Bike Maintenance

[The 300lb Cyclist]

Hi,

I have been riding my bike now for about a month and so far travelled approximately 400km. When I first went out, my gears and indeed gear changes were silent and effortless. Now, just 400km in, they are noisy and sometimes need an extra click/move of the lever. Is this normal? Do they need indexing already?

Thanks, Paul

 

[mjr]

It's usual if not normal that cables settle into place over the first few weeks. Many sellers offer a free service after six weeks or so where they adjust such things.

 

[MontyVeda]

If you want to have a go at setting the indexing yourself... just use quarter or half turns on the adjuster. I spent years giving them a few turns this way and that before working out the easy way.

 

[Salty seadog]

Yep, as mjr says above, just the bike settling down into use. Gear cables are the most common thing to need a tweek once you start riding.

 

[raleighnut]

It's usual if not normal that cables settle into place over the first few weeks. Many sellers offer a free service after six weeks or so where they adjust such things.

Yep, as mjr says above, just the bike settling down into use. Gear cables are the most common thing to need a tweek once you start riding.

+1

 

[fossyant]

You tube for a how too

 

[The 300lb Cyclist]

Thanks for all of these! Yes, I had previously googled this. My competence and therefore confidence level on doing this is pretty small. I will watch again and consider!

 

[Salty seadog]

Thanks for all of these! Yes, I had previously googled this. My competence and therefore confidence level on doing this is pretty small. I will watch again and consider!

If you bought your bike from a high street retailer or smaller bike shop they should offer to give the bike the once over for free after you've done a few miles to sort this sort of thing. Often called the six week service.

 

[The 300lb Cyclist]

Many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I didn't. I purchased it from an online retailer. I will search youtube and if all else fails, I will speak to by local bike shop.

 

[PpPete]

If you want to have a go at setting the indexing yourself... just use quarter or half turns on the adjuster. I spent years giving them a few turns this way and that before working out the easy way.

It's usually anti-clockwise in the circumstances described by the OP.

 

[winjim]

It's usually anti-clockwise in the circumstances described by the OP.

Which direction are you looking in?

The mech moves in the direction you turn the adjuster...

 

[si_c]

Many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I didn't. I purchased it from an online retailer. I will search youtube and if all else fails, I will speak to by local bike shop.

Nothing wrong with using a LBS even if you didn't purchase your bike there.

But it's a reasonably straightforward fix. Basically the slack in the system between the shifters and the gears at the back gets removed as you use them. On the back there is usually a barrel adjuster; turn this a quarter turn anticlockwise and see if it fixes the problem. If not repeat the process until it does.

If things get worse, turn it the other way a quarter turn. Really, it's impossible to screw up totally, and if you do, that's what bike shops are for!

 

[mjr]

Which direction are you looking in?

The mech moves in the direction you turn the adjuster...

ITYM the direction you turn the top of adjuster.

 

[jongooligan]

Here you go. Easy to follow advice from Park Tools.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZxPIZ1ngY

 

[The 300lb Cyclist]

Ah, that's what I found to be the better video when I was searching last night. I will give it a go myself and as an earlier poster said, If all else fails, I will go to the local bike shop.

Many thanks for your help!