broken chain link and jacked up gear shifter?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@lauren.kibbe 129167 wrote:

jrenaut, you recommend Bike Rack on 14th and Q?…I’m willing to give it a shot. I’ve been to several bike shops in D.C. and for the most part they are kind and helpful. I just would rather learn how to do some of this basic maintenance stuff on my own instead of paying to have it done for me. I have some people I know that can help fix it for free, which is nice to have on had, but at the end of the day, I think it will be much more efficient (and cheaper) if I can figure it out…plus I’m curious and want to learn!

If you ask nicely, some shops will let you watch, or walk you through, what they’re doing, so you can pick up some good info that way. Also, a lot of shops do clinics on a pretty regular basis (REI definitely does, and I think BicycleSpace).

[Crickey7]

And there’s always the interwebs.

http://www.artscyclery.com/learningcenter/shimanomechroadfrontderailleurs.html

[dasgeh]

@lauren.kibbe 129167 wrote:

I just would rather learn how to do some of this basic maintenance stuff on my own instead of paying to have it done for me. I have some people I know that can help fix it for free, which is nice to have on had, but at the end of the day, I think it will be much more efficient (and cheaper) if I can figure it out…plus I’m curious and want to learn!

So I’m going to reverse my MO and suggest that you head over to the Facebook Women & Bicycles group (I’m forever telling people there to come here). There are women-focused maintenance classes at various bike shops and coops (Phoenix and Velocity). People there know more details.

[Steve O]

@lauren.kibbe 129169 wrote:

It just doesn’t shift smoothly. My other bikes have different shifters and I don’t feel the shift as much. It’s been tough for me to get the hang of the positioning of these shifters on the dropped down handle bars but also, when I shift it can take a few trys before it feels like it actually moves. Does this make sense?

it doesn’t feel like that chain is slipping though, is just feels kinda clunkily moving…:confused:

@dkel 129171 wrote:

I can’t imagine it would cost more than $10 or $20 for labor to get the shifting tuned up; if you do need a new chain, adjusting the shifting may be part of the installation anyway.

I have been riding bikes and doing most of my basic maintenance since way back in the last century. But with the advent of index shifting (to the eternal chagrin of dismal) I have struggled to get my shifting adjusted just right when I do it myself. I can do it usually, but it takes me a lot of trial and error. OTOH, my mechanic gets it done in just a couple of minutes.

When you talk about your shifting being skitchy, I’m thinking you are talking about the rear derailleur*, not the front (that is, you experience the problem when you shift the right-side shifter). It is quite possible that is entirely unrelated to your chain and front derailleur problem. I’m hypothesizing that your rear derailleur just needs some adjusting.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that whatever you end up doing with the chain and front derailleur, I highly recommend you have the shop adjust your shifting for you. They’ll get it right for either free or close to free.

*rear derailleur – the thing that hangs down on the right side of the bike by the rear wheel and the chain wraps itself through two little wheelie things

[Vicegrip]

My guess. The chain link plate came off the roll pin. Open plate end caught the front “shiftier thingy” AKA front derailleur cage and bent it. This is the lock up that was experienced.

New chain or punch the bad link and replace with a master and unbend and tune the front derailleur. Hour labor and $3 for a master or $25 for a chain for the fix. Full mid level clean/tune up and a new chain for the long game.

[Emm]

@lauren.kibbe 129167 wrote:

I just would rather learn how to do some of this basic maintenance stuff on my own instead of paying to have it done for me. I have some people I know that can help fix it for free, which is nice to have on had, but at the end of the day, I think it will be much more efficient (and cheaper) if I can figure it out…plus I’m curious and want to learn!

If you go in for help when a shop isn’t too busy, they’ll often show you how to fix it while they’re doing the repair. This is how I learned how to fix a flat, how to get the wheel off my internally-geared-hub/disc brake bike, how to line my wheels up for the disc brakes properly, how to play with normal brakes and chains and cables, how to raise or lower my handlebars, etc. Key thing is to find a friendly shop on a slow day. As long as you’re paying them one way or the other, they’re often happy to discuss what they’re doing and why. Or they’ll just show you for free when they’re in a happy mood.

Or go to Velocity Coop in Del Ray Alexandria, donate $15 and they’ll teach you! (http://velocitycoop.org/)

[jrenaut]

@lauren.kibbe 129167 wrote:

jrenaut, you recommend Bike Rack on 14th and Q?…I’m willing to give it a shot. I’ve been to several bike shops in D.C. and for the most part they are kind and helpful. I just would rather learn how to do some of this basic maintenance stuff on my own instead of paying to have it done for me. I have some people I know that can help fix it for free, which is nice to have on had, but at the end of the day, I think it will be much more efficient (and cheaper) if I can figure it out…plus I’m curious and want to learn!

I do recommend Bike Rack. They’re good people. They’re also open at 8am so it’s super convenient if you find yourself with a problem on the way to work.

If you want to learn how to fix stuff yourself, you have a couple options. Many people on this forum are happy to teach you all sorts of things, most of them work for beer. The Bike Rack does maintenance classes, check their website for a schedule. I think they fill up quickly. And Annie’s Ace Hardware at 13th and Upshur hosts the Bike House Saturdays 12-3 (although I think not over the winter). You can just take your bike there and they’ll help you out (donations encouraged).

[baiskeli]

It’s normal for a chain and gears to wear out, so if you need to replace them, that’s okay. Chains stretch and gear teeth wear down.

Did you manage to get it fixed and get home on your bike?

[brendan]

@dasgeh 129176 wrote:

So I’m going to reverse my MO and suggest that you head over to the Facebook Women & Bicycles group (I’m forever telling people there to come here). There are women-focused maintenance classes at various bike shops and coops (Phoenix and Velocity). People there know more details.

I second the recommendation of the Facebook Women & Bicycles group. They are very informative and supportive (or so I have heard).

Also: I routinely ride out of the city on longer rides (commuting and recreation), so in addition to riding with a chain breaker tool, I generally keep a couple of the KMC Missing Links with me (see here: http://kmcchain.us/connectors-list/page/2/ ). Popping a pin out of a cranky/broken chain is pretty easy. Seating a pin back in just right is rather hard, especially away from home.

Having these quick and easy links on hand for both home installations as well as field repairs makes me a lot less stressed (and a lot more likely to make it home on my bike). Just make sure you get the right ones for your chain/cassette (9, 10 or 11-speed are different links). They’re on amazon and available at many shops.

Brendan

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