Bike Shifters

[ZigZag]

I am not much of a bike person but I have an old 26" 15 speed (3x5) Roadmaster bike I am bringing to the Playa. The indexing gear shifters are not working very well and I figure I should replace them but I'm just not up on bike technology. I don;t see any need for high performance gear, I just want something that works.

Can some of you bike geeks point me to a good source or maybe recommend something? I've looked at Amazon and not seen much. I'd want something like a thumb shifter that goes on the handle bars but I don't see any reason to spend a bunch of money on something the play dust is going to gunk up anyway. Most of them nowadays seem to be for 7 gears in the back, not 5

Thanks

[Chowski]

I don't know much about bikes either, except that gears on the Playa are a bad idea. Add to that this bike is already not working well, and you are asking for trouble. Moving parts tend to stop moving when the dust gets into them, and little sucks more than being a few miles from your camp, cold, with a broken bike in the middle of the night.

If I were you, I'd leave that project for another day, and find some crappy one-speed beach cruiser on Craigslist. Burner bikes tend to go through a lot of trauma, and the fewer moving parts to break down, the better off you'll be. Just my two cents.

[Eunos94]

@zigzag - As a bike mechanic my best advice is take the bike to your local bike shop. If you're unfamiliar with all the plentiful variations in bicycle shifting/drivetrains you can quickly go down a rabbit hole of parts/labor that will end up being expensive and you might not be any better off than you are right now. A local bike shop, while costing more than just parts, will solve the problem correctly the first time (or help you come to the conclusion that whatever budget you might have won't accomplish what you're looking for).

Also, the advice of finding a beach cruiser off Craigslist is good advice too. It might end up being cheaper in the long run, as well.

Good luck!

[Captain Goddammit]

My advice is similar, except I'll say take it to a shop to fix it if you don't understand how it works for use at home. Definitely do not bring it to the playa if you aren't capable of keeping it working. Get a one-speed beach cruiser.

[DoctorIknow]

Indexed shifters are a nightmare to adjust correctly, if in fact that is all that is needed. If new shifters....major $

You could try a repair shop as maybe all that's needed is adjustment, but get a price FIRST, as you might be able to get a suitable cruiser off Craigs or a garage sale for cheaper than the repair.

And if buying a beater used, beware of flat or worn tires or even fully inflated OLD tires with cracks....JJust a new set of tires and tubes from WalMart might run $30 MINIMUM, and if you have a bike shop install the tires, add on another outrageous fee.

[ZigZag]

So a one speed cruiser bike is OK out there? Sounds like that is the norm.

[Meat Hunter]

ZigZag,

You can get a brand spanking new 1 speed Huffy Cranbrook large tired cruiser for $79,00.

This is what all the BM yellow bikes are. Almost indistructable and I have been told that BM will even take this brand/model off your hands after the event.

In my opinion, this new bike would most probably cost you less that a repair bill on a 7 speed.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/45291637?wmls ... 92&veh=sem


Or, if you want a geared bike, you can also get a brand spanking new 18 speed for the same price $79.00

Either way, at that price some might say that they are disposable. And for sure, they are a good bit less expensive new than some folks rent trashy-worn out playa bikes for.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Roadmaster ... p13n#about

[BBadger]

I've had two bikes with different shifter problems, neither of which I spent any time actually fixing beforehand.

The first had a shifter that looked like it got a bit smashed, but still functioned, but required me to push extra hard to shift into position. Generally what I did was just leave the bike in the lowest gear possible so that I could power through any dune I could find on the playa. It worked great, but would sometimes slip into the 2nd lowest gear.

Another year I thought I'd "upgrade" my bike to a larger bike because my old original was a bit small, even if it was relatively reliable. Unfortunately, this bike's chain kept falling off the gears which was a total pain in the ass. I eventually, during that year, switched back to the other bike because I had side-lent it to my friend and he was fine with using some other bikes we had in camp (some cruisers that were too hard for me to pedal).

And then there was last year, where I brought back my ol' trusty bike (the first one). Unfortunately, it got destroyed in a car crash. Bent tires. damaged axle, but at least I got the nice seat off it. Sad days. One benefit was that my friend found a spare bike, a cruiser, and it was far superior to all the other bikes I had used in the past at Burning Man. Easy pedaling, nice handlebars, one gear, a nice seat. Good friends made that year great!

So my advice? Make your current bike function really well in its lowest gear (my preference), or get a cruiser like Meat Hunter suggested.

Since my old bike was destroyed, and I don't know if I want to bring this other relatively new bike I have to the playa, I think I'll look at that Cranbrook Meat Hunter suggested. Still, it may not have the gearing I desire, so I'll shop around.

[Captain Goddammit]

WalMart Huffy bikes are not indestructible.
The first thing you need to know about most WalMart Huffys is they tend to come with no grease on the bearings. They need to be disassembled and greased right away.
Don't buy a new one and go right out and ride even if it seems ok. It won't for long.
You can change the gearing really easily by swapping a different size front chain wheel. They're cheap.
Gears are great, I bring a 7-speed fat tire myself. They only suck if you can't or don't maintain them. If you want the most reliability with the least maintenance, get a single speed. They work just fine as BRC cruisers. There are no hills.

[maladroit]

I'll never let go of my remaining 2013 Mongoose Beast upgraded with a wide seat and cruiser bars.

Had to let go of the other one, the buyer wanted it so bad they smashed my glass to get it and forgot to pay.

[ZigZag]

Or, if you want a geared bike, you can also get a brand spanking new 18 speed for the same price $79.00

Geez. I think that's the same bike I have except its about 20 years newer, one more gear, and it has shocks on the front fork. The light is beginning to come on: Zoe: Don't fix it, trash it and replace it.

I'm slow, but I catch on.

The first thing you need to know about most WalMart Huffys is they tend to come with no grease on the bearings. They need to be disassembled and greased right away.
Don't buy a new one and go right out and ride even if it seems ok. It won't for long.
You can change the gearing really easily by swapping a different size front chain wheel. They're cheap.
Gears are great, I bring a 7-speed fat tire myself. They only suck if you can't or don't maintain them. If you want the most reliability with the least maintenance, get a single speed. They work just fine as BRC cruisers. There are no hills.

This is so good to know, pure gold, I never would have thought about the grease. I can maintain them if that means cleaning the chain and adjusting things. I am reasonably handy. But on the other hand I really don't want to screw with broken stuff on the playa, I want to spend my time with the art and with the people.

A hundred bucks for my main mode of transportation is not much considering how much I have already put into my shade structures and camping gear.

This one is cute: $120 (plus grease!) http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Huffy-Wome ... a/49058113

Have I ever told you all how much I value your advice? No? Well I will at the M&G.

[maladroit]

This one is cute: $120 (plus grease!) http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Huffy-Wome ... a/49058113

I'm 10 feet away from that exact bike, my girlfriend already has some fur on it. You'd be pretty happy with it, looks even better in person. We got compliments while walking it out of the store.

[Elliot]

1. Discard both old shifters.
2. Discard front derailleur:



(Your method may vary.)

3. Leave chain on middle sprocket.
4. Purchase lever/friction shifter for $6.99, with wire, delivered to your door:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Sunrace-SLM ... 56894c6a86



5. Unscrew the top of the shifter and remove the little white plastic piece and the spring under it; reassemble:



Now you have a pure friction shifter that you can set exactly where you want for any gear.

6. Install shifter.
7. Adjust cable so all five gears work.
8. Adjust friction on lever so it stays where you put it, and not tighter.
9. Ride.
10. Keep in mind that the general technique when shifting... is to move the lever until the chain moves to the next sprocket, and then move the lever a t-i-n-y bit back for smooth and noise-free riding.
To shift, both the crank and the wheel must be rotating forward, but do not apply significant force to the pedals while shifting.

The technical term for Step 2 is a Full Frontal Derailleurectomy.

[ZigZag]

The technical term for Step 2 is a Full Frontal Derailleurectomy.

That is so awesome!! Thank you!!

[Eunos94]

Elliot, I like the way you wrench. *tips hat*