The gears on a bike are the first thing that you notice when you start riding. If they are not working properly, then it can be a very frustrating experience for you.
The first thing you should do if your bike gears don’t shift is to check all the possible causes of this problem. One of them is a faulty chain or chain tensioner, but there are many other possible causes too such as a worn-out chain or a broken gear lever.
This article will discuss some of the most common reasons why your bike gears won’t shift and how you can fix them.
Are Bike Gears Important? Why So Important?
The bike gears are important because they determine how much pressure is exerted on the pedals when pedaling. They are the parts that make the bike go and help it to perform well.
Gears are the main part of the bicycle’s drive train and help to keep the wheel turning smoothly. They do this by transferring power from the pedals to the rear wheel and then moving it around until it is needed again.
The gears on a bicycle are made up of two main parts – an “inertial” gear which keeps everything in place, and an “intelligent” gear which is what makes things move when you pedal or use your hands on your handlebars.
Why Are My Bike Gears Not Changing?
The reason why bike gears do not change is that the gears are stuck. This is a common problem with bikes, particularly road bikes. The bike gears are stuck because of the friction between the teeth and the gear teeth.
There are many reasons why the gears in bikes can’t be shifted, such as:
- Cable issues
- Derailleur problems
- Shifters are having issues
- Limit screw misadjustments
1. Cable issues
The reason why your bike gears are not changing correctly is that the cables are not fitting properly. It is important that you understand how your brakes work, so you can make sure that you don’t end up with a big problem.
A brake cable is a vital part of any bike. It is used to stop the bike from moving and keeps it stable. If the brake cables are not installed properly, then you may end up getting into an accident.
2. Derailleur problems
The derailleur is one of the most important components of a bike. It is responsible for transferring power to the rear wheel and in doing so, changing gears.
The reason why your bike gears are not changing is often due to a faulty derailleur. When a derailleur breaks, it can cause problems with your bike’s gears and you will need to change them if it is not fixed immediately.
>> Rear Derailleur is damaged or broken
The reason why the gears of my bike are not changing is for the rear derailleur is damaged or broken. The mechanism of the rear derailleur is one of the most important gears in a bike. If the rear derailleur is damaged or broken, then it becomes really difficult to maintain a good connection between your gears.
If you’ve already replaced the rear derailleur before and now find that the gears are still not changing, then there is a possibility that you have damaged or broken the chainring. This can happen when you are riding over rough terrain or if you have an accident.
In such a case, replacing your chainring will solve this issue and make sure that your gears do not get damaged again in the future.
>> Front Derailleur is bent
The front derailleur is a component of the bicycle that allows the rider to change gears smoothly.
When a front derailleur is bent, it can cause many problems for cyclists. The most common problem is that the rider cannot change gears as smoothly as before because of the bent derailleur. There are also cases where a cyclist has to stop and fix his or her bike because of the bent derailleur.
3. Shifters are having issues
Some bikes do not shift properly because the shifting mechanism is stuck in one gear. The shifter is just not moving. The problem is that the gear changes don’t happen smoothly and often lose power when the bike is moving.
This leads to a lot of frustration for riders and can be a safety issue for riders as well.
4. Limit screw misadjustments
The main reason why the gears of your bike don’t change is because of limit screw misadjustments. This can be caused by several factors – If it is set too low or set too high, worn-out gear teeth, worn clutch pads, and so on.
How To Fix Bike Gears That Won’t Shift?
The gears of a bike are the most important part of the bike. They are responsible for transferring power to the wheels. If they don’t work well, it can result in a lot of problems. If you have any problem with your gears, here are 7 steps on how you can fix your bike gears that won’t shift:
- Step 1: Determine the cause of the problem
- Step 2: Check your gears
- Step 3: Check the gears using a bike chain tensioner
- Step 4: Check your shifters and cables
- Step 5: Check your shifter/bushings
- Step 6: Inspect the shifters for loose or broken links
- Step 7: Check your shifters and cables again
Step 1: Determine the cause of the problem
There are several possible causes for gear shifting problems. Check whether it’s your chain or the gears themselves. If you find that your gears shift easily, then it may be the case of a broken chain or its tensioner(an automatic device designed to prevent slipping).
Step 2: Check your gears
Check if the gear shift lever is in the proper position. If it is in the proper position, it should have a length of at least 3 mm to be able to prevent slipping out of place.
You can also use an adjustable wrench or bike stand. Use these tools for checking the lever’s function so that you don’t have to spend too much time fixing it.
Step 3: Check the gears using a bike chain tensioner
You can use any bike chain tensioner, except a wrench or a bike stand. If the chain is slipping and you want to fix it, you will have to let it slip before tightening any parts of the chain.
You can also adjust the tension and then tighten it so that your gears will work correctly after letting them sit for long periods of time.
Step 4: Check your shifters and cables
If you feel any slack in your bike’s shifting system, it means that there could be a problem with your shifting cables or shifters. If this is the case, you can adjust them so that they should not be too long or too short.
You can also use an adjustable wrench to make sure that your shifting cables are tight enough without losing their function.
Step 5: Check your shifter/bushings
You can check the shifter bushings if you find that the shift lever is not moving up and down smoothly. If this is the case, you need to make sure that there are no scratches on the corners of your shifter bushings or if there are any other places where dirt accumulates on them.
Step 6: Inspect the shifters for loose or broken links
The shifting system is all about precision, so it’s necessary to keep your gears in order. In order to do this, you have to check and inspect the cables of your shift system. If they are loose or if there are any missing links, you can use an adjustable wrench to fix them before replacing
Step 7: Check your shifters and cables again
Check your shifters and cables again after cleaning them with a wire brush, or use an air compressor if necessary to restore proper operation of the bike’s front crankset, rear derailleur, derailleur hanger, and cable guides.
If the problem persists, you may need to replace the shifters and cables with new ones or use a bike chain tensioner to adjust your gears on your own instead of taking help from a mechanic or shop.
How To Fix Bike Front Gears That Won’t Shift?
We often see bikes that don’t shift when we try to ride them. The reason is that the front gear is worn out and needs replacing.
Here are steps on how to fix front bike gears that won’t shift:
- Step 1: Check the gear shifter from top to bottom.
- Step 2: Check that there is no dirt or dust in the oil and grease system back of the front gearbox, front brake lever, and front chain ring(or rear chain ring).
- Step 3: Remove any wheel sprockets that may be worn out at the end of their life span, and check that they are not worn out.
- Step 4: Check the belt of the front sprocket, if it is still intact then that may be the cause of the gears not shifting properly.
- Step 5: If you can’t find any cleaning solution on the bike, then replace your gear shifter with a new one from Bafang or other brands, which should work perfectly well there too, and make the bike shift properly.
How To Fix Bike Gears That Slip?
The bike gears are a very important part of the bike. They ensure that the rider is safe during his journey. When the gears slip, it is a very dangerous situation for the rider.
Here are 4 steps on how to fix bike gears that slip:
- Step 1: H-limit screw adjustment
- Step 2: Indexing adjustment
- Step 3: Set L-limit screw
- Step 4: Check B-screw
Step 1: H-limit screw adjustment
This adjustment has to be done in order to get a smooth ride. The H-limit screw is a small metal part that is needed when the bike needs to change gears.
This screw adjusts the tension of the bike’s rear derailleur and it works as an air spring. When this air spring is compressed, it will work against all sorts of friction making the bike ride smooth.
Step 2: Indexing adjustment
This step is to index the gear in question by turning it counterclockwise. The indexing does not affect the gear position, but it improves the precision of shifting gears and makes sure that the shift is smooth.
Step 3: Set L-limit screw
This is the most important part of bike gear. It is a small screw that adjusts the speed of the gear. Usually, this is a very simple step to do but it’s certainly not an easy one.
If your bike has a single speed, you will have to set it higher than usual for slower speeds and lower than usual for faster speeds.
Step 4: Check B-screw
When the gears start to slip, there will be a small screw that is on the side of the bike. Keep an eye on this screw. When it starts to fall out, you can pry it in place with a small screwdriver.
There should be 5 to 6 mm of clearance between the chain and the derailleur gear so that you can secure it in place without moving it.
Conclusion
It is important that we understand why the gears do not shift and how to fix it. We should also know what the cause of this problem is so that we can fix it properly.
We should also understand what kind of problems are usually associated with bike gears not shifting so that we can find solutions to them and avoid them in the future.
So I hope this article has helped you solve the problem of your bike gears not shifting.
