Help!

[Python]

Got new tyres put on my bike today. Good quality tyres with reflective bands on the side wall - very smart they look too - probably the first new tyres my bike has had in about 25 years

However, while at the bike shop the young man took up the slack on my gear change cable - and now I can't change gear. I have the old-fashioned friction change by means of a small lever mounted on the frame and it's gone so tight I can't move it

Coming home was a nightmare - all uphill with a strong headwind and unable to change gear so I ended up walking most of the 2 1/2 miles or so home. Also my brakes now need adjusting and the little sensors for my bike computer are catching each other so I had to disconnect it.

Not happy

This morning my bike worked fine, now it's not

[nebiker]

I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but take it back! Most LBS's that I've worked with are more than willing to fix their "mistakes". Big box stores are another story, for another fourm. But LBS's are usually VERY good about these kinds of things.

[Zen]

Isn't that a pain in the arse?
I got a new bike in
March and the only miles on it are from being carried to the bike shop on the back of the jeep. I know that guy is tired of seeing me come in the door.

Your bike shop is close enough to ride to? That's convenient at least.

I'm wondering if, with a little research, this is something you can do yourself?

Just curious, how old was the mechanic?

[Python]

It was our local Halfords stores and not the LBS where I'm buying my new bike from, partly because they are a lot more expensive and partly because my tyres were badly perished on the side walls. I'm fairly handly with a spanner so will probably be able to put the bike right myself. The only way I let them change the tyres for me was because I've never seen it done before. My son's bike needs new tyres too and now that I know how to do it, I'll be doing it myself.

I'm going to be busy tonight. I won't be going for my usual evening ride with my son (he's disappeared off out with his mates anyway), it's blowing a bit of a gale at the moment and hubby is working late so I'll take the bike into the kitchen and work on her there. She wants cleaning anyway.

I took her into the shop where I'm getting my new bike from today (gone in to pay some more money off the purchase price). Maybe she's jealous

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sometimes they can lube the shifting cables and that makes them much smoother moving.

[DebW]

However, while at the bike shop the young man took up the slack on my gear change cable - and now I can't change gear. I have the old-fashioned friction change by means of a small lever mounted on the frame and it's gone so tight I can't move it

Coming home was a nightmare - all uphill with a strong headwind and unable to change gear so I ended up walking most of the 2 1/2 miles or so home. Also my brakes now need adjusting and the little sensors for my bike computer are catching each other so I had to disconnect it.

Downtube friction shifters are very easy to work on. I'm not quite sure from your description what the LBS guy did, but here are some things to check:

1) The lever is tightened onto the lever bosses with a thumb screw (sometimes it's a real screw that requires a screwdriver, but usually it's a folding wire loop or something that will turn by hand). Did he simply tighten the lever so tight that you can't move the lever when you try to shift? If that's the case, just loosen the thumb screw until the lever moves easily but stays where you put it.

2) The cable tension should be just taught when the derailleur is shifted onto the smallest cog and the levers are flat against the downtube. Making the cable too tight may prevent you from reaching smallest sprocket. If on the rear derailleur, you'd have trouble shifting into the smallest cog - highest gear but should be able to reach all or most of the larger cogs - smaller gears. If on the front derailleur, you may be stuck in the large chainring.

In what way are your brakes out of adjustment? Too tight so they are scraping the rim? Or off-center?

[Python]

Hi Deb. My bike is a Raleigh Mixte, possibly early 1980s model. She only has a rear derailleur. He didn't tighten the lever itself, but tightened the cable on the derailleur itself - a bit too much I think.

I've just come back from a 5 mile ride - wasn't going to go out tonight but got my arm twisted by my son as there was a major fire somewhere so I got dragged out to investigate Turned out it was a load of old tyres in a farm about 2 - 3 miles from where we live.

I'm able to change gear to the smaller cogs easily enough, it's going the other way onto the bigger cogs that I have a problem shifting to. I'm going to give the bike the once-over after I finish my coffee and see if I can get the gearing to run a bit easier.

The back brake just needs the cable adjusted slightly. The bike is still stopping OK but not as good as it was this morning. I think he's set the wheels slightly different because even my sensor for the computer is catching so I'll have to reset that as well. I think I was happier the way the bike was but the tyres were badly cracked on the side wall and it was only a matter of time before they gave up the ghost.

[DebW]

Hi Deb. My bike is a Raleigh Mixte, possibly early 1980s model. She only has a rear derailleur. He didn't tighten the lever itself, but tightened the cable on the derailleur itself - a bit too much I think.

I'm able to change gear to the smaller cogs easily enough, it's going the other way onto the bigger cogs that I have a problem shifting to. I'm going to give the bike the once-over after I finish my coffee and see if I can get the gearing to run a bit easier.

If the derailleur reaches the smallest cog, then the cable isn't too tight (meaning too short), but it could be sticky. The cable may need some lubrication, or the derailleur itself may need lubrication. Drip some oil into every pivot point on the derailleur and work the derailleur back and forth by hand. If the cable seems sticky, loosen the cable fixing bolt on the derailleur, remove enough cable from the housing to put grease on the wire which will be inside the housing, and then reattach the cable. Try moving the lever when the cable is detached and see if it is sticky or moves freely. If it's sticky, try loosening the thumb screw or detach the lever and put a bit of grease on it.
Hope you can get everything operating smoothly again.

[Python]

Things are much improved today. I slackened off the lever slightly last night and got some lubrication into the cable. Also lubricated the pivot points in the derailleur and she is changing gear a lot easier now. Had a good run to work this morning. Had a moment of amusement too. There was a young lad, probably around age 16 or 17, heading for the college which I go past to get to work. I was gaining on him quite fast. He turned round, saw me about 30 yards behind him and he started pedalling furiously. I shifted up a gear and sailed past him. I heard him cursing LOL

At least getting home was easier this afternoon but I'm still not happy with the gearing. I think it could be that I've got used to X amount of space on the lever to change gear and that space is much narrower now so the chain often jumps two cogs instead of one. Maybe I just need to get used to it like this.

Makes me look forward even more to getting my new bike (Specialized Dolce Elite) in a few weeks time

[DebW]

At least getting home was easier this afternoon but I'm still not happy with the gearing. I think it could be that I've got used to X amount of space on the lever to change gear and that space is much narrower now so the chain often jumps two cogs instead of one. Maybe I just need to get used to it like this.

Glad things are improved. If you were used to more cable slack, then the position of the lever for every gear will be different, but the distance you pull the lever to change gears is the same, except the distance from highest to next-highest gear. Slack in the cable means that when you are in the highest gear (smallest cog) and want to shift, you have to move the lever from flat against the downtube back until you've removed the cable slack and then further movement will move the derailleur. Shifts to other lower gears will all use a smaller amount of lever movement but it will be consistent.

[TrekJeni]

Just curious, how old was the mechanic?

Hey! I hope you aren't referring to younger mechanics as being more apt to screw something up than the older ones! My SO is 21 (doesn't look or act it; I'm 31) and just told his father who owns the LBS that Daddykins needs to go back to bike school! He hasn't been keeping up with the new stuff and keeps screwing it up and he has to check his dad's work before it leaves the shop!
My SO amazes me with the amount of things he knows. He's been actively involved in the shop since he was 3.

Jeni

Python, glad you got it all squared away. Not being able to shift up the hill must have sucked bad!

[Python]

Python, glad you got it all squared away. Not being able to shift up the hill must have sucked bad!

Yep. I walked. Kept getting tangled up in the pedals and my right leg is covered in bruises I now keep bike further away if I'm walking with her.