adjusted shifting?

[lyca]

Hi, everyone!

I bought my bike about a month ago and know that my shifiting will need to be adjusted because the cables (?) are getting stretched and my shifiting is...well...shifty. How long can I go before I NEED to take the bike to the shop? I'm hoping to wait until this weekend since I'll be out of town some next week and therefore won't feel the separation anxiety as much. Is there a point where it would be unsafe to ride?

Thanks!!

Lyca

[SouthernBelle]

Should be ready to go now. If you have to wait until this weekend it shouldn't be a big problem, though hard to shift maybe.

[equus123]

umm, not necessarily a matter of safety as much as personal enjoyment and your sanity. to me at least, there's nothing more annoying than when my bike doesn't shift well. it annoys the hell out of me.

but if you feel it's not working properly, take in right now! why wait? it's obviously not going to improve and it's just going to agrivate you more. bring it in and let them know that since you got it, the deraillures seem to be off and the shifting is poor. ask them to adjust them real quick (they're done in like 5 min for that kind of stuff).

another point to add though is that it often depends on the components you have. with them specifically, it's a direct relationship with the more money you spend, the better the quality. it stinks but it's true. my girlfriend has 105 and Tiagra with a triple and the shifting on her bike is aweful compared to my racing bike with full Dura Ace. there's a very long lag time between clicking the shifter and when the chain gets to where it needs to go. we've taken the bike in several times to be adjusted and the [not good] shifting hasn't gone away.

[madscot13]

when you bought your bike, did they include a free tune up?

[LadyinWhite]

As an aside: if you bring it in to be tuned up and it still shifts rough - get it to a good (different) mechanic. I had my bike "tuned up" a couple of times by guys who clearly didn't know what they were doing. I was ready to trash the bike. Once I got my bike to a solid mechanic WOW - night and day. I've put just under 1000miles on it since the real tune up and it's still shifting smoothly.

And I have crap components! The lowest you can get!!

[lyca]

Thanks, everyone!

Yup, my LBS offers free tune ups on bikes that they sell. I was just afraid that if I took it in for something like that it would take two weeks. But if it's something that can be done in a short amount of time (like while I'm there, or while I'm out in search of a bagel) then that would be cool. You're right, equus, clunky shifting is SO annoying! I plan to take 'er in tomorrow morning when they open. It will give me a chance to poke around for shoes and pedals. Woohoo!