Gears seized-any options

mikemac

I recently bought a bike for the purposes of getting fit.
I don't commute but I go cycling for an hour or two a few evenings a week.
It isn't an expensive one as I'm only a beginner but may trade up in a while.
http://www.toys.ie/product_details.jsp?npc=D10865


Bike is 5 weeks old and the gears on the right-hand handle are seized. I simply cannot select any different gears.
I'll admit it has been left out in the rain at night.

Have anyone any tips? WD40?
Or would you recommend I return it the shop, demand a refund and buy something better?

BTW, I've a whole new respect for cyclists which I didn't have before. Dublin traffic is trecherous:eek: but luckily there are cycle lanes around my area which helps matters a small bit.

mockerydawg

Best thing is dont leave it out overnight. WD40 down the cable will temp fix it, but rain and cold will destroy the bike in a very short time.

milod

WD40 might help, but as for taking it back?! generally Smyth's aren't famed for after sales service, especially on €99 Mountain bikes - it's a case of getting what you paid for - if you end up replacing it, you'll get a better bike secondhand for the same money...

Ghost Rider

As well as the gear cables, you could try applying some lubricant to the rear mech (i.e. the thing that controls the release of the gear cable, thereby moving the chain from gear to gear). There are probably three or four spots on the mech that need to be lubricated, namely the moving parts that resemble hinges. If the mech has seized up, you might want to free these up with your hand before and after you lube to make sure the lube has a chance to penetrate.

As for what lubricant to use, I've heard WD40 is a no-no on a bike. A Teflon-based lubricant would probably be better. For example: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5960

micmclo wrote:

I recently bought a bike for the purposes of getting fit.
I don't commute but I go cycling for an hour or two a few evenings a week.
It isn't an expensive one as I'm only a beginner but may trade up in a while.
http://www.toys.ie/product_details.jsp?npc=D10865


Bike is 5 weeks old and the gears on the right-hand handle are seized. I simply cannot select any different gears.
I'll admit it has been left out in the rain at night.

Have anyone any tips? WD40?
Or would you recommend I return it the shop, demand a refund and buy something better?

BTW, I've a whole new respect for cyclists which I didn't have before. Dublin traffic is trecherous:eek: but luckily there are cycle lanes around my area which helps matters a small bit.

DadaKopf

Ghost Rider wrote:

As well as the gear cables, you could try applying some lubricant to the rear mech (i.e. the thing that controls the release of the gear cable, thereby moving the chain from gear to gear). There are probably three or four spots on the mech that need to be lubricated, namely the moving parts that resemble hinges. If the mech has seized up, you might want to free these up with your hand before and after you lube to make sure the lube has a chance to penetrate.

As for what lubricant to use, I've heard WD40 is a no-no on a bike. A Teflon-based lubricant would probably be better. For example: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5960

Hmm, I've been using WD-40. I went to a maintenance class and was told it was OK. I've been using it and no problems. What did you hear?

OP, what exactly is happening with your gears?

Chips Lovell

Shouldn't happen on a five week old bike, even a €99 one. Take it back, ask they fix it and if they can't, demand a new one.

mikemac

DadaKopf wrote:

OP, what exactly is happening with your gears?

On the left handle there are three gear options and on the right there are 6 gear options. The gear are selected by moving twisting the handle-I don't know the term but most modern bikes are like this.

The gear selector on the right handle is seized-it is trapped on gear 4 and no amount of force can move it either up or down.

Starting to think thats what you get for buying a cheap bike:(

mockerydawg

micmclo wrote:

Starting to think thats what you get for buying a cheap bike:(

Exactly!! This should be made a sticky to inform the rest of the population who think these 99 euro bikes are good value!

Membrane

micmclo wrote:

The gear selector on the right handle is seized-it is trapped on gear 4 and no amount of force can move it either up or down.

This cannot be caused by the rear derailer or the cable seizing up, the cause will lie in the twist grip shifter itself. Not much point in trying to lubricate it, I suspect something broke inside the grip shifter.

Bunnyhopper

DadaKopf wrote:

Hmm, I've been using WD-40. I went to a maintenance class and was told it was OK. I've been using it and no problems. What did you hear?

The only thing I've ever heard about WD-40 being dodgy is that, because it's oil-based, it'll eventually damage any rubber seals etc. I've used it on stuff like cassettes and chain rings, and on cables and brake mechanisms (though obviously not anywhere near brake pads or rims, cos that would be plain silly...) without any problems, but I try to keep it well away from the bottom bracket, for example, in case it gets into the seals on that.

And WRT the OP, I agree with Membrane that it sounds like something in the shifter itself. It could be a breakage inside the thing, or the end of the cable might have slipped out of place inside the shifter.

You could try pulling the cable by hand to see if the derailleur (the gear changer thing near the cogs on the back wheel) can actually move at all. Grab the cable somewhere along its route to the back derailleur and give it a gentle pull away from the frame (put a little bit of cloth around it to help the grip and save your hands). If the derailleur moves as you pull then the cable's probably okay and the derailleur, too, which leaves you with the shifter as the most likely problem.

Ghost Rider

I read on at least one website that it draws dirt into the components.

Can anyone verify/refute that?

DadaKopf wrote:

Hmm, I've been using WD-40. I went to a maintenance class and was told it was OK. I've been using it and no problems. What did you hear?

OP, what exactly is happening with your gears?

kona

wd40 is a dispersant, not a lube. it drives out water and leaves a film that repells water, it does not lube.
any spray lube isnt the best for bikes.
basically two types of oil for the drive train, 1-wet and 2-dry lube.
you use wet lube in the wet and dry in the summer, from experience teflon is ****, it doesnt last, i use wax in the dry and any type of wet lube, then gt85 when topping up. and i clean the drive train and re-lube i do this every week, lube doesnt last too long if bike is regularly used, my bike is almost 2years old and i havnt had to change the chain/cassette or jockey wheels yet , and bike is used pretty much on average 12 miles a day, every day.

as for the bike, you get what you pay for, cheap bikes dont take abuse well at all, op being honest smyths would be within their rights to tell you to feck off if you demanded a change of bike. my advice is dump it( itl cost you about e60 to get it fixed up properly)keep the tyres , pads and other useable bits and spend around e300 on a decentish bike, use bike magazines to find the best value bikes, i know halfords are considered satan around here but check out the subway 1 it has got consistantly good reviews in the magazines.

liamtinney

I agree with with kona (except for the halfords bit, go to your local bike shop)
I have worked on one of these bikes, it was new it took €80 to leave it rideable and safe, as an adult you should never buy a dual suspension bike for road work.

mikemac

Thanks for the replies.
Got Smyths to take the bike back after much grief.
God bless the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980.

Got a credit note which I'll spend anyway and won't make the mistake of buying a cheap piece of rubbish again.

Looking for a new bike now but won't be starting a new thread as a few other threads were started by people in similar situations to me.

timmywex

sale of goods and supply of services act 1980, not fit for purpose of use or not of merchantable quality, you can claim a refund no bother as long as you bring it back, it shouldnt happen so quickly