strange kinda fault

[Spibblo]

Yesterday I noticed that my chain was scraping on the cage of the front mech in certain gears. I reset the stops and took out the slack in the cable and it was much better. Today I went out on the bike, after 10 miles or so it would not shift into the big ring or granny ring, I looked at the cable and it was really loose (like about an inch of slack). It had NOT slipped out of the clamp. I had no tools with me so rode it home as it was just using middle ring. I've just been back into the garage to have a quick look and the cable has tightened all on it's own. It shifts down now but not up onto big chainwheel.

What is this weirdness? dodgy shifter?

the front mech is a 2010 xt and the shifter is an old xt shifter pod without the gear indicator, the cable is 200 miles old. Rest of bike is 1994 clockwork, not that that matters.

 

[jimo746]

I'd say it's most likely a sticky cable. I know you say they're only 200miles old, but it may be there's a stray bit of the outer which snags the inner cable, the bends may be too tight, if you have one of those roller-wheel thingys on the seat-tube for the front mech cable maybe that needs some lube, or maybe the shifter needs some lube as well.
I'd start at the shifter and work back from there.

 

[sash49]

same prob.

I had the same problem a while ago, turned out to be a sticking front mech. After soaking it for days and cleaning it still did the same thing. Bought a new mech. Prob. solved!

 

[terryhfs]

Check the cable's not jumping in and out of a guide. Also check the mech isn't sliding slowly down the frame.

 

[jamabikes]

i would take the inner out of the outer and check the ends of the outer. sounds like the wire of the outer has pushed through the ferrule.

 

[big.eck]

Check the cable's not jumping in and out of a guide. Also check the mech isn't sliding slowly down the frame.

x2 ^^^^^ it's happened to me before

 

[Spibblo]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions,

I think I'll take the whole lot off and check it, lube it, adjusted it- the shifter, cable and front mech. (I can't think of a better way to spend Fathers day)

I was beginning to think my bike was haunted

I'll let you know what it was...

Spibbs

 

[big.eck]

i had a really bad tapping noise coming from the front of this >

turned out to be the front braided brake line tapping off the fork uppers and i thought my wheel was gona fall off

 

[Charlieboy28]

i think the tapping noise you heard was the engine falling off

 

[big.eck]

i think the tapping noise you heard was the engine falling off