07-22-2012, 07:03 PM
Hi, another newbie here with a shifting issue. This may be too much detail, but will add it in case it is helpful.
I have a Bianchi Advantage Mixte (Cross) bike from (yikes!) 1994, with a Shimano Alivio shifter/derailleur system. It is a one owner model in very good condition, and hasn't gotten a lot of use--lately have used it more with the Walkydog to exercise my dog. Also have used it on blacktopped trails, but very little offroad use. It has been stored in the garage, never outside.
Last year I noted it was not shifting well, so took off/cleaned the chain, cleaned sprockets very thoroughly and reconditioned with Boeshield T9, rode it a bit. It was still not shifting totally right, but it was too late in the fall to finish, so waited till this summer. I reconditioned the chain as looked a bit dry, have spent spent some time online (reading about others' recommendations/mistakes) then have spent an entire afternoon working on it per:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur.
I set limit screws and am working on indexing but running into problems. I took it out for a short ride and brought back inside but still with the same problem. The problems might be inter-related:
1--In all 3 front sprockets/chains, it skips from the rear smallest sprocket to the 3rd one when shifting toward the larger sprocket, and from the rear 3rd smallest sprocket to the smallest when shifting in the other direction. It may rub a bit on the" second to the smallest" sprocket but shifts skips right out of it. So, when shifting toward the largest rear sprocket, the gear showing up on the back sprocket shifter is "2" rather than "1". In the smallest sprocket, the gear does show up correctly as "7"
2-- I've also been working with the rear sprocket index settings. I wondered if the skipping gear was due to not tightening the cable enough. If I tighten the rear adjusting barrel by 1/4 turns enough for the chain to reach the rear biggest sprocket, it will still skip 2nd gear but shifts well from 3rd smallest sprocket to the next largest and up to the largest sprocket.
If I continue to increase tightness, I can tell that it is actually too tight sometimes on the rear largest sprocket, as there is no play at all in the lever to click it from "2" to "1" --too tight!
But if I loosen the cable too much more to see if the chain will stay in the second smallest sprocket, it will start skipping another sprocket. I move the shift lever a full click, and it misses the second smallest sprocket; at the next click, it misses the fourth smallest gear and goes directly to the fifth smallest, then goes up to the 6th and then the seventh sprocket as it should.
Do you think it is a problem with the shifter?
Or should I adjust the H or L screw again? I was very careful to make the adjustments for the best setting, but don't know what else to do. I am hesitant to take it out for a longer ride at present as don't want to jam things up.
Thank you very much!
I have a Bianchi Advantage Mixte (Cross) bike from (yikes!) 1994, with a Shimano Alivio shifter/derailleur system. It is a one owner model in very good condition, and hasn't gotten a lot of use--lately have used it more with the Walkydog to exercise my dog. Also have used it on blacktopped trails, but very little offroad use. It has been stored in the garage, never outside.
Last year I noted it was not shifting well, so took off/cleaned the chain, cleaned sprockets very thoroughly and reconditioned with Boeshield T9, rode it a bit. It was still not shifting totally right, but it was too late in the fall to finish, so waited till this summer. I reconditioned the chain as looked a bit dry, have spent spent some time online (reading about others' recommendations/mistakes) then have spent an entire afternoon working on it per:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur.
I set limit screws and am working on indexing but running into problems. I took it out for a short ride and brought back inside but still with the same problem. The problems might be inter-related:
1--In all 3 front sprockets/chains, it skips from the rear smallest sprocket to the 3rd one when shifting toward the larger sprocket, and from the rear 3rd smallest sprocket to the smallest when shifting in the other direction. It may rub a bit on the" second to the smallest" sprocket but shifts skips right out of it. So, when shifting toward the largest rear sprocket, the gear showing up on the back sprocket shifter is "2" rather than "1". In the smallest sprocket, the gear does show up correctly as "7"
2-- I've also been working with the rear sprocket index settings. I wondered if the skipping gear was due to not tightening the cable enough. If I tighten the rear adjusting barrel by 1/4 turns enough for the chain to reach the rear biggest sprocket, it will still skip 2nd gear but shifts well from 3rd smallest sprocket to the next largest and up to the largest sprocket.
If I continue to increase tightness, I can tell that it is actually too tight sometimes on the rear largest sprocket, as there is no play at all in the lever to click it from "2" to "1" --too tight!
But if I loosen the cable too much more to see if the chain will stay in the second smallest sprocket, it will start skipping another sprocket. I move the shift lever a full click, and it misses the second smallest sprocket; at the next click, it misses the fourth smallest gear and goes directly to the fifth smallest, then goes up to the 6th and then the seventh sprocket as it should.
Do you think it is a problem with the shifter?
Or should I adjust the H or L screw again? I was very careful to make the adjustments for the best setting, but don't know what else to do. I am hesitant to take it out for a longer ride at present as don't want to jam things up.
Thank you very much!
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