Stiff front Mech

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

walker

New Member
Location
Bromley, Kent
I cleaned my bike last week top to bottom wiping away all the grime and muck that had built up over the course of last week.

I went to get on the bike the day after and the front Mech wouldn't move and was stuck in the middle chainring (its a triple) and when I tried to shift it it felt like the cable was very taut. I will try and see if I can loosen the front mech screws tonight, but how did washing the bike make this happen?
 

longers

Legendary Member
Maybe washing the bike has got some of the salt and carp into your cables and they have seized?
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
It might be the cable rather than the mech. Unclamp it and see if the mech will move freely on it's own, if it does you need a new cable. If not look for any bits of grit which have got stuck in the mech.
 
Do not take off the mech leave it where it is. Move the leaver as it would be if you was in the small ring and then push and pull the mech with lube all over it. You may need to move the chain out of the way you can do this by unlooping it from the front chain rings past the crank then leave it hanging from the mech.
 

k-dog

New Member
That's happened to me a couple of times this year - on my geared bike that I don't use too often.

It does just seem to be the muck off the road at the moment. I just give mine a good squirt with some spray lube and let it sit overnight and it sorts it - and then a good clean at the weekend.
 
OP
OP
walker

walker

New Member
Location
Bromley, Kent
ok cheers all, I will try giving it a thorough clean, if that doesn't work I will go with taking the cable out of the mech and going that way.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
walker said:
I cleaned my bike last week top to bottom wiping away all the grime and muck that had built up over the course of last week.

I went to get on the bike the day after and the front Mech wouldn't move and was stuck in the middle chainring (its a triple) and when I tried to shift it it felt like the cable was very taut. I will try and see if I can loosen the front mech screws tonight, but how did washing the bike make this happen?


What mech is it Walker ???
I have this every year at this time with a Sora front...its just corrosion/salt/crud getting into the main pivot.
IF yours is Sora, look at the mech from the rear. There is a large dome headed allen bolt / pivot.
Slightly undo it, spray on some WD or similar, manipulate the mech by hand to free it up, then re-tighten.
Works for me every time....
 
OP
OP
walker

walker

New Member
Location
Bromley, Kent
gbb said:
What mech is it Walker ???

The answers in the title.

I took a look at it last week after all the advice, I loosened the higher bolt a little and also cleaned the roller on the rear which seemed slightly jammed. It works fine now. so cheers all
 
Top Bottom