Mountain Bike Gear Issues

Your bike s drivetrain is really a simple system and if you know what to look for you can easily repair your derailleur yourself.

Mountain bike gear issues. Examine how the chain is riding on the smallest sprocket. Readjust the cable tension and see if this solves the problem. Keeping the gears clean on your mountain bike will be really important to keep them functioning well. Using a gear inch chart is one way to compare gear ratios without riding the bike.

Some shifting issues can only be remedied with new components. Shift down to your lowest gear and check the l limit screw if you are still experiencing problems. For one revolution of the pedal your bike will travel a certain number of inches. If it appears to be moving toward the axle tighten the screw.

Shift on to the smallest sprocket and large chainwheel. The drivetrain is the dirtiest part of the bike. There is an easy fix to this as you spray some brake cleaner or lubricating liquid into the affected area and work the pull back and forth to get it loose. Worn parts eventually don t work as well as they once did.

Once you open up the shifter cover you can engage it to see what the problem actually is. If it s rubbing on the next gear loosen it until it s centered. If shifting problems develop quickly like during a ride make. When bikes hit the service stand it emerges that one of the most common problems to occur is an issue the rider might not even have noticed but can develop into a really serious problem further.

The problem will be the shifters derailleurs or cables. One very common problem is a sluggish and sticky pull that doesn t pop back into place as it should. I am often asked how to fix a bike that won t shift gears or will only shift to some gears. This issue becomes more of a consideration when riding longer distances too.

I show the most common causes for chains that skip slip jump gears while pedaling auto shifting phantom shifting derailleur especially while under torqu. The plastic gears inside your shifter wear out chains stretch gear teeth wear to shark teeth derailleur pulleys become crunchy and less responsive springs stop springing and derailleur cages get bent out of whack. Slacken the gear cable fastening bolt pull the gear cable taut and refasten the cable fastening bolt. What are the gear inch comparisons.