Bike shifting problems
06-11-22, 05:27 AM
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Bike shifting problems
Hello, I recently decided to take out my bike for a ride after a while and noticed that aside from the aired out tires, the bike can't shift from first into second gear, but if it will shift into third if I try, and it can shift from third into second. The rear shifter works completely fine going between all gears (1-8).
06-11-22, 05:46 AM
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So I guess you are referring to the chainrings which are changed by the front derailleur. What ring is first, second, third? Is the smallest chainring, granny gear, first?
It may be that corrosion has built up inside the cable housing and is preventing the derailleur from doing its job.
To isolate the problem area try moving the front derailleur using your hand or if the cable is exposed, pulling the cable itself. If the front der. moves it is not that and you can change your focus to the cable/housing. When activating the shifter, is it a barrel type or trigger levers?, does the cable move? If you can't activate the shifter it may be a frozen cable in the housing. It could also be a dried out shifter. Some shifters, trigger style, require lubrication to work and when they dry out they won't work. Spray some lubrication inside the housing and work the levers a few, or more, times. This may relubricate the shifter and it may start working again. If it is a barrel style they are usually just very hard to twist indicating frozen/rusted cable inside the housing.
In either case it is usually the best procedure to replace the cable and housing, lubricate the front der. and shifter, trigger style and adjust the front der.
The barrel/twist style usually don't require lubrication but there can be a bit of grease in the section holding the metal piece that holds the shifter in the gear chosen.
There are not a lot of things that can go wrong on the basic shifting systems and generally replacing the cable/housing makes for much easier and smoother shifting.
It may be that corrosion has built up inside the cable housing and is preventing the derailleur from doing its job.
To isolate the problem area try moving the front derailleur using your hand or if the cable is exposed, pulling the cable itself. If the front der. moves it is not that and you can change your focus to the cable/housing. When activating the shifter, is it a barrel type or trigger levers?, does the cable move? If you can't activate the shifter it may be a frozen cable in the housing. It could also be a dried out shifter. Some shifters, trigger style, require lubrication to work and when they dry out they won't work. Spray some lubrication inside the housing and work the levers a few, or more, times. This may relubricate the shifter and it may start working again. If it is a barrel style they are usually just very hard to twist indicating frozen/rusted cable inside the housing.
In either case it is usually the best procedure to replace the cable and housing, lubricate the front der. and shifter, trigger style and adjust the front der.
The barrel/twist style usually don't require lubrication but there can be a bit of grease in the section holding the metal piece that holds the shifter in the gear chosen.
There are not a lot of things that can go wrong on the basic shifting systems and generally replacing the cable/housing makes for much easier and smoother shifting.
06-11-22, 06:11 AM
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So I guess you are referring to the chainrings which are changed by the front derailleur. What ring is first, second, third? Is the smallest chainring, granny gear, first?
It may be that corrosion has built up inside the cable housing and is preventing the derailleur from doing its job.
To isolate the problem area try moving the front derailleur using your hand or if the cable is exposed, pulling the cable itself. If the front der. moves it is not that and you can change your focus to the cable/housing. When activating the shifter, is it a barrel type or trigger levers?, does the cable move? If you can't activate the shifter it may be a frozen cable in the housing. It could also be a dried out shifter. Some shifters, trigger style, require lubrication to work and when they dry out they won't work. Spray some lubrication inside the housing and work the levers a few, or more, times. This may relubricate the shifter and it may start working again. If it is a barrel style they are usually just very hard to twist indicating frozen/rusted cable inside the housing.
In either case it is usually the best procedure to replace the cable and housing, lubricate the front der. and shifter, trigger style and adjust the front der.
The barrel/twist style usually don't require lubrication but there can be a bit of grease in the section holding the metal piece that holds the shifter in the gear chosen.
There are not a lot of things that can go wrong on the basic shifting systems and generally replacing the cable/housing makes for much easier and smoother shifting.
It may be that corrosion has built up inside the cable housing and is preventing the derailleur from doing its job.
To isolate the problem area try moving the front derailleur using your hand or if the cable is exposed, pulling the cable itself. If the front der. moves it is not that and you can change your focus to the cable/housing. When activating the shifter, is it a barrel type or trigger levers?, does the cable move? If you can't activate the shifter it may be a frozen cable in the housing. It could also be a dried out shifter. Some shifters, trigger style, require lubrication to work and when they dry out they won't work. Spray some lubrication inside the housing and work the levers a few, or more, times. This may relubricate the shifter and it may start working again. If it is a barrel style they are usually just very hard to twist indicating frozen/rusted cable inside the housing.
In either case it is usually the best procedure to replace the cable and housing, lubricate the front der. and shifter, trigger style and adjust the front der.
The barrel/twist style usually don't require lubrication but there can be a bit of grease in the section holding the metal piece that holds the shifter in the gear chosen.
There are not a lot of things that can go wrong on the basic shifting systems and generally replacing the cable/housing makes for much easier and smoother shifting.
06-11-22, 06:48 AM
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As detailed so nicely in the second post, it's probably an issue with the cable.
06-11-22, 12:18 PM
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06-11-22, 03:11 PM
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Flush the shifter with WD-40 or similar to dissolve the hardened grease.
Skipping the middle ring is a typical symptom of the pawl not being able to release quickly enough to catch the detent because it's gummed up.
After it's soaked for awhile, slowly move the trigger until it almost shifts to the large ring and then slowly ease off letting it down to the small ring.
Basically you're giving the pawl time to move while between the Big & Middle rings, hoping it moves far enough to "catch" the middle.
You may have to repeat the spray, soak & manipulate process a few times, depending on how stiff the grease is and how well you can get the WD-40 where it's needed.
Skipping the middle ring is a typical symptom of the pawl not being able to release quickly enough to catch the detent because it's gummed up.
After it's soaked for awhile, slowly move the trigger until it almost shifts to the large ring and then slowly ease off letting it down to the small ring.
Basically you're giving the pawl time to move while between the Big & Middle rings, hoping it moves far enough to "catch" the middle.
You may have to repeat the spray, soak & manipulate process a few times, depending on how stiff the grease is and how well you can get the WD-40 where it's needed.
