First round of newbie maintainence brings problems...

"JackGuest-com" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Here' what I did:

Quoted message said:

- Added new chain.

Whoa -stop right there :-)
You will have to replace the whole rear cassette with a brand new one every
time you replace a well worn chain, otherwise the new chain will not mate
with the old teeth.

--
Simon Mason
Anlaby
East Yorkshire.
53°44'N 0°26'W™
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"JackGuest-com" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Here' what I did:

Quoted message said:

- Added new chain.

Whoa -stop right there :-)
You will have to replace the whole rear cassette with a brand new one

every

Quoted message said:

time you replace a well worn chain, otherwise the new chain will not mate
with the old teeth.

Here is some useful setting up advice:

Simon Mason said:

Quoted message said:

- Added new chain.

Whoa -stop right there :-)
You will have to replace the whole rear cassette with a brand new
one every time you replace a well worn chain, otherwise the new chain
will not mate with the old teeth.

I agree when the chain really is "well" worn but that might not be the
case here if the new chain is not actually skipping under load once in
gear. In fact, it'll be good to use a new chain if that is possible.

I suggest making sure the gear cable is adjusted properly and checking for
stiff links in the chain, then test all the gears by pedalling hard (yet
carefully!).

~PB

JackGuest-com said:

- Gear changing isn't as smooth as it used to be. Changing from larger
sprockets down to smaller sprockets works fine, albeit slightly
'clunky', but changing from smaller sprockets up to larger is a bit
problematic. It sometimes takes two shifts on the index gear change
to move up a sprocket (I can then click back down one shift and it
wont slip down).

Cause?

Probably, gear cable is not tight enough. Turn one of the adjusters on
the cable anticlockwise a bit until shifting is just right.

Quoted message said:

I'm guessing that this has happened because I've put the wheel back on
slightly to the left (as you look at the bike from behind) from where
it was before. It does look very straight in the frame though.

Possibly. It might have been wrong before, of course.

/snip

Quoted message said:

Would the best way to fix this be to tweak the gear settings?

Yes (the cable), as long as the wheel really is in the right place and all
is well with it.

Quoted message said:

Consideration:

The back brake cable is currently removed (it was knackered and the
back brake not really positioned properly). Should I be putting the
back vee brake on first to make sure the wheel is aligned correctly?

No, always ignore brakes when positioning wheels. Brakes might be
off-centre! Brake centering should be adjusted afterwards to suit the
wheel.

Quoted message said:

Otherwise I might be having to take the back wheel off to reposition
anyway.

Fitting a wheel really shouldn't be much hassle. The practice will do you
good :-)

Get the gears and brakes working as best as you can THEN worry about
whether the new chain is compatible with the old sprockets. If it does
skip over sprocket teeth, you should replace the rear sprockets.

~PB

In article <[email hidden]>,

JackGuest-com said:

Hi all,

I'm a fairly avid recreational /commuter cyclist and have recently taken
it upon myself to learn how to maintain and repair my bike for myself

Huh. I had a puncture this morning. Feeling very pleased with myself
having repaired it on the towpath and inflated the tyre with my first
CO2 bottle, I was susprised that the rear wheel wouldn't go back into
the dropouts. I don't know how, but somehow the free hub had moved
slightly and [censored] all the freewheel mechanism into the grass. I
managed to at least get it back in so I could wheel the bike, but in the
end summoned a relative to fetch me in a car. Mutter, mutter.

ian

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Mason said:

Quoted message said:

- Added new chain.

Whoa -stop right there :-)
You will have to replace the whole rear cassette with a brand new
one every time you replace a well worn chain, otherwise the new chain
will not mate with the old teeth.

I agree when the chain really is "well" worn but that might not be the
case here if the new chain is not actually skipping under load once in
gear. In fact, it'll be good to use a new chain if that is possible.

The OP stated that his original chain had done 3000k with no lube. That's
probably well worn ;-)

--
Simon M.

Simon Mason said:

The OP stated that his original chain had done 3000k with no lube.
That's probably well worn ;-)

Couldn't have been terribly worn or else a new chain wouldn't work at all.
This just goes to show that lube is over-rated :-) The OP probably
changed the chain just in time, though (assuming that it won't skip under
load when the gears are correct adjusted).

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Simon Mason said:

The OP stated that his original chain had done 3000k with no lube.
That's probably well worn ;-)

Couldn't have been terribly worn or else a new chain wouldn't work at
all. This just goes to show that lube is over-rated :-) The OP probably
changed the chain just in time, though (assuming that it won't skip
under load when the gears are correct adjusted).
~PB

Hi, the OP here ;-

Although the original chain had done 3000k, I had lubed it fairl
regularly, the only bad thing I was doing it was lubing it withou
cleaning first (lube onto dust etc)

The bike was always (and still is) kept dry though, so it was 3k dr
kilometers

I read lots before I did the chain replacement and although I wa
tempted, ultimately decided not to replace the sprockets too

The old chain didn't seem 'stretched' when I measured it, although th
12 links came to 12 and a bit inches, the new chain seems to b
exactly the same

Also, the sprockets/chain ring didn't seem worn at all - I even took th
removed casette to halfords and compared it to a new one and couldn'
notice any difference in the shape of the sprocket teeth

The old chain wasn't giving me any problems either in terms of jumping

So thanks all for the advise you've given (and any further advise)..

The wheel definitely looks straight in the middle of the frame (i
the only way to check with eyes?), i'll have a go at tweaking th
gear cable

As I said before, when I've tested up until now, each index click of th
gear change, changes gear correctly, but only going from large to small
When I go from small to large there are some problems

Should I try comparing what I have (chain and sprocket wise) with th
pictures on Sheldon's site (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html) o
worn/unworn chain and sprocket combinations

-

JackGuest-com [email hidden] opined the following...

Quoted message said:

The wheel definitely looks straight in the middle of the frame (is
the only way to check with eyes?), i'll have a go at tweaking the
gear cable.

From your symptoms, probably the best bet.

Quoted message said:

As I said before, when I've tested up until now, each index click of the
gear change, changes gear correctly, but only going from large to small.
When I go from small to large there are some problems.

Try very small increases in cable tension. Shimano gears have (IIRC)
float in the upper jockey wheel, so the correct position may not be
immediately obvious. If you have some kind of adjustment mechanism near
the handlebars, I would suggest that you ake sure you know how to use
it, then ride gently around the block while adjusting it. After each
adjustment, change up and down (or down and up) a few times to see what
the effect was.

Quoted message said:

Should I try comparing what I have (chain and sprocket wise) with the
pictures on Sheldon's site (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html) of
worn/unworn chain and sprocket combinations?

Possibly. Worn blocks and new chains tend to skip teeth within a gear
rather than to affect shifting, IIRC. Also check that you don't have an
excess of chain. The length of chain supplied may be longer than is
required for your particular set up.

Good luck

Jon

JackGuest-com said:

As I said before, when I've tested up until now, each index click of
the gear change, changes gear correctly, but only going from large to
small. When I go from small to large there are some problems.

It's not a case of either working or not working. There's always a
*range* of adjustment that will allow the indexing to work to some extent.
You're just on the edge of that range.

Problems this way round are more common simply because it's physically
more difficult for the chain to climb up and hook on to a larger sprocket
than it is to fall down and plonk onto a smaller one. The derailleur
actually needs to overshift slightly to shift the chain quickly (and in
fact some shifters have overshifting built in: eg. Campagnolo). You just
have to hope that you don't have to have the cable so taut that the chain
rubs on the next sprocket normally (listen for noise when adjusting).

Cable, derailleur, shifters or gear hanger (the part that derailleur
attaches to) may need further attention or replacing if good adjustment
isn't possible.

Quoted message said:

Should I try comparing what I have (chain and sprocket wise) with the
pictures on Sheldon's site (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html)
of worn/unworn chain and sprocket combinations?

I wouldn't bother yet. The wear can be too subtle to spot by eye and the
weird shapes of modern sprocket teeth don't help. The fact that a brand
new chain doesn't skip on them means they're in fairly decent condition,
at least. The shifting problem will be due to something else.

~PB

"JackGuest-com" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dcRpc.3748

Quoted message said:

Hi, the OP here ;-)

Although the original chain had done 3000k, I had lubed it fairly
regularly, the only bad thing I was doing it was lubing it without
cleaning first (lube onto dust etc).

Fair enough Jack - it's just that every time I've fitted a new chain, it has
always skipped and I've had to get a new cassette. Good luck.
--
Simon M.

Simon Mason said:

Fair enough Jack - it's just that every time I've fitted a new chain, it
has always skipped and I've had to get a new cassette. Good luck.
--
Simon M.

Actually, you were right Simon

The gear changing problems I was having *were* due to the sprocket bein
worn and not being compatible with the new chain - it was one sprocke
in particular (the one I used to use most)

So, I cycled to the local bikeshop to buy a new casette and some othe
bits and on the way my gripshift broke (snapped spring I think) and so
bought a new one

The new gripshift and gear cable is now fitted, along with the ne
casette (and new chain) and everything's working great. I used m
'Haynes Bike Book' to guide myself through tweaking the gear cabl
tension for perfect index changing

Now I just need a tool for cutting the excess off the new gear cabl
(and for fitting the new back brake cable) and i'll be set

The two bike shops in Norwich I visited didn't have a cable cutting too
- any suggestions of where to get a good/cheap one

I might just wait until 'Dr Bike' comes to my Uni on Thursday and ask i
he'll cut the cable for me

Thanks again for your advise

-

In article <[email hidden]>,

JackGuest-com said:

The two bike shops in Norwich I visited didn't have a cable cutting
tool - any suggestions of where to get a good/cheap one?

I find this difficult to believe but if you have a dinghy sailing
club near you they will almost certainly have one.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

Sandy Morton said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

JackGuest-com said:

The two bike shops in Norwich I visited didn't have a cable cutting
tool - any suggestions of where to get a good/cheap one?

I find this difficult to believe but if you have a dinghy sailing
club near you they will almost certainly have one.

Jack,these are supposed to be good.Not used them myself,keep meaning to get
a pair.They are post free as well.

http://www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/shop.asp?no_category=23&text_company=TOOLS

Much cheaper than Park Tools and much much better customer service.

Sam Salt

Sam Salt said:

Sandy Morton said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

JackGuest-com said:

The two bike shops in Norwich I visited didn't have a cable cutting
tool - any suggestions of where to get a good/cheap one?

I find this difficult to believe but if you have a dinghy sailing
club near you they will almost certainly have one.

Jack,these are supposed to be good.Not used them myself,keep meaning
to get a pair.They are post free as well.

http://www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/shop.asp?no_category=23&text_company=TOOLS

Much cheaper than Park Tools and much much better customer service.

Sam Salt

Sorry,scroll down to bottom of page,last but one item.

Sam Salt

Sandy Morton said:

I find this difficult to believe...

Have faith brother, it is the truth

One had sold out, the other was a specialist shop which didn'
sell them

-