whats wrong with my bike?

[boywonder]

Hey guys
im new to this forum and was wondering if i could get some answers?
so today my neighbor was cleaning out there garage and asked me if i would like some bikes that need some work. well i got 3 Mtn bikes and a BMX bike the BMX bike and 2 of the MTN bikes i got i dont think im gonna to much with 2 roadmasters and a NEXT but the bike i im gonna fix up is this Raleigh Rainier Talon. its a older bike but the rear tire was blown so i took one off the other bike and it went on so i started to ride it and it will skip gears and wont shift into the tallest gear on the front crank srpoket it trys to shift but fails every time are these tuning issues or do i need new parts the overall condition of this bike is great though and i would realy like to fix it up. parts i dont think will be a issue seeing i have the other two bikes but any help is apperciated
the shifters and all other parts are Shimano 200 GS
Thanks!

 

[Myosmith]

It sounds like your first course of action should be a full lube and tune up. Your local bike store should be able to do a basic lube and adjust for $50 or less + any parts that have to be replaced. Sounds like at minimum your derailleurs need adjustment. Did you swap rear tires or the entire rear wheel? If you want to work on the bike yourself the Park or Zinn bike repair and maintenance books are a great place to start. You can also get a lot of information off the Park Tools website.

 

[boywonder]

no i just swaped over the tire i wanted to keep the same gearing and stuff but ya im not afraid to work on this bike i could do the lube at home. its just adjustment idk how to do there is a good bike shop in my area the owner used to race and most of his employees do too so i might have them look at it and see what they want to adjust it. iv had them work on bikes in the past and trust them i think im just gonna tinker with it over the winter though. is there anyway to run lube through the lines without removing them? thanks for the info keep it comeing!

 

[jpr95]

There are several possibilities. Lubing the cables could be one problem, but generally that one's pretty far down the list of likely problems. If you have time this winter while you're tinkering, go ahead and do it. My LBS sold me a tiny tub of lube for that purpose that they said is a lifetime supply--it just takes a tiny, tiny amount per cable. First off, clean everything. I buy Simple Green concentrate and make up a solution on the stronger end of their recommended dilution scale. Put it in a spray bottle and spray/wipe everything down. Spray close and into any part of either derailleur that looks like a joint. Just a small amount of grit/dirt/grime can adversely affect how a derailleur shifts. Next, get some Tri-Flow spray lube. Spray it in all those same joints and wipe off the excess. It helps to hold a paper towel or rag behind where your spraying so that you don't get it all over other things--like rims and brakes... Also, if the bike has them, clean out the cable guides underneath the bottom bracket. Next, it helps to have a work stand. To adjust your derailleurs, you may need to mess with either the limit screws (2 screws close to each other on the derailleurs that control how far the derailleurs can move in or out), or the cable tensions, or both. To shift from a smaller gear to a larger one (front or back) means that your shifter is pulling on the cable (adding tension). To go from big to small, your shifter is letting out cable (releasing tension). It would be nearly a book to explain the adjustment of derailleurs, but you might be able to figure it out from those bits of knowledge. It also helps to have a buddy who knows what they're doing. Or, you could watch YouTube or buy a bike repair manual. Hope that helps.

 

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by jpr95 .

There are several possibilities.
Lubing the cables could be one problem, but generally that one's pretty far down the list of likely problems. If you have time this winter while you're tinkering, go ahead and do it. My LBS sold me a tiny tub of lube for that purpose that they said is a lifetime supply--it just takes a tiny, tiny amount per cable.
First off, clean everything. I buy Simple Green concentrate and make up a solution on the stronger end of their recommended dilution scale. Put it in a spray bottle and spray/wipe everything down. Spray close and into any part of either derailleur that looks like a joint. Just a small amount of grit/dirt/grime can adversely affect how a derailleur shifts. Next, get some Tri-Flow spray lube. Spray it in all those same joints and wipe off the excess. It helps to hold a paper towel or rag behind where your spraying so that you don't get it all over other things--like rims and brakes... Also, if the bike has them, clean out the cable guides underneath the bottom bracket.
Next, it helps to have a work stand. To adjust your derailleurs, you may need to mess with either the limit screws (2 screws close to each other on the derailleurs that control how far the derailleurs can move in or out), or the cable tensions, or both. To shift from a smaller gear to a larger one (front or back) means that your shifter is pulling on the cable (adding tension). To go from big to small, your shifter is letting out cable (releasing tension). It would be nearly a book to explain the adjustment of derailleurs, but you might be able to figure it out from those bits of knowledge. It also helps to have a buddy who knows what they're doing. Or, you could watch YouTube or buy a bike repair manual.
Hope that helps.

Hey,
thanks for the info jpr95. I think i might have some simple green laying around somewhere so i will get it all cleaned up its 37 degrees outside right now so thats not happening at this moment lol but high of 60 so i might do it today just depends what happens but agin thanks for the info i think i would rather have the shop adjust it so i dont run the chance of messing it up.

Also has anyone heard of this bike is it any godd it is a American Ralaigh Rainier Talon Trail or something like that and the derailleurs are all shimano 200GS seires. is stuff is this any good?

 

[Myosmith]

jpr95 is right, there are a lot of decent videos on YouTube explaining how to adjust derailleurs and it usually just takes a screwdriver. As mentioned above, cleaning and lubing the derailleurs before adjusting is a good idea as smooth operation makes fine tuning the adjustment easier. In addition to the high and low limit screws, many derailleurs have a third screw that adjusts the distance between the derailleur and the cassette/freewheel. This adjustment can make a big difference in how smooth your bike shifts, but is often overlooked. The shifters and cables can also benefit from a little cleaning and lubrication.

LBS mechanics are great and I use their services for some things, but a good bike maintenance and repair book and a few tools quickly pay for themselves when it comes to basic lube and tune that you can do at home. If you have the inclination to wrench on bikes yourself, restoring an old used bike you got for free is a great place to start. It gives you a way to enjoy cycling when the weather is foul or there is some other reason you can't ride. It also minimizes downtime for your bike because you are less likely to put off maintenance and can troubleshoot basic problems on the spot. It also takes some of the bite out of upgrading.

 

[boywonder]

so i went for a ride today and man is that bike fast i dont think the rear derailleur needs to be tuned much but im gonna have to mess with the front as it wont let me shift into the tallest gear half the time.
thanks for the info guys im realy liking this forum