Gear problems

AverageJoe82

Ok hope i make some sense of this post, Any the problem is when I go to shift my front derailer it takes me 2 or 3 clicks of the shifter to do so. Taking that i havent a clue about the gears but im sure its a simple enough fix that I can sort myself.

Cheers in advance for the help lads and lassies

Paul Kiernan

C'mon. Give us something to work with here. We're not telepathic (well some of us are). What sort of shifters (make, model), how many gears at front, how old, were they working before, what bike is it, what model year, things like that? Something just to give us a clue. It's not a motorbike, is it?

Paul Kiernan

Actually, we probably don't need any of that crap. Just turn the cable adjuster anti-clockwise a bit, say one half turn, and try it. If still not shifting, turn it a bit more. When you get it shifting up make sure that it's still shifting down OK. The cable adjuster is probably where the cable exits the shifter or on the downtube.

AverageJoe82

its a ktm strada 2000, only few months old, with 105 setup on her, so that adjustable screw is where exactly on the bike

Darkglasses

Well, it depends on which direction you're having the problem! In other words, up a gear, down a gear, or both ways?

I'll also suggest you put the bike onto a bike stand (or get a patient friend to hold up the back wheel for you), and shift the front derailer around, watching carefully at what's going wrong.

Not indexing correctly? Loads of possible problems:
Incorrect cable tension
Incorrect derailer position
Bent derailer
Bad cable
Broken shifter.


Front derailer won't shift into the largest chainring only?
"High" end-stop screw is set too far in, or incorrect cable tension

Front derailer won't shift into the smallest chainring only?
"Low" end-stop screw is set too far in, or incorrect cable tension.


Hope all that is simple to understand. All of the above are fairly simple jobs, if done with care. Youtube is your friend!


EDIT: Just read your reply that it's a few months old. It is almost certainly incorrect cable tension, and this is typically a job done for free by the shop that sold you the bike after a month or so. Totally normal!

AverageJoe82

ok cheers for the help lads, will drop it down the shop in the morning, and will ask him to show me whats happening so if it ever happens again I can sort it myself.

Darkglasses

AverageJoe82 wrote: »

ok cheers for the help lads, will drop it down the shop in the morning, and will ask him to show me whats happening so if it ever happens again I can sort it myself.

Did you get a 30-day free service with the bike? If so, did you bring it in for that service?

AverageJoe82

Darkglasses wrote: »

Did you get a 30-day free service with the bike? If so, did you bring it in for that service?

no he just tightened up a few cables on her after a few weeks, no service as yet, but saying that i havent been around lately with work

Darkglasses

AverageJoe82 wrote: »

no he just tightened up a few cables on her after a few weeks, no service as yet, but saying that i havent been around lately with work

It'll probably be the same job again so, but maybe not free this time!

AverageJoe82

Darkglasses wrote: »

It'll probably be the same job again so, but maybe not free this time!

ah i dont mind, it shouldnt be an arm and a long doh or maybe it could

macnab

I am with Paul on this one, a small adjustment at the front mech usually fixes this type of problem. Turn the adjuster anticlockwise to tension the cable. Try moving half turns until the shifts are smoother.

Darkglasses

macnab wrote: »

I am with Paul on this one, a small adjustment at the front mech usually fixes this type of problem. Turn the adjuster anticlockwise to tension the cable. Try moving half turns until the shifts are smoother.

You're right indeed, easy enough to do it yourself with a little care and instruction from Youtube/Sheldon Brown.

AverageJoe82

ok so just looking at the gears there, and it happen when im trying to shift down from the biggest chain ring to the middle chain ring, every other combination is working fine

Paul Kiernan

Nice bike. 105 is top quality stuff so you shouldn't be having any problems with it. After the bike is set up from new you tend to get some cable stretch/slippage which results in problems shifting up. This is rectified by tightening the cable tension (turning the adjuster barrel anti-clockwise). In your case, you're now having problems shifting down, so the cable tension needs to reduced by turning it clockwise.

There are instructions here for all 105 components. Scroll down to "FD Front Derailleurs" and then to "Service Instructions" for FD-5703. Parts 4 and 5 are the bits to read. I wouldn't go messing with the top and low adjustment screws on the derailleur, they should be correct. Just concentrate on the barrel adjuster so everything is changing and trimming correctly. Good Luck:)

AverageJoe82

cheers that helped a bit, will have a look durning the week as its super sunday today and the pub is calling

murph226

Have a look on youtube aswell, some very helpful videos on there!