I give up, totally messed up gearing

[Wetdog]

hi guys, as the title says I've given up trying to sort my gears, out on a ride yesterday and they were awful. So I'm asking for the local guys to give me their experience and suggest a shop to nip into to, and a price.
I live in Warrington, so it should be easy for you to come up with a shop.
I think it's to do with the age of the bike, not being very old and hardly used I think the cables have stretched.
Cheers.

 

[si_c]

Pop into cycle house, they're just by Warrington station on the trading estate to the right. Can't recommend them highly enough.

 

[jonny jeez]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SkzvfCaIbyQ


You may find, that once you know the order that adjustments need to be made, its more straightforward than you fear. Video above may help

 

[ianrauk]

@jonny jeez beat me to it with that vid.

@Wetdog , Put the bike up on a stand. watch the vid and have a go.

 

[jonny jeez]

@jonny jeez beat me to it with that vid.

@Wetdog , Put the bike up on a stand. watch the vid and have a go.

Also, don't be fearful of disconnecting the cable entirely to ensure it isn't snapped, snagging or freyed.

Many an hour wasted in my workshop trying to get the gears doing what they should before realising the cable inner was knackered

 

[mjr]

Also, don't be fearful of disconnecting the cable entirely to ensure it isn't snapped, snagging or freyed.

This. Almost all bikes have gears that return to the high or low position with a slack cable, so it gives you a repeatable starting point once you've checked it, too.

Personally, I find setting up indexing so tedious (I can do it but I'd rather spend the time riding them) that all my derailleur bikes except one are now friction... and the indexed one doesn't get ridden much, as I don't need split-second shifts and like the easier overshifting.

 

[Wetdog]

Cheers Jonny, I haven't got a stand or anyway of holding the bike up. I've been thinking about one for a couple of months now.
That video certainly makes it look easy, I may get one now?

 

[wormo]

I use a guy who lives at Preston on the Hill, nr Daresbury. He will collect and drop off your bike. Just sorted the gears on my bike and now running really smoothly.

PM me if you want his details.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Cheers Jonny, I haven't got a stand or anyway of holding the bike up. I've been thinking about one for a couple of months now.
That video certainly makes it look easy, I may get one now?

Stands are really useful for all sorts, they make all of your minor repairs and adjustments far easier, as well as facilitating washes and lubricating the chain and moving parts. All without bending over! It's an extra pair of hands for all your jobs.
The Halfords Bikehut one is good, £40 at the moment but I've seen it at £30. I actually paid £25 as I used a£15 accessory discount voucher that came with my daughter's bike, but even at full price it's good value.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/bike-work-stands/bikehut-repair-stand

 

[Wetdog]

Hey wormo, I'm thinking about getting a stand and doing it myself.
The initial outlay will cover the stand, and then use your Guy for more involved work.

 

[wormo]

Hey wormo, I'm thinking about getting a stand and doing it myself.
The initial outlay will cover the stand, and then use your Guy for more involved work.

He's Bike and the Mechanic. details can be found on google.

 

[mjr]

The Halfords Bikehut one is good, £40 at the moment but I've seen it at £30. I actually paid £25 as I used a£15 accessory discount voucher that came with my daughter's bike, but even at full price it's good value.

For small "lift the back wheel" jobs like this, I've a £10 double U-stand that I prefer because it clamps the ends of the rear axle rather than the frame. It's more stable and less risk of scratching. I've a £6 ceiling winch which would be OK for this task, too, and let me work at a nicer height.

Or the dutch bike has a two-foot stand, so lifts the back wheel instead of the front if I fit the basket and put something heavy in it

 

[PaulSecteur]

If you can get the gears to be amooth one way, but not the other then chances are its the cable as its causing friction.

Changing inners and outers gives an enormous sense of well being.

 

[wonderloaf]

For small "lift the back wheel" jobs like this, I've a £10 double U-stand that I prefer because it clamps the ends of the rear axle rather than the frame. It's more stable and less risk of scratching. I've a £6 ceiling winch which would be OK for this task, too, and let me work at a nicer height.

Or the dutch bike has a two-foot stand, so lifts the back wheel instead of the front if I fit the basket and put something heavy in it

I also use a ceiling mounted bike winch fitted to the ceiling in the garage, allows me to get it out of the way when not in use.

Also like to turn the bike upside down (stand on handlebars and saddle) when washing, find it much easier to remove the wheels and get to all the bits underneath.
I do use pieces of foam on the hoods and an old saddle cover to protect them from getting damaged though!

 

[vickster]

If you can get the gears to be amooth one way, but not the other then chances are its the cable as its causing friction.

Changing inners and outers gives an enormous sense of well being.

On a barely used bike?