Current Projects chat and miscellany

Got the mountain bikes out and cleaned them up a bit in anticipation of the summer, GT needs more fettling before it's rideable.

Got a weird problem with the front shifter, shifts into middle fine but when you try shift into big ring feels like it's not catching the cable or something? no resistance when you push the thumb shifter...

Any ideas?

also, apologies for huge crappy phone pics. thanks HTC!

physically pull on the cable from the topdube or downtube. (where ever it is)

does it shift?

1. if it does, then it's your cable tension. try turning the barrel adjuster on the shifter a few turns counter clockwise. failing that, check to be sure the barrel adjuster isn't already maxed out. If it is maxed out, then you need to get a 5mm alen key and adjust it at the deraileur. in this process you should also resent the barrel adjuster to a middle setting. the trick with the 5mm alen key bit, is to have the shifter in it's small ring position. pull the cable tight with some pliers (you don't have to kill it), clamp the bolt back down. be sure to reset the barrel adjuster first. Once this is set, try it out with the shifter and if it doesn't work, then start at the top of this post again and repeat the process until it's correct.

2. If it doesn't shift, then it's your limiting screw (and maybe the cable as well). Loosen the limiting screw on the derailuer until you can pull the cable and physically shift it without jumping over the big ring too far. The trick here is to not loosen it too much, otherwise you'll jump the ring. Also, be sure to adjust the correct limiting screw, there are two. Once this is set, try it out with the shifter and if it doesn't work, then start at the top of this post again and repeat the process until it's correct.

i can do this in about 1 minute. it may take you a lot longer seeing as it's your first rodeo. Don't chew up your cable too much by loosening and tightening the thing.

that was my good Samaritan task for the day.