I'm having gear problems on my new mountain bike...?

E

Elaine Q

New member
I've just bought a new 18-gear mountain bike and I don't think it's been set up very well. The gears are loose even when going on slight downhill (no extra speed built up when pedalling) and I can't get the left gear shift to go any further than halfway round when I try to get onto a higher gear. I've tried to tighten the cables but I really don't know what I'm doing. Can anyone offer some advice to a clueless commuter?
 
If you're so inclined you might try www.sheldonbrown.com. Great site with how to instructions for most bike problems shift adjustments included. From what you describe that seems to be the problem and usually easily rectified with some minor adjustments.
 
Did you buy this in a big box store? Those bikes aren't very good & the people assembling them don't know what they're doing. If so, return it & go to a local bike shop, their worst bike will be better than the bast bike at Target or Walmart.

A bike shop will be able to properly adjust all the components of your bike. If you bought it there, they'll do it for free when you buy it & some may do free minor adjustments for life.

Don't try to adjust something you don't know on a bike. The odds are you'll only make it worse. I can do about 80% of the maintenance on my bike, but I've never mastered the shifter adjustments, so the shop always gets mine. REI in my area has a great bike repair shop & the prices are very fair.

Good luck.
 
If you're so inclined you might try www.sheldonbrown.com. Great site with how to instructions for most bike problems shift adjustments included. From what you describe that seems to be the problem and usually easily rectified with some minor adjustments.
 
take it in to a bike shop have them do a tune-up on it. sounds like the cables are stretched. or back to where you purchased have them do a free tune-up.
 
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