Gear Mystery

Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted cable
several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the smallest rings.
Couldn't see any problem with either cables but replaced them anyway. I
still end up on the smallest rings! As it affects both derailleurs and don't
think it can be their fault. It is not the cables. What is it?
Thanks,
Neil.

Following on from Neil Smith's message. . .
Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted cable
several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the smallest rings.
Couldn't see any problem with either cables but replaced them anyway. I
still end up on the smallest rings! As it affects both derailleurs and don't
think it can be their fault. It is not the cables. What is it?
Thanks,
Neil.

What sort of shifters have you got? Is what's happening that they
'click' and have clicked and stay clicked into big-ring while the mech
is creeping into smaller rings.

Unless your frame is cracked through or your shifters moving on the
handle bars the problem lies with the cable/fixing.
* You have used proper gear cable and not brake cable?
* Mark a set amount from the allen key clamp on the mech with say nail
varnish (quick dry paint) to see if the cable is slipping through the
clamp.
NB Work on one gear set at a time to avoid confusion.


--
PETER FOX Not the same since the adhesive company came unstuck

2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk

Neil Smith typed:
Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted
cable several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the smallest
rings. Couldn't see any problem with either cables but replaced them
anyway. I still end up on the smallest rings! As it affects both
derailleurs and don't think it can be their fault. It is not the cables.
What is it?

Sounds like your shifters are slipping, not tightened up properly or you've
used the wrong cable .. it has to be gear cable not brake cable.

If your shifters are 'click' shift then maybe something's broke, but that's
unlikely with two shifters, or you've fitted cables in wrongly, so it would
appear to be a maintenance/fitting issue. Indeed, thinking about it further
after having typed this reply I'd guess that you've [1] replaced/re-adjusted
cables slightly wrongly and/or that the shifters aren't rebuilt correctly.
Indeed they may simply be worn out ... the nylon ridges on a twist-grip, for
example, don't last forever, certainly not in my experience and especially
not if you ride off-road in dusty/sandy conditions.

Could also be the cable stays loosening, but again this is unlikely that it
would happen to both derailleurs at the same time, unless there's a human
element causing problems.

If they're friction shifters maybe they're not tight enough or there's no
friction area left.

Have a look and post back what sort of shifter they are, might help with a
better diagnosis, or even a pic or three ..

[1] Whoever rebuilt/maintains the gear shifts.

--
Paul - xxx

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 09:35:42 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
wrote:

Neil Smith typed:
Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted
cable several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the smallest
rings. Couldn't see any problem with either cables but replaced them
anyway. I still end up on the smallest rings! As it affects both
derailleurs and don't think it can be their fault. It is not the cables.
What is it?

Sounds like your shifters are slipping, not tightened up properly or you've
used the wrong cable .. it has to be gear cable not brake cable.

If your shifters are 'click' shift then maybe something's broke, but that's
unlikely with two shifters, or you've fitted cables in wrongly, so it would
appear to be a maintenance/fitting issue. Indeed, thinking about it further
after having typed this reply I'd guess that you've [1] replaced/re-adjusted
cables slightly wrongly and/or that the shifters aren't rebuilt correctly.
Indeed they may simply be worn out ... the nylon ridges on a twist-grip, for
example, don't last forever, certainly not in my experience and especially
not if you ride off-road in dusty/sandy conditions.

Could also be the cable stays loosening, but again this is unlikely that it
would happen to both derailleurs at the same time, unless there's a human
element causing problems.

If they're friction shifters maybe they're not tight enough or there's no
friction area left.

Have a look and post back what sort of shifter they are, might help with a
better diagnosis, or even a pic or three ..

[1] Whoever rebuilt/maintains the gear shifts.

I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

Ziggy wrote:

I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

I think you're making a false assumption. On all the front mechs I've had
the spring pushes the mech towards the inner ring.
--
Chris

Never call a man a fool; borrow from him.

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:56:29 GMT, (Ziggy)
wrote:

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 09:35:42 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
wrote:


I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

Falsa assumption, I'm afraid. The front will move to the small ring
(low gear) if there is no tension.

ME

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 10:55:27 +0100, Chris Slade wrote:

Ziggy wrote:

I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

I think you're making a false assumption. On all the front mechs I've had
the spring pushes the mech towards the inner ring.

Yes, of course, you're correct. I *knew* there was something wrong with
how I was thinking about that. It was the same with the ones I've
ridden, but I just confused myself.

"Ziggy" wrote in message
...
I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

Rear derailleurs move outwards when there is no tension in the cable, but
again this puts it onto the smallest cog.

If the front derailleur is attached to the bottom bracket, make sure it is
tightened up properly because if it's loose it will waggle around when you
change gear and ultimately stick on the smallest cog.
--
peter

Cheap train tickets database
http://www.petereverett.co.uk/tickets/

Email sent to this address is generally deleted upon arrival
Visit website if you want to contact me

in message , Neil Smith
') wrote:

Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted
cable several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the smallest
rings. Couldn't see any problem with either cables but replaced them
anyway. I still end up on the smallest rings! As it affects both
derailleurs and don't think it can be their fault. It is not the cables.
What is it? Thanks,

Your cable clamp screws, on the derailleurs, are slipping. You haven't got
them done up tight enough.

If not, then some part of your cable sheathing is slipping, but I'm fairly
confident my first answer is right.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

I shall continue to be an impossible person so long as those
who are now possible remain possible -- Michael Bakunin

in message , Ziggy
') wrote:

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 09:35:42 +0100, "Paul - xxx"
wrote:

Neil Smith typed:
Dear All,
both front and rear gears got stuck on the smallest rings. Re-adjusted
cable several times, with in a few miles, they were back in the
smallest rings. Couldn't see any problem with either cables but
replaced them anyway. I still end up on the smallest rings! As it
affects both derailleurs and don't think it can be their fault. It is
not the cables. What is it?

Sounds like your shifters are slipping, not tightened up properly or
you've used the wrong cable .. it has to be gear cable not brake cable.

If your shifters are 'click' shift then maybe something's broke, but
that's unlikely with two shifters, or you've fitted cables in wrongly, so
it would
appear to be a maintenance/fitting issue. Indeed, thinking about it
further after having typed this reply I'd guess that you've [1]
replaced/re-adjusted cables slightly wrongly and/or that the shifters
aren't rebuilt correctly. Indeed they may simply be worn out ... the
nylon ridges on a twist-grip, for example, don't last forever, certainly
not in my experience and especially not if you ride off-road in
dusty/sandy conditions.

Could also be the cable stays loosening, but again this is unlikely that
it would happen to both derailleurs at the same time, unless there's a
human
element causing problems.

If they're friction shifters maybe they're not tight enough or there's no
friction area left.

Have a look and post back what sort of shifter they are, might help with
a better diagnosis, or even a pic or three ..

[1] Whoever rebuilt/maintains the gear shifts.

I'm no expert on bicycle mechanics, but on every derailleur I've ever
ridden the 'bias' is for the mechanism to move 'outwards'.

So what makes this problem so weird is that the front mech is actually
creeping *away* from the bias.

Or am I making some false assumption?

Yes, you're plain wrong. The only widely used derailleur where the spring
pulls towards the big ring is the Shimano 'Rapid Rise', where both
derailleur springs pull inward. On all other commonly used derailleur
systems, the rear spring pulls outward and the front spring pulls inward -
towards the smallest ring, as the OP says.

His cables are slipping.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
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