Another daft one - gears / life

[TDIfurby]

Silly question, but does anyone here leave their bike in "8th" gear when stored, so the springs of the two mechs are not under any (or sod all) tension? After building up my front mech this evening I realised how much pressure there must be in the spring if left on the biggest cog - I have generally left mine on the middle all the time....

I would imagine these springs would last years regardless, but I wondered if anyone had OCD about what gear they leave their bike in at the end of a ride.

 

[taffy]

But what about the shifter unit springs!

 

[Agency_Scum]

Me. Whenever I park up for a while, always in a high or top gear. I picked up the habit years ago teaching photography. Old ( film ) cameras last longer if you don't wind them onto 1000th of a second and then store them.
Not so important with front mechs but I've had rear ( newer Deore, Sram and old Sachs plasma ) die on me before.

 

[TDIfurby]

But what about the shifter unit springs!

I don't really know what springs pull what way in the shifters to be honest.

 

[taffy]

Certainly in thumbshifters the spring opposes the mech (albeit weakly by comparison) Rapid fire type shifters will have springs to make them work on both up and downshifts.

 

[weeman_mtb]

I think most of us on here have OCD and now you've given us all one more thing to worry about :twisted: .

Seriously though, I wouldn't give it a second thought, these are heafty springs and aren't suddenly going to lose their elasticity by being slightly under tension or compression. You wouldn't consider unhitching your brake cables everytime you park up but your brake springs are under tension.

 

[TDIfurby]

I have car OCD a bit as well....

I am very finicky about the paint finish and have hundreds of pounds worth of chemicals and a daddy machine polisher to ensure everything is tip top. It's a problem I tell you.

I have rapidfires on my Proflex, but never considered what pressures might vary in which gears. Think I worry about them less than the mechs for some reason, if they are actually more fragile in reality.

 

[technodup]

I leave my bike in the highest possible gear when I leave it outside the corner shop. Nothing to do with springs but I figure it'll be harder and slower for a thief to get away, increasing my chances of catching them.

Probably better to just use a lock but it works for me. So far.

 

[mullinino]

r6

'I leave my bike in the highest possible gear when I leave it outside the corner shop. Nothing to do with springs but I figure it'll be harder and slower for a thief to get away, increasing my chances of catching them. '

+1

 

[MikeD]

I reckon lowest possible gear is best for outside shop - chances are a thief'll just smash their knackers on the stem setting off, and if they do get going they'll only be doing walking pace That or chain resting on BB shell...