I have an old Gray Fisher mountain bike(I think 1998) I want to get back to riding. It's been sitting for many years. Everything worked when I put it away.

I've cleaned and lubed everything. I've adjusted derailers before but this is a problem I haven't seen. All the video's online seem to show simple adjusting which doesn't help.

The rear derailer will only move to the smallest 4 cogs. It will not shift to the larger ones. Adjusting the high and low limits seem to do nothing to help this.

It's a Shimano STX derailer and Shimano STX-RC RapidFire shifters if it matters.

The front derailer will also only shift to two of the three gears also.

If it worked before and doesnt now adjustments likely wont change it much. The deraileur hanger is likely bent. Its a sime couple of second adjustment at a shop or you can do it your self eaisly enough by pushing the main deraileur housing in slightly. I would take it to the shop and they should be able to take care of it while you wait.

Is dried lube preventing full articulation?

Does the shifter move through its full range of motion?

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
Is dried lube preventing full articulation?

Does the shifter move through its full range of motion?

A good guess. Take the chain off and observe the movement of the derailleurs.

I would check the condition of the cables/shifters. If it worked fine when you put it away I'm willing to bet you have some gunked up cables. How's the cable tension?

Cable worn or stretched.

quote:

Originally posted by pantera1994:
I would check the condition of the cables/shifters. If it worked fine when you put it away I'm willing to bet you have some gunked up cables. How's the cable tension?

^^^^
This is the place to start. Cables and cases deteriorate, and your bike has been sitting for a long time, I'm guessing, and the cables and cases are probably original to the bike.

I can't wait to restore my 1985 Centurion Iron Man that's been sitting since about 1995.

Did you recently detach the cables from their anchor points? When you lubed them maybe?

I tightened the cable. Might be a shifter problem. They are index shifters and it shifts fine through the smaller 4 cogs.

When I pull the shift level for those gears there is pressure and you can feel it moving the derailer. Then after that, the shift level moves but no more resistance and no movement of the derailer. If I pull on the cable the derailer will move as I put pressure on the cable.

These are not the original cables. Although they have been on the bike for years but with few miles.

It could also be your cables are frozen in the housings due to rust or congealed old grease.
You shifters my also not be working due to rust or congealed grease.
If you're going to take it to a shop to have them check the hanger they will probably trouble shoot the system for you.
If it's not your hanger, replace your cables. If that doesn't do it, try checking your shifters.
If you have indexed shifting your shifter should click once for every cog you have in your rear cassette and the same goes for the number of chainrings you have up front. If they don't click the right number of times the grease in your shifters has hardened. If you don't want to replace your shifters try taking them off and soaking them in WD-40 for about a week agitating them daily and attempting to shift them, the grease will start to soften and things will start to work.
Good luck!

Time to run new cables.

Do you guys think a new inner cable will be ok or do I need to replace the outer cable as well?

I have a new inner cable in my box of parts but no outer cable. The outer cable is three separate parts with just the inner running along some of the tubes.

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
Is dried lube preventing full articulation?

Does the shifter move through its full range of motion?

This is my vote as well. The factory grease dries in trigger shifters and may be coaxed back to operation with a spray of lightweight oil or a cleaner first then oil.


[QUOTE] Does the shifter move through its full range of motion?

A good guess. Take the chain off and observe the movement of the derailleurs. [QUOTE]

Agreed, if you can push derailleur over to last cogs it is the shifter.

detach cable, see if derailleur will move over full range. If not lube and retry. If so, likely cables or shifters as mentioned.

I'd replace everything, brakes and brake cables as well. Your pads are probably dried out and won't stop you as well as new ones. Pull bottom bracket and headset and relube there as well

Partially took about the shifter. It looked almost spotless. Sprayed the heck out of it with WD-40 to be sure the parts I couldn't see where clean. Still no joy.

Need to figure out how to totally disassemble the shifter and get the cable out. Then get some new ones. Might end up taking it to REI near me.

quote:

detach cable, see if derailleur will move over full range.

I going to try this just to make sure it moves but it seems to when I physically pull on the cable.

This sounds to me like the shifter wasn't fully released when the cable was attached to the anchor point.

Shift it down onto the smallest cog on the rear wheel.
Detach the cable from the anchor bolt.
Grasp the end of the cable and pull slightly to apply tension.
Press the shift lever several more times to make sure you're at the lowest detent (for the smallest cog), if it releases more cable you've found your problem.

If that isn't it...then, while still holding the cable, push the shifter one click at at time as if you were shifting to a larger cog. Count the number of detents you get, there should be 7 when you're staring from the bottom (on an 8 speed cassette). If you don't have the right number of detents them your shifter could be the problem.

That's my .02

And FWIW I may have attended a factory training or two...

quote:

Originally posted by rebo:
This sounds to me like the shifter wasn't fully released when the cable was attached to the anchor point.

Shift it down onto the smallest cog on the rear wheel.
Detach the cable from the anchor bolt.
Grasp the end of the cable and pull slightly to apply tension.
Press the shift lever several more times to make sure you're at the lowest detent (for the smallest cog), if it releases more cable you've found your problem.

That's my .02

You, sir, are the man.

Disconnect the cable from the rear derailer. Pulled it with pliers while I shifted through the gears. At first, it just shifted to the first 4 spots(smallest cogs). After a few times while holding tension on the cable it started shifting through all the detents.

Now I have to wait till tomorrow to fully adjust it and hopefully ride it. I have a rigged up, with 2x4's bike holder outside I can turn the pedals to get it all adjusted. The problem is it's raining now.