdriver and turning the bike upside down. Derailleurs are easy to adjust once you know how.

    And the basic maintenance thing is something you had better get used to on a road bike. Cleaning the running gear and lubing is not something you can ignore or it will cause problems later on. And thats before you get into the world of puncture repair because you will get them no matter how careful you are, out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a minipump and a spare innertube.
  • philwint
    philwint Posts: 763
    Adjusting the indexing on a bike is a bit like filling up the washer bottle on you car - a small irritant that you just have to do every now and then. Actually as it's all about cable stretch maybe it's more like having to tune a guitar.

    Take a few minutes to sort it now and you'll be glad of it

    I started off with http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bike-Book-Complete-Bicycle-Maintenance/dp/0857331183/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359402148&sr=1-2 many years ago when i bought my first mountain bike, and still refer to it occasionally now.

    I'm not sure how annoyed with Wiggle you need to be. I've never set up the indexing, removed the mech, posted my bike somewhere and reattached it. But I suspect it might need a quick fettle at the other end if i had.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    I also accept that that the rear mech could need dialling in after being removed for transportation, but shouldn’t really.

    What :?:
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    I understand that you are a bit upset and that its a pain to have to change things before you even get chance to ride it. There are a lot of good experienced people in these forums who will help you with anything you need to know.

    I think my wife has still not got her head around how expensive my cycling can be but I try to keep costs down by any means as it can spiral if you aint careful. Back to your bike, the last time anyone even looked at the gearing was when it shoved in a box somewhere in the far east before loading it into a ship container heading for the UK. Its just the way some things go. Don't let it cloud over your enjoyment of riding it whe.n it is set up right it will be worth it.
  • ShutUpLegs wrote:
    I also accept that that the rear mech could need dialling in after being removed for transportation, but shouldn’t really.

    What :?:

    If this is normal then surely wiggle should attach a park tools sheet on cable stretching instead of a PDI check sheet with ‘Cable tensioning’ checked and ticked. Hence my comment ‘but shouldn’t really’
    Thanks anyway at least you didn’t point out how easy it is to stretch a cable without pliers...... jesus wept..... I love black men.
  • extrusion
    extrusion Posts: 247
    I love black men.

    Whut???

    *edited as needed more question marks
  • To clarify the front mech currently does not have a cable attached to it. I gather ‘dialling in’ refers to configuring the rear mech..... Dont worry I will get some pliers tomorrow and hopefully it will become ‘easy’ Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

    'I like black bikes'
  • extrusion
    extrusion Posts: 247
    Oh.

    I see.

    You dont need pliers. There. Said it.
  • philwint
    philwint Posts: 763
    really good vid here on how to do it (you really don't need a bike stand)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KNGQFPT9U
  • Ta - will have another go tomorrow. As for taking up the slack up the front mech cable I will use my teeth.
  • extrusion
    extrusion Posts: 247
    Have u tried pulling it with your fingers and tightening the bolt? It doesnt have to be pulled super tight, you can then use the ferrule/dial at the shifter end to take up slack. Youll prob just ruin the cable if you use pliers and your teeth if you use them.
  • I was expecting the stop screw to push the mech away from the chain ring but it didn’t. The ferrel adjustments are under the frame where the cable comes out the outer plastic but they also seemed to have the little effect on adjusting anything. The cable does seem slack so I tried loosening the bolt, pushing the mech across and then pulling the slack through but couldn’t pull it any tighter than it already was with my fingers. From what you have said perhaps the cable was ok in the first place and I’m just doing this all wrong.
    I’m fairly sure that these little tweaks are made much harder with nothing except a cheap multi tool. Why do I have such a sissy tool box? I’m working away from home in Spain, living out of a bag. Another reason I ordered online from Wiggle as I was not impressed with the local bike shops here especially in terms of value. But it’s biting me in the arse now. Round two tonight, I’m motivated as it’s wall to wall sunshine today and no wind.
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    Multitool is all you need to index gears. And as mentioned, no pliers are needs. Just an allen key normally and a screwdriver to set the hi/lo screws

    For a tenner your local bike shop will sort it, and stay there and watch to see what they do :-)

    It is easy to mess it all up, I know I did first time.
  • Stick at it, just try little adjustments at a time and see what that does to the mechanism.

    As others have said, learning to adjust and index gears yourself will save you money in the long run and there is nothing as satisfying as indexing gears yourself and then watching them 'snick' precisely up and down the cassette
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    there is nothing as satisfying as indexing gears yourself

    YOU seriously need a girlfriend
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    there is nothing as satisfying as indexing gears yourself

    YOU seriously need a girlfriend

    Or a girl who's gears need re-indexing...
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    g00se wrote:
    there is nothing as satisfying as indexing gears yourself

    YOU seriously need a girlfriend

    Or a girl who's gears need re-indexing...

    Careful where you stick the allan key
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    Jesus Wept I just want to ride the damn thing. Whilst I have embraced these forums as a wealth of useful information I can’t help but sigh a little in exasperation.

    ‘ New bikes, even costing 10 times yours, need a quick service after using for a few hundred miles. This is usually cable stretching and index and is normal.’

    Point taken but this bike had zero miles and a ‘PDI check sheet’ with a big tick next to check cable tension.

    ‘As you have said, you may have knocked the indexing dial’

    I appreciate your faith in my ability as a mechanic but WTF is an indexing dial?

    ‘Simple fix, don't sweat it.Between Youtube and Parktools, there's plenty of expert advice, indexing your gears is not hard’

    Whilst I appreciate your input flasher I beg to differ. I guess it’s easy when you know how, much like picking the right moment to whip open the trench coat.

    Ok so I have a multi tool and a print-out from park tools, the bike is upside down and its..... well fecked. I need a pair of pliers so I now have a bike with no working front mech at all.
    Sorry to be a whinging bastard but I’m a bit like Clarkson, I just want to drive it and have no interest in mechanics. As I moaned in the first place it cost me £800 so don’t really see why this should be my introduction to road biking. For that money you would expect to be able to go round the block before being cursed with ‘cable stretch’

    Should have gone to Halfords!
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    Ta - will have another go tomorrow. As for taking up the slack up the front mech cable I will use my teeth.

    There will be a barrel adjuster somewhere on the cable. On mine it is a black knob (not the type that shutuplegs likes) that turns.

    Turn it until the cable tightens. You don't even need to touch the mech!
  • Should have gone to Halfords!

    True except I’m in Spain- but I could have gone to the equivalent here- Decathlon and got a BTWIN. Brilliant shop if you ever come across one for bike accessories and clothing.
    Funny you should mention GF’s – I’m sure this damned bike is driving a wedge between us. The other day she pretended to dry hump it and said she was doing an impression of me. Every time she walks past it she pretends to spit on it.
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    True except I’m in Spain- but I could have gone to the equivalent here- Decathlon and got a BTWIN. Brilliant shop if you ever come across one for bike accessories and clothing.
    Funny you should mention GF’s – I’m sure this damned bike is driving a wedge between us. The other day she pretended to dry hump it and said she was doing an impression of me. Every time she walks past it she pretends to spit on it.

    This looks pretty good:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w ... ike-23582/
  • Yep – ta. I have no excuse to not be riding tonight as I now have a range of procedures . It does however suggest pliers!!! God damn it – I knew it
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    Yep – ta. I have no excuse to not be riding tonight as I now have a range of procedures . It does however suggest pliers!!! God damn it – I knew it

    You only need those if you loosened the cable from the mech though? Tell me you didn't!