Derailer Help

[kingplinker]

Hello. I have been messing wth an old mountain bike. Want to ride through woods with my boys, but can't seem to get the derailer working right. I have never messed with a "geared" bike before, so it was interesting, but frustrating. It works well in low(?) easy to pedal gears, on smallest crank sprocket, but when I switch to higher (larger sprockets) it skips between the two higher sprockets and never seems to catch on one or the other.

My question is when you tighten the cable from the switch to the derailer shoudl I put it in low gear (small sprocket) or high gear (largest sprocket to tighter down cable?

Make sense? Sorry for inncorect terminlogy...

All esle works OK, found bars, pedals, tubes, neck, seat, etc. all that was missing. bike looks tough - will send pics tomorrow. Thanks in advance, T.

 

[Schwinnspastic]

darn derailers can be a pain sometimes eh. adjust cable tention on the smallest sprocket ie. spring tention on derailer released
I have seen a lot of issues with cheap index shifters some are just what you describe I have tossed several and replaced them with
old friction shifters ...problem solved sometimes its just gunk built up in the shifter and a good cleaning and lube was all that was needed.

 

[CCR]

http://www.howtofixbikes.blogspot.com

great instructions

gerry has help me adjust em before

 

[kingplinker]

Thanks for the advice. I had it all working OK, then the shifter (cheapo) broke - oh well, rides good though with 1/2 the gears - ran over a dead squirrell yesterday at bottom of hill. Instructions and advice MUCH appreciated!

Here is bike - was freebie form dump - regular old Murray - took off stickers, cleaned up, added handlebars, neck, tubes, bottle holder, seat off eletric scooter, extra hand thingys off BMX bike, horn, etc. just sharing...

 

[karfer67]

there are a few other things to look for in adjusting these things. like sight behind it at the derail and make sure it is straight with the gears and not bent either to the side or up and down. this happens if the bike was dropped on the drive side and it tends to bend the lower part inwards towards the wheel. this is really bad because when you go into the granny gear it can get sucked into the wheel by the spokes and make a real mess. also make sure the chain is right that all the links are free and that it is not too long. whew and people wonder why when i say i like gears i am talking about internal geared hubs.

 

[kingplinker]

Hey great tip - yes, I did notice that it was bent and did straighten it. I think if I find a new controller thing it will work OK. Thank man. Get trophy yet? I have been building Bionicles & Lego's and playing PS2 all day with kids - on to model cars, then board games - fun stuff! I got a new wet vac for xmas so bring on the leaks! :lol: (just not tonight)

 

[karfer67]

yes i did and it looks awsome well done. right now it is sitting in the shop on the front counter.