All of us have had a ride complicated or spoiled by shifting problems, and if you haven’t – you need to get out and RIDE!! Among these problems are inability to access all gears, chains coming off, chains breaking, bike “skipping” under heavy pedaling, refusal to go into certain gears smoothly, pedals locking up, or pedals not turning the rear wheel at all. Most of the time, riders blame the shifters or the derailleurs, but frequently they check out OK & the problems have another cause. One really good way to eliminate them altogether is to get a singlespeed bike. If you prefer to keep your 21, 24, or 27 speed, however, then this info may help you conquer your shifting problems and learn how to correct them. A myriad combination of these and other problems are also possible. *Chain is dirty, has a stuck link, is wrong length, or improper size for your gears (7,8spd. Vs. 9spd.). Chain is worn and stretched and no longer interdigitates with the teeth on the sprockets properly. Shimano chain requires special link when repairing chain, or else may break. Poor quality chains may not work with a heavy rider. Chain has improperly repaired link. *Teeth on the chainring are dirty, bent, chipped, or worn unevenly. Chainrings may need to be tightened if loose. Teeth on the rear cassette are dirty, have debris between them, are worn, bent, rusted, chipped, missing or loose. Hub bearing may be severly worn, and hub loose. Rear wheel may not be centered in chainstays evenly. Freehub body may be worn or stuck in position inside the hub. *Shifting cables may be dirty and require lubrication or replacement to eliminate drag. They may be kinked or routed improperly. Cable tension for the rear derailleur is a critical factor, and must be set properly so that the chain lines up evenly with the cogs. If your rear derailleur cable is a few years old, rusty, worn, or kinked - replace it!! More times than you would think, this can lead to poor shifting or "skipping" of the bike in certain gears. There is too much friction between the cable and housing, and this will not allow the cable to index properly, and poor or frustrating shifting is the end result. *Derailleurs may be out of adjustment in their limit settings. This may cause a chain to come off inside of the largest cog on the rear cassette and get stuck between the inside of the cog and the spokes. This may also cause the chain to come off the inside of the front chainring from the smallest ring, or go too far and come off of the outside of the largest ring. The cages for the front derailleur may be bent, or the derailleur may be twisted, or too high or low on the seat tube. Rear derailleur may have loose bolt holding it on the dropout. The dropout may also be bent, and the rear derailleur at an angle to the chain line. Front derailleur on small chainring may hit tire - if you have a wide tire on the bike. *Shifters – usually not the problem, but may be difficult to turn and require lubrication, or require adjustment of the barrel at the handlebar to correct cable tension. Sometimes they go bad, or levers get bent and don’t allow proper movement. *Rear derailleur itself is bent, jockey wheels loose, cage bent, or debris prevents proper movement. Replaceable rear hanger may be bent or loose on dropout. *Bottom bracket is loose or wobbly, crank arms are not tight. Bottom bracket (if replaced) may be too long or short and need spacers. *Non compatible components were installed… i.e. mixing 8spd w 9 spd. Improper installation of cables, housing, or shifters. Improper chainline established. *Attachment of luggage rack, bike seat, or other accessory may interfere with normal shifting by pinching cables or not allowing proper movement of derailleurs. *Add your reason here:info@webmountainbike.com |
