I need help with my bike's gears/chain!?

Question

I haven't used my bike since early last year and I pretty much forgot I possessed a bike until three weeks ago. So I pulled it out last Monday and started working on it since I knew the tires would be flat and such.

I replaced the tires, tubes, adjusted the brakes (with the help of a friend and my dad), cleaned it several times, and I believe that during the process of replacing the tires, we forgot where the chain belongs as far as the gears go. So my friend and I guesstimated and we worked with that.

All worked fine up until this afternoon when I noticed the gears where barely shifting or got stuck. I stopped riding, took it back to my garage, and I inspected the gears by shifting them. I noticed the chain was hesitant to shift from one gear to the next so with the help of some YouTube videos, I adjusted the rear tire derailleur although I think it still needs to be tweaked some more. But as I continued to shift gears, I also noticed that they weren't in order.

Help?

Answer 1

Might have something to do with the fact that your chain is now a rusted out piece of ****.

Use some lube next time.

Answer 2

If the numbers on your shifter are not corresponding to which cog you are in, that is usually due to cable stretch. You shift your bike into the highest gear (smallest cog), and loosen the fixing nut and pull the cable tight and re tighten the cable.

This problem can also be due to a bent derailleur hanger, a problem best left to the professionals at a bike shop.

Answer 3

I'm no expert, but it sounds like the spring in the shifting mechanism was streched or damaged and need to be replaced.

It may also be that the cable between the shifter and the shift k**b has lost too much tension, and needs to be tightend up.

Answer 4

What the chain really needs is some lube.

Perhraps, put some lube on the cables within the derailer as well.

Ask your local bike shop for something suitable (dry/wet/wax lube etc) & any advice about it's use.

See how that goes. A bike shop mechanic can tweak with the derailier quite easily, so a visit would be a good idea.

And if changing the chain or derailer is required, it shouldn't cost too much. Just ask your local wrench, they are usually willing to give advice.

And next time, be nicer to your bike & keep up a maintance schedule  of sorts.

A well-tuned bike is a happy bike.