Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

If you can stand non-matchy, Merlin has white ones:https://www.merlincycles.com/sidi-caliper-buckles-101710.html?utm_campaign=googlebase-GB&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shopping&utm_term=Shoe+Spares&ucpo=40372

What are the cables outer like?

Remove derailleurs, clean even between the spring coils, make sure the pins on the derailleur body are clean etc. might be cheaper to replace due to time and chemicals to clean

Usually if it moves fine when pulling cable ie shifting to a bigger cog but sticking moving back then it's a friction issue. If it's both derailleurs then it I would look at the handlebars as that's where both cables have identical routing and potentially therefore identical issues. Take your bar tape off, assuming you're running drops and potentially rejig your shifter location and cable run along the bars to eliminate any tight bends

Ah I see what you are getting at - my issue is more the fact that the derailleur itself is sticky/not moving, though! Hence why I think it's either a cable/derailleur issue.

At this point, I highly recommend getting the drivetrain serviced, as putting both derailleur in the part washer will make a massive difference than spraying it with lubrication to free it up enough.

If you don't want to, take both of them off, and thoroughly clean them as much as you can.

If you only replace the inner cable, then there's not much guarantee that it'll shift well.

Disassemble all, including shifters, and bath it in penetrating oil. Change inners AND outers, put it all back together, replace worn out drivetrain parts. If a derailleur is too far gone is worth replacing, even if you get it back moving it will rust again.
Worth getting serviced in a shop with a parts washer IMO

Thanks everyone for the input! I Replaced both inners and outers, for the avoidance of doubt. No tight bends in the cabling (tightest is probably the bit going into the RD) but the cabling out front is probably longer than it should be + it's a tandem so maybe I'll try to shorten the cabling and see if that cuts down a bit of friction at least. Will then try penetrating oil on the derailleurs but otherwise parts washer sounds like the way to go!

I managed to snap the adaptor that connects my dropper lever to my brake clamp. I picked up the adaptor by sheer luck at a bike jumble it is a for a PNW loam lever to i-spec EV (M8100) clamp. I can't find any in the usual places, but MMX adaptor looks suspiciously similar. Will that work....?

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Kids bike rear derrailer is hard to shift into biggest cog. All other gears are fine but shifting into the biggest rear cog requires to much effort (thumbshifter) for kid to do it. What could cause this? Thanks

Anyone know the conventional thread pitch on a self extracting crank bolt cap?

They're nearly always 1mm pitch

PNW loam lever to i-spec EV

Googling this gives several options including PNW themselves?

https://pnwcomponents.co.uk/products/loam-lever-adapter-clamp?variant=45924474814757

Or for slightly more than just the adaptor, buy the Shimano lever and adaptor, which (probably) won't break?
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Shimano-SL-MT500-adjustable-seatpost-lever_227061.htm

Thanks, thought so. But the qualifier in your statement means I'm going to have to get up from the sofa and find my Vernier guage.

Thank you. It didn't come up in search for me and when I went through the menus on their site no adaptors show up. All sorted! Ta.

Is it a Frog?

Unlikely that a frog would cause those issues. Most likely it’s a bent hanger, insufficient cable tension, or both.

Check the upper limit screw, also check the rear mech hanger alignment.

Cutting brake and gear outers cleanly, what do you use? As found cable cuters, wire cutter, end cutter and side cutters don't cut cleanly.

I use this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256687986682

Dremel is still one of the cleanest cutting.

How do you get a clean cut on brake cables as I can't seem to.

@withered_preacher cordless baby angle grinder was my favourite but have neither that or a dremel to hand anymore.

Its a specialized. I'll take another look at it. It originally came with grip shift and couldn't shift into big cog. Switched to thimbshifter and had a play around with the derailer setup but the problem persists.

Knipex wire rope cutters. Sharper than anything I've used, good leverage. I think they're the same price, if not cheaper, than the crappy Park ones

Snipping quickly and firmly, rather than squeezing, always cuts cleaner.

crappy Park ones

Not used the knippex, but park ones have been my go to, non crappy ones for many years.

So it is my technique then.