Virtual Bike Workshop (1 Viewer)

[broken arm]

I just realised after all these years I don't really know how to balance my gears properly. They slip from time to time and it's doing my head in.

has anyone any advice?


p.s. this is also just an excuse to set up a bike resource thread....

 

[magicbastarder]

rear derailleur?
there should be two screws on the back of it - this controls how high and low the derailleur can go. where the cable attaches to the derailleur is usually a thumbscrew; play with this to move the derailleur in and out a bit.

you'll see it more clearly than i can describe, once you have a look.

 

[magicbastarder]

i've a slightly loose headset and missing spoke on my road bike; might just drop it in for a service, it's essentially been in storage for four years.

 

[classic seanc]

Good bike resource site (for those of you that don’t know):


http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

 

[broken arm]

Good bike resource site (for those of you that don’t know):


http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

he looks like a buzzer

 

[therealjohnny]

pfffft

 

[maims bond]

I just realised after all these years I don't really know how to balance my gears properly. They slip from time to time and it's doing my head in.

has anyone any advice?


p.s. this is also just an excuse to set up a bike resource thread....

This is fairly difficult to get right. A lot depends on what kind of shifters you have. I'd love to write a lengthy post about it but I don't see the point because the only way you can learn this is watch someone do it. Are there any community bike style projects where you live? I used to frequent one in Vancouver which would charge you a nominal fee for the use of their workspace and tools. If you paid a little extra they would show you how to fix/maintain the thing yourself. Otherwise, a bike shop should be able to do that fairly cheaply.

 

[magicbastarder]

just rang cycleways; they charge a euro a minute for bike servicing, if you were willing to let someone else do the work.

 

[Goodbye]

pfffft

I want to throw my bike at this git

 

[rettucs]

twiddlin with them screws might sort the problem for you, but really, anything to do with the drive train giving jip, you should get the experts to take a look at it.

 

[classic seanc]

twiddlin with them screws might sort the problem for you, but really, anything to do with the drive train giving jip, you should get the experts to take a look at it.

Don't be knocking the virtual bike workshop before it even get's off the ground! We can do this!

Should one clean the chain/gears/etc once in a while? How often? Why? How?

 

[rettucs]

Don't be knocking the virtual bike workshop before it even get's off the ground! We can do this!

Should one clean the chain/gears/etc once in a while? How often? Why? How?

yeah. definitely. Clean the chain and cogs, front and back. Get a power washer and spray the shit out of it.

If its really manky take off the back block and soak it in degreaser, but you shouldn't need to do that.

If it gets manky and you don't have a powerwasher, just get a screwdriver or something and scrape the shite off the chain and the front and back cogs. Thats what I do. Its a pain in the hole and I wouldn't want to be doin it too often, but it needs doin.

If you do spray it, be sure to dry it, and grease it again with some chain oil, or that teflon spray stuff.

 

[classic seanc]

Excellent. I get to go to the petrol station and shoot water at stuff. How very manly.

 

[rettucs]

Excellent. I get to go to the petrol station and shoot water at stuff. How very manly.

shoot petrol at it, while enjoying a marlboro. That will get the grease out

 

[magicbastarder]

yep, nothing to shift that shit like petrol and a toothbrush. plus, you can then flame off any dirt left by igniting the remaining petrol.

 

[Hair Iron Madin]

I just realised after all these years I don't really know how to balance my gears properly. They slip from time to time and it's doing my head in.

has anyone any advice?


p.s. this is also just an excuse to set up a bike resource thread....

yes. buy a bike maintenance book. seriously a few quid with pictures will see you through the process and if you do a good bit cycling (I know you like your mountain treks) its quite satisfying to bring a minitool kit and do your own repairs if and when you're stuck

as for the slipping gears it can be a number of things:

where is the chain slipping front rings or back?

1. check your chainrings arent worn down. look at the chainrings on the front and the rear cogs. they should have a hard chiseled edge to them. if all or a good few on any of the rings are very smooth rounded you may need to replace the ring (can do seperate for front cogs but the rear has to replace the entire block) as this is probably causing the gear slip

2. if its not no.1 then it could be the tension has stretched in the gear cable which is normal. at the shifters where the cable enters the shifter housing theres usually a cylindrical cover that you can turn that seems to unscrew out of the shifter. that adds tension to the gear cable. try turning that as far as it can go (Before the screw pops out). do it for front and/or rear depending which set is giving you jip.

3. if no.2 doesnt work time to get the miniscrewdriver out. you are either going to have to fiddle with the screws on the front or rear derailleur depending which rings the chains slipping off. you can see these screws on the top of each derailleur side by side.

one screw forces the derailleur in and the other pushes it out by pushing on a metal plate. you can see this by looking down at the derailleurs from above the bike you'll notice the guide cage move in or out depending which screw you turn. these screws are VERY sensitive so a half or quarter turn then shifting the gears through the motions while rotating the pedals is adviced (you'll need the rear wheel off the ground for this).

this is a really fiddly excercise as just when you think one gear is sorted it can have a knock on affect to how the other gears engage so small changes and check each ring before you make any more.

but i'd recommed getting the bike maintenance book

 

[classic seanc]

yep, nothing to shift that shit like petrol and a toothbrush. plus, you can then flame off any dirt left by igniting the remaining petrol.

SRSLY?

 

[rettucs]

SRSLY?

come on man, do you seriously think anyone here is capable of lying to you?

no way san jose

 

[maims bond]

I find diesel better. The stink from your hands is very hard to get off though. The lighting of the petrol when done is new to me, sounds like a nice way to achieve closure.

 

[rettucs]

I find diesel better. The stink from your hands is very hard to get off though. The lighting of the petrol when done is new to me, sounds like a nice way to achieve closure.

don't knock it til you try it