Favourite bike having big problems

So, I have a 21 year old Kuwahara Savage something-or-other MTB that has new (as of the last couple of years) shifters/brake levers. Lately, it has started hmmm refusing to stay in gear and when I try to upshift or downshift it goes mental. The front chainring gears aren't working right, either.

My DH, the novice "Wrench" has tried to fix it twice but in fact, it's getting MUCH worse. He insists the chain is fine, as well.

I'm completely FAIL at fixing bikes - I used to take it to an LBS when I lived near some, in Vancouver.

Now, there isn't an LBS within a lightyear of us so I'm stuck with DH the novice Wrench trying to repair my favouite bicycle.

Any clue as to what is wrong with my poor bike???

Well, if it refuses to stay in gear, it shifts back down- then maybe there is a problem with your shifters. The derailleurs are spring loaded, and the cable from your shifter pulls or lets off some slack, and should not slip internally. If they do, the derailleurs, being spring loaded, will pull back and it will shift back.

Now if it is just a matter of shifting poorly, it skips about and does not stay because the chain appears to slip, that can be a worn chain and or rear cassette cogs or even the front chain rings.

Probably the first thing to do is clean the rear cassette and front chanrings, and the chain. Once clean, lube the chain lightly and then remove the extra, you don't want an oily chain.

I could go over how to adjust shifting, but that would be re-inventing the wheel. The PARK website has great info on how to do various repairs to the bike: http://www.parktool.com/. Click the lower right repair section- great info and photos. You might want to take a look at how to adjust the shifting. Great site.

It sounds to me like the cables aren't moving freely inside the housings.

I'd suggest lubing them, but I expect they probably just need to be replaced at this point. When's the last time you replaced your cables and housings?

If you're going to be doing it yourself ... it's not hard, but the thing that's a real pain for me is cutting the housings so as not to crush the ends, and then filing off any burrs so the ends don't wear the cables. A GOOD housing cutter is worth the investment if you're going to be doing this regularly (cables should be replaced every year or two, housings at least every 3-5) - then I usually still wind up needing a punch to re-shape the hole and a file to smooth off the burrs.

If you haven't been having any problems with the length of your housings (handlebars binding, cables not moving smoothly when they were new), then just cut your new housings to the length of the old ones. Don't cut your cables until after they're installed. As far as the cable ends, I think a few millimeters of shrink tubing look neater than crimped end caps, and to me it's way easier to deal with.

After 21 years, you might wind up needing new ferrules and barrel adjusters too, which you'll have to buy separately from the cables and housings.

Park Tool's website, as usual, has a good article about replacing cables and housings. Just be aware that if you decide to go with coated cables, you should NOT lubricate them; non-coated cables should be lubed with a good non-sticky cable lubricant like Tri-Flow.

Have fun! :)



ETA - if it wasn't so early in the morning I'd have seen the first time I read your post that your levers are new-ish. A good LBS would've replaced your cable and housing set at the same time as the levers if they needed it - so they're probably not as old as I was afraid of. ;) If they're not coated cables, you might just try lubing them first, although if they're hanging up that much there's likely to be rust.

OakLeaf is probably right - phantom shifts are usually due to the cables and/or cable housing. Your best shot is to get a new set of cables, complete with housing and ferrules. Prior to installation, clean off the cable guide under the bottom bracket and spray it with some silicone.

Jean

If it shifts to the gear when you hold the lever but immediately falls back down when you let go, then your levers are not operating and need to be flushed with solvent. Try squirting in lots of lube and working the levers up and down many times. If that doesn't work, take them off the bike and soak them in solvent for a day. That works more often than not, but occasionally the levers won't revive and have to be replaced. Squirt lube on all the pivot points of the derailleurs too in case they've become sticky.

If you can shift to bigger cogs OK but the chain doesn't want to fall back down to the smaller cogs, then replacing both cables is housing should do the trick.