[mom_of_3_ts]

So we disided to go for a ride "before the storm hit" and well didn't make it got about 7 miles out and it started to sprinkle. by the time we got about 3 miles back it started to pour and by the time we got home well.. lets say still waiting for my shoes to dry out
it seems I have a slight problem with my rode bike .. the wing nut thing that adjust the shifter tension broke and for some reason when I shift up to the larger ( you know the thing that the peddles are attached to can't think of the word ) any way i shift and it shifts it's self back which is why thing wing nut thing got broke trying to adjust it .
and I had my frist tumble the other day.. while ridding in Cambridge I came to an intersection and stopped to ask which way we wre going to go and because of the incline of the curb i could not get my footing after I stopped and the next thing i knew I was falling in the dreaded slow motion fall and actually landed in the street infront of a car at the red light ( thank goodness it was red) but no sooner was i down I was up. then I rode to the dunken dounts ( which are on every block here ) and sat inspected the bike and my wonunds and my pride was hurt more than anything. and the only damage to the bike i found was it bent the seat which I don't understand how it happend
anway we surrived the storm which was a whole lot of nothing here ..I hope every one else had a safe and dry weekend

[photosbymark]

Well it was probably connected, which side did you fall on?? IF you went over on the right side its possible you bent the cage where the chain runs through to shift gears. If its bent, it might be able to be straightened, it may not be bent enough that an adjustment can not take care of it, or it may be replaced. It bent the structure under the seat because the seat hit something solid on the way down. Bikes can find the most unique ways to crash. This one probably is beyond many cyclist to do on their own. There could be more bent than you found.

You obviously haven't sat through a hurricane before and you really still haven't unless you were in NC. They don't play. Getting hit by a 2x4 driven by winds at 70+ that can be one minute calm, the next minute 25 mph and the next so strong standing up is a chore. Some nut doesn't tie down their lawn chairs, and they become objects ready to take out anything in their path. No thanks, but glad you are ok. Mark yourself down as having gotten away with one.

[mom_of_3_ts]

I lived in Fla for 17 yrs so yes I know what they can so what I was saying is where we are didnt get hit with much of anything but they shut everything down like of was going to be awful . Actually I was in thunder storms that were worse this past spring in Indiana by the time it was here it was a tropical storm and not very impressive.
The bike was not working correctly before I fell over and it was to the left . but I'm sure it didn't help any and the nut thingy broke before I fell over also didn't put things in very good order I had 3 different days of ridding combined. Yes I'm sure also with as old as the bike is there will be more things go wrong quickly since it is being ridden more than it had in years before . I'll figure it all out in time.

[Grape Ape]

The nut thing is actually the tensioner that holds the shifter in place. The front derailleur has a spring in it that causes it to pull back to the lowest ring. When you shift the cable pulls against the spring putting the chain up on the big ring. The nut on the shifter provides the necessary tension to hold the shifter in place and the chain up on the big ring. So you will have to replace the nut. also check to make sure the washers and such that are supposed to be on the shifter are there. as without those on some of the styles of shifters the nut can be tightened all the way to breaking without holding right. I would say this is a repair for the bike shop so they can make sure all the little parts are there.

Through the years I have yet to find the weather that wasn't worth riding in. Yeah sometimes it sucks but when you are done the pride beats the weather.

[mom_of_3_ts]

Ok but should I have to adjust the nut every time I shift or shouldn't there be a tightness that will let me change gears and hold it in place too ?

[mom_of_3_ts]

And I love the hair cuts lol

[bikebum1975]

I had the samething happen to me on my Sonic one day she just didn't wanna shift to the upper ring. Called my LBS he told me what to do I just tightened up the wig nut on the lever sure enough she shifts fine ow. It's always a good idea to check all stuff like that make sure the nuts and such are tight enough after so many rides some say check that almost every ride. I usually give my bike a check over couple times a month more so if I do a ton of riding.

[mom_of_3_ts]

well when i losen it enough to shift it would not hold and then I'd have to tighten it up and after a few of thoese it broke and i'm going back to Indiana tomrrow so I'm not going to be riding it for a while because it will stay here and i'll be back on my mt bike at home.
so it will just have to wait till I can get back here in a couple of months

[bikebum1975]

Sounds like the nut itself just might be stripped due to age stop on by your LBS they should have a new one for ya. I do find I have to tighten mine once in a while now but rarely

[photosbymark]

with the old friction shift systems, sometimes there were pieces up in there that would wear and need to be replaced from time to time. People have been known to take them apart, and then not get them back together the way they came off and low and behold there are problems. Gee I wouldn't have done that now would I? Not any more likely than me being sarcastic.

Then if it takes a little time for the problem to surface again, the next person takes it apart and then doesn't know it wasn't put back together right in the first place.

I wouldn't expect an expensive fix, but it probably needs a pro wrench. I have been known to tinker with something for hours, some times days, dealing with frustrations of trying to figure out why it wasn't working. I like to tinker, but there is tinkering and then there is tinkering. A different set of eyes and 10 minutes from a pro and problem solved. Sometimes I end up spending money replacing something, doing something ect that wasn't the problem in the first place that cost way more than the wrench.