Clifton CC

Well my rear gear cable snapped as I was on way to meet for a 70 mile social ride today, and it snapped right outside the bike shop!, but they where closed. Anyway I was going to try get it fixed today but cant so got it booked in tomorrow but wondering if I just bought the gear cable is it easy to replace as I want to get it done today.

Its not too hard, have a look on the internet for a guide. Even if you try to fix it and fail the cable will cost 2 pounds at the most, and if you fix it you will save loads.

The only way to learn is to try.

Hope your knees get better, take it easy

I know someone who might be able to help me fit it so I'll just go buy a cable then. Was a stroke of bad luck this, first my computer almost brakes then on the same day my bike does

Gonna be nightmare getting it to be fixed as stuck in 18th gear is awful especially when you have about 13 sets of traffic lights to go through!

Just don't b***** up your knees again grinding top gear!!

I'm even more stuffed now, going to get my gear cable fixed... front mech snapped in half!, got an Ultegra for 22 quid, seems to fit although abit odd as its 10speed apparently.

I will have to go to cycle shop for them to fit the gear cable, I cant do it, seems to me and this other guy who was helping me the actual gear hub with the levers on is busted somehow :\

Well I'm gutted, I wont be able to use my genesis bike for weeks, the brake/gear hub on the handlebars has to be sent off as its jammed as the nipple from the old cable is jammed in and cant even see it so it wont rotate, so thats great

Take the advise of a previously thread and buy a maintance book and learn to do it yourself? you will save pounds!

Andy J wrote:Take the advise of a previously thread and buy a maintance book and learn to do it yourself? you will save pounds!

What is involved here is taking the gear changer apart though!, apparently it is very complex and even the mechanic said he had trouble putting one back together.

It sounds in this case like it's beyond DIY - the shifters do occasionally seize up internally. However, learning how to do your own mechanics will bring three benefits:-

-You'll be more aware of how to maintain the bike and avoid things wearing out (you've had more mechanical disasters in the past year than the rest of us put together - some of them may be avoidable)
-You'll be able to sort out a lot of problems yourself and save money and, lastly..
-If you do have to take stuff into a bike shop you'll know what you're talking about. It shouldn't make any difference to the service you receive but human nature being what it is, it often does.

There are a number of books around (good xmas list material) or alternatively do two things:-
-Bookmark the Park Tools website
-Download and save the manual from the Shimano or other relevant website for every moving component on your bike, and have a quick read through.

I havent had that many problems, all I have had this year on this bike is:

One broken spoke
New cassette needed due to wear after about 3600+ miles
First Shimano Chain broke
SRAM Chain worn out (I clean it regular with Muc Off)
New SRAM Chain
New brake cable needed and rear brake needed taking apart and putting back together.
Gear cable went yesterday
Front mech snapped in half (Replace with an Ultegra mech)
gear changer broke.


Thats not that much tbh, the bike is on about 4210 miles at the moment.

Maybe I could use genesis bike tho still? All I have to do is take the front mech off and stick it in a gear I can pedal easilly and manage to hit about 24mph at about 130RPM then I can happily maintain any speed on single speed without doing too much harm to my knees no?

That's quite a catalogue, Will. During the same period, and about the same mileage, I've done a routine replacement of one chain...

PhilBixby wrote:That's quite a catalogue, Will. During the same period, and about the same mileage, I've done a routine replacement of one chain...

Hmmm.. what can I say? I'm just not a natural at cleaning, I use muc off the clean the chain then put Finish Line dry teflon lube on, don't know why it they wear out so quick?

Maybe It's cause I cycle alot? I have done 4210 miles on it since may/june though but I suspect you do that much on your bike so cant be the cause?

Hi Will

One broken spoke

Anyone can break a spoke and I am sure you don't ride into potholes on purpose.

New cassette needed due to wear after about 3600+ miles

Good mileage for a cassette!

First Shimano Chain broke

Was it already worn out, having said I broke one yesterday, only done approx 1000 miles.

SRAM Chain worn out (I clean it regular with Muc Off)

Chains only last say 1500/2000 miles (subject to maintenance)

New brake cable needed and rear brake needed taking apart and putting back together.

Why was it needed, did it snap? or just frayed. Keep cables lubricated, I spray wd40 down the outer cables regularly.

Gear cable went yesterday

Did it break?. Have you been forcing it against the stops looking for another gear?
Maybe neither, I'm not accusing you of not been able to ride a bike properly but sometimes you have to look at the reason and then it maybe won't happen again.

Front mech snapped in half (Replace with an Ultegra mech)

gear changer broke.

I've had that happen also.

The other thing is that the Tiagra components on your bike maybe won't last as long as Phils' Dura Ace!

Hope this helps



Dave

The first chain I had on it the shimano one had one of the links bent, was out on a run with Helen and Alice that day, I took it to Cycle Heaven and they replaced it with an SRAM chain for free.

The SRAM chain that replaced the worn out one cost me 16 quid + fitting.
The new Cassette was 35 quid + fitting

Well for some reason I thought I'd try tighten the cable, but then when I pulled on the brake it never sprang back to the open position for some reason. Cable I was told was worn out.

The cable just randomly snapped, I was coming up to a slow cyclist and traffic lights and I decided to slow down and change gear, next thing snap!, the damn thing broke and the nipple is apparently wedged in somewhere and cant be got to.

I'm going to trial my Carrera Vanquish too small bike today on the 18 mile loop and if all goes well I'll use it as a winter bike and put the Genesis away until march, using the Open Pro wheels with decent tires on my Carrera if I do use it as a winter bike though.

I'll take my Genesis to cycle heaven at Christmas to get it fixed.

Dave's quite right that more expensive components tend to last longer than cheaper ones, and I'm not accusing Will of deliberately wrecking anything. But a bit of sensitivity can often save a lot of money - for example...

-Not forcing controls when they (for whatever reason) don't move as they should
-Lubricating brakes**/gears etc regularly; I'm terrible at cleaning bikes but I do lubricate everything regularly. In connection with which...
-Listen for noises you don't expect, especially when braking, changing gear etc.
-Look out for wear, or keep an eye on mileage and replace things (especially chains/cassettes) when you know they must be nearing the end of their lives. It's usually cheaper to replace something before it breaks than after (plus a hell of a lot more convenient)..
-Stick to front ring/cassette combinations that don't take the chain at weird angles

Hope that clarifies things..

** - pivots, not the black rubber bits....