The Magic of YouTube
02-03-19, 01:09 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The Magic of YouTube
I have a Cannondale F400 hardtail mountain bike.
I have not ridden it in 10 years. The last time that I rode it I came home to find out that my Mom had just passed away. Even though the bike obviously had nothing to do with her passing, the association was too strong, so the bike laid unused in the garage while the Italian bicis carried me on all sorts of riding adventures.
Flash forward to today, after two days of almost uninterrupted rain I decided to go out riding. Not wanting to expose my Italians to road grime I decided to take my mountain bike for a spin.
So I cleaned up the old beast, lubed the chain and everything was ready to go except for one thing—the Deore XT Rapid Fire shifters would not work.
Everything I tried yielded the same results: no shifting.
So I did what everyone does nowdays, I went straight to YouTube. In less than a minute I found a video showing exactly how to clean up the gunked up shifters and get them working again.
In less than 30 minutes the shifters were working as smoothly as when new (in spite of my love for all things Campy, the reality is that when it comes to mountain bikes, you just can’t beat Shimano).
I went for a short ride in the rain, I am wet but happy (no snide remarks please).
I want to thank all the dedicated DIYers who are willing to share their knowledge with the rest of us regular folks.
This video saved me a trip to my bike mechanic and let me ride in a rainy morning.
I have not ridden it in 10 years. The last time that I rode it I came home to find out that my Mom had just passed away. Even though the bike obviously had nothing to do with her passing, the association was too strong, so the bike laid unused in the garage while the Italian bicis carried me on all sorts of riding adventures.
Flash forward to today, after two days of almost uninterrupted rain I decided to go out riding. Not wanting to expose my Italians to road grime I decided to take my mountain bike for a spin.
So I cleaned up the old beast, lubed the chain and everything was ready to go except for one thing—the Deore XT Rapid Fire shifters would not work.
Everything I tried yielded the same results: no shifting.
So I did what everyone does nowdays, I went straight to YouTube. In less than a minute I found a video showing exactly how to clean up the gunked up shifters and get them working again.
In less than 30 minutes the shifters were working as smoothly as when new (in spite of my love for all things Campy, the reality is that when it comes to mountain bikes, you just can’t beat Shimano).
I went for a short ride in the rain, I am wet but happy (no snide remarks please).
I want to thank all the dedicated DIYers who are willing to share their knowledge with the rest of us regular folks.
This video saved me a trip to my bike mechanic and let me ride in a rainy morning.
02-03-19, 03:37 PM
#2
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
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Posting the link to the video might help someone else.
And you're right. Youtube ******* rocks.
And you're right. Youtube ******* rocks.
02-03-19, 03:59 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2018
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What did we do in the days before YouTube? 
Haha, you gotta love it when someone is willing to share hands on knowledge. Thank you to all that post informative responses here as well. I'm old but still learning from you guys.
Haha, you gotta love it when someone is willing to share hands on knowledge. Thank you to all that post informative responses here as well. I'm old but still learning from you guys.
02-03-19, 04:02 PM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
02-03-19, 04:05 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
So, as with all things, be careful out there.
02-03-19, 04:45 PM
#6
Really Old Senior Member
We could have told you to use WD-40 in 10 seconds!
02-03-19, 05:00 PM
#7
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
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Pretty much any repair on anything mechanical someone, somewhere has posted a video or at least discussed it in a forum.
02-03-19, 07:28 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
WD-40 may help to loosen up the gunk, but I still needed to scrape it off.
Followed it with a light grease spray. Works like new.
It seems like any time that anyone posts here asking how to fix something, 20 people post with 20 different methods. Then the next few pages turn into a p***ing contest.
Followed it with a light grease spray. Works like new.
It seems like any time that anyone posts here asking how to fix something, 20 people post with 20 different methods. Then the next few pages turn into a p***ing contest.
02-04-19, 01:22 PM
#9
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Denver Colorado
Posts: 339
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WD-40 may help to loosen up the gunk, but I still needed to scrape it off.
Followed it with a light grease spray. Works like new.
It seems like any time that anyone posts here asking how to fix something, 20 people post with 20 different methods. Then the next few pages turn into a p***ing contest.
On a side note, that youtube video is mine
I suggest different videos to questions on here now and again, but anyway, I'm glad the video was helpful and you got your shifters back in order!
02-04-19, 02:17 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yes, I agree 100%. I think it's comical sometimes the miscommunication involved with mechanical questions and answers without ever seeing the actual issue. I believe video cuts through most of this miscommunication, but it still doesn't guarantee you're getting accurate information.
On a side note, that youtube video is mine I suggest different videos to questions on here now and again, but anyway, I'm glad the video was helpful and you got your shifters back in order!
On a side note, that youtube video is mine
I suggest different videos to questions on here now and again, but anyway, I'm glad the video was helpful and you got your shifters back in order!An obvious piece of advice but I am willing to bet you that there are people out there unscrewing the shifter cover and then having to hunt for those darned little screws all over the floor.
Your video allowed me to go riding my mountain bike out in yesterday's rain and not having to ride my Italian beauties.
Again, thanks.
