advice re. chain/gears

[priceyla]

I am having a nightmare with the gears/chain on my mtb. Most times i go out on it i try to clean/oil the chain, but it seems that after about every third or fourth ride it needs expert attention!

What seems to happen is that the chain guide starts to catch aginst the chain, or worse that the rear deraillieur moves in too close to the wheel. This then has the effect of the chain slipping or catching and low gears are hard to engage.

I have had the bike less than 8 months and i have been through 3 gear cables and numerous trips to the bike shop to fix this, but it constantly occours after a couple of big rides. I do use the bike a lot but think i'm reasonably careful changing gear etc.

Can anyone offer some advice please as i'm really fed up and suspect something simple i'm doing wrong may be causing this? Thanks very much.

[Russ]

Good guide on rear mech set-up >>

www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/2955

Ditto front mect >>

www.bikemagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/2968

Park Tools have some good stuff too >>

www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=53

[Craigy Boy]

some good vids on youtube. sounds like you need to set your limit screws properly!

[martinw]

Its hard to give advice on gear problems without getting the bike on a workstand and having a damn good look at the workings.

The slightest thing wrong can drive you mad

[thesquaredog]

Priceyla

In my experience, more often than not, shifting problems are caused by crud in the gear cables. You may benefit from upgrading both your inner and outer gear cables. I can recommend Shimano XTR, they have seals at the end of each outer cable to reduce the amount of crud that can get in.

In my opinion, after tyres, high quality gear cables are the 'biggest bang for your buck' upgrade that you can make.

Alternatively you could remove your cables and give the outer cables a blast with degreaser to clean the inside of them and then some teflon lube to err lube them.

Another thing to bear in mind is that new inner cables will stretch a little after you have installed them. From time to time you may have to adjust the barrels adjusters anticlockwise to compensate for this.

There is nothing more annoying than gears skipping!

Good luck!

[gellibeic]

I always look to sheldonbrown.com for advice on how to do things to bikes. Here is his Derailleur Adjustment page. You need to have a good look at things to make sure nothing is bent or out of line, and then go through the adjustments methodically. Once set up properly gears should not need constant adjustments unless the changers have been bashed. They do need cleaning and lubing though to keep them sweet.

Chains do need cleaning and lubricating frequently - sometimes after just one ride if its very sandy or muddy, otherwise they just wear away. I fit chains with a SRAM powerlink or a KMC Missing Link, which lets me take it off the bike easily. I chuck it in a jar of paraffin, give it a good shake (put lid on jar first!!!) to degrease it, then wash it off with detergent. Rinse loads - I join it into a loop with the joining link and pull it through a Barbieri Chain Cleaner by hand in clean water, Keep refreshing the water until it is virtually clean. I usually drive the remaining water off with WD40 or GT85 before using a good chainlube.

Gear cables also need frequent cleaning, particularly the last section from the rear triangle to the rear derailleur as when they get crudded up inside the rear changer doesn't move the correct distance. Unhook the cable from the cable stops, and slide the outer cable along, oil the cable well, work the cable outer back and forward and then wipe the inner with a rag. Repeat unitl the rag stays clean. Oil well and put back together.

[dyls]

OT: Welcome gellibeic, don't live too far from you in Blaenau.