Gearing, a simple question

[beanfoto2]

48, 36,damn.
Just how do you count the teeth on a Chinese, incredibly gungy geared 2nd hand bike, (specially the rear cluster)? And which screws do I adjust to get the front derailleur to actually CHANGE and the rear derailleur to give me more than 3 out of the 6?

They don't understand gearing here. I've seen people on expensive Mountain bikes sweating up hills, ( and here there's only slight slopes), in the ONLY gear they ever use. I've also seen people changing gear whilst STANDING at the lights.

Most of the bike shops, if you have derailleur problems, will take the chain off,shorten it and give you back a single speed...., ( well it works doesn't it, and it's fairly flat here....)

 

[dabac]

48, 36,damn.
And which screws do I adjust to get the front derailleur to actually CHANGE and the rear derailleur to give me more than 3 out of the 6?

Park tools and sheldon brown's site probably have pics that can help you out with that. Look at http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html But it would help if you could figure out more precisely what the problem is. Each derailleur has a set of screws that limits its range of motion, but I don't think these have sufficient reach to lock the front der in place or to only allow you 3 out of 6 in the rear. You probably have something wrong with your wires as well, the front could definitely be seized. Start by checking that the wires actually are able to move in their sleeves first, then hit Sheldon's site.

 

[bentbrian]

I think you hit it with "incredibly grungy". I would thoroughly clean and relube the drive train. I mean derailleurs, idlers, cables, shifter levers, and chain. Free up stuck parts as you go. Look for broken springs in the derailleurs too. That may do the trick.

 

[peet9471]

Use your abacus.

 

[beanfoto2]

Use your abacus.

Can't use my abacus, my hands are too dirty from trying to count the the cogs.

 

[beanfoto2]

I think you hit it with "incredibly grungy". I would thoroughly clean and relube the drive train. I mean derailleurs, idlers, cables, shifter levers, and chain. Free up stuck parts as you go. Look for broken springs in the derailleurs too. That may do the trick.

Thanks, didn't even think the springs might be broken. This bike, unlike most Chinese bikes has had some maintenance. That means that under the top layer of dirt it's thick with GREASE and dirt. You wouldn't believe how much.
Relube? The only thing readily available here is used motorbike oil! No, that's not true. Sesame oil makes a good 3 in 1 oil, but they'd never dream of using it.
Just finally got some paraffin ( kerosene ) for a radical clean job. Explaining paraffin to most Chinese is difficult enough, ( the words for paraffin are the same as the Chinese staple, "We don't have (that)" ,except for the tone, so with only a little Chinese you can get yourself into a linguistic situation worthy of a Monty Python sketch, if only it wasn't so tragic.
You have it easy in the West . The things you take for granted are inaccessible or unheard of here.
All I want for Xmas is a bike mechanic who understands derailleurs, ( does that scan?)

 

[topcat]

Can't use my abacus, my hands are too dirty from trying to count the the cogs.

lol niceee