Won't shift to large ring

MGN54 said:

Hi,

Wanting to get my MTB out of mothballs and start riding again to get in shape. Going over the bike I have noticed that I cannot shift to large chainring. I have Alivio rapid fire shifters. Lever will pull cable but not far enough to engage large ring. Help! It will downshift to small ring just fine and back to intermediate ring but no farther. Has the cable stretched? What do I need to adjust here?

Thanks!
Mark

When you remove the cable and adjust the outer limit screw, does the derailluer move far enough out to engage the large ring? If so, the problem is likely adjustment. You might have a bad cable. First try lubing the cable. Are there any obvious cracks or breaks in the outer cable? If so remove and replace them. If the cable is ok, you've got a bad derailluer.

Check Sheldon Brown or Park Tools for more info.

[font=Comic Sans MS]I've experienced your problem often over the years but, on two occasions i striped and adjusted settings before checking the obvious, [/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS]once someone had used my pump secured to the warerbottel cage by a Velcro fastener and they had then put the Velcro fastener back pinching the cable. On another occasion I unknowingly bent the front derailer cage somehow either by leaning the bike on something or bashing it, but it folded so neatly that only on comparing it to a similar system did i see it had been folded over, not allowing the proper clearance.[/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS]This was after a new cable, cable housings and hours of fiddling[/font]

[font='Times New Roman'][font=Comic Sans MS]I hope your problem is something simple.[/font][/font]

Thanks guys. I had checked some on those things before finally giving up and taking her in. LBS pronounced the shifter as "blown". So, $50 later, with new set of pod shifters, she's shifting as good as new and the good news is that I can now upgrade to v-brakes soon. It's good getting back on the road again. Bike in question is an older Diamondback Topenga with chromoly frame that I really like. Had debated about getting rid of her but now I'll keep her a while longer! Pobably do a couple of more upgrades as well. Need a shorter stem and a riser bar to be more comfortable. Now that she is shifting like new I may ante up for them too.

Mark

MGN54 said:

Thanks guys. I had checked some on those things before finally giving up and taking her in. LBS pronounced the shifter as "blown". So, $50 later, with new set of pod shifters, she's shifting as good as new and the good news is that I can now upgrade to v-brakes soon. It's good getting back on the road again. Bike in question is an older Diamondback Topenga with chromoly frame that I really like. Had debated about getting rid of her but now I'll keep her a while longer! Pobably do a couple of more upgrades as well. Need a shorter stem and a riser bar to be more comfortable. Now that she is shifting like new I may ante up for them too.

Mark

consider the extent to which you may want to upgrade and then price it before you start upgrading. may be the case that it is cheaper to buy a new bike...