Bike diagnosis

stolenwine

My second hand bike is making a creaky sound at the moment my friend says I've shot the gears. This may be true as I still dont really understand how the 3 dials on the left handle bar corresponds with the right that has 6? :rolleyes:

ba

if you look closely at your bike, you'll find they do not relate at all. follow their cables, they each have individual routes to seperate deraillers.

the 3 shifts on the left correspond to the front derailler, and obviously the right 6 correspond to the rear derailler.
the figure of 3 relates to the 3 chainrings, and the same for the smaller block on the rear wheel, which has 6 chainrings.

you may need to have your deraillers tuned, easily done by a bike-mechanic. and no big deal. or perhaps you've left your bike in the rain too often, and the chain + chainings need some grease/oil/etc and a clean.

this all depends on how hard you ride your gears too. but you havent provided enough info. i'm no wise man when it comes to bike maintenance but drop the bike into you Local Bike Shop, they'll sort it.

kona

stolenwine wrote: »

My second hand bike is making a creaky sound at the moment my friend says I've shot the gears. This may be true as I still dont really understand how the 3 dials on the left handle bar corresponds with the right that has 6? :rolleyes:

its not your gears, a creaking noise is more often than not a problem with your cranks and bottom bracket, to tighten your cranks,use either a 8mm allen key or a 14mm socket,depending on what type it is. dont swing out of it just nip it up, unless you have a torque wrench.

stolenwine

The commute has been harder going lately, there is a lack of power ever since the creaking noise started. Will try out the suggestions thanks.

ba

a harder commute may relate to your tyres being too soft and needing a pump. see the recommendations on the walls of your tyres. usually 7 or 8 bars is recommended.

delta_bravo

Excuse my ignorance but what do the 3 dials on the left actually do? I mainly stay on the 2nd and use 3rd for getting some power and speed

Ghost Rider

The shifter on the left controls the front derailleur, which moves your chain up and down the chainrings. (Chainrings are the front sprockets i.e. the ones near your feet.) Together with the rear derailleur (which moves the chain up and down the rear sprockets), it controls the bike's gearing i.e. how easy or hard it is to cycle.

delta_bravo wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance but what do the 3 dials on the left actually do? I mainly stay on the 2nd and use 3rd for getting some power and speed

Tayto2000

kona wrote: »

its not your gears, a creaking noise is more often than not a problem with your cranks and bottom bracket, to tighten your cranks,use either a 8mm allen key or a 14mm socket,depending on what type it is. dont swing out of it just nip it up, unless you have a torque wrench.

They can still creak though, main reason on modern bikes is steel bolts in alloy threads. Chainring bolts or sometimes even BB threads are the usual culprits. Sortable but a pain in the a*se job, you need to disassemble, coat threads with copper grease and retighten as described by Kona above. Bike shop can do it for you but you need to be very specific about what you want done or they'll probably just spray wd40 over everything and give it back.

kona

Tayto2000 wrote: »

They can still creak though, main reason on modern bikes is steel bolts in alloy threads. Chainring bolts or sometimes even BB threads are the usual culprits. Sortable but a pain in the a*se job, you need to disassemble, coat threads with copper grease and retighten as described by Kona above. Bike shop can do it for you but you need to be very specific about what you want done or they'll probably just spray wd40 over everything and give it back.

id have imagined the threads and the bolt would be steel...a alloy which would match the durability of steel would be expensive no?? im gunna get the magnet out and check