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    Love riding but no clue how to do maintenance

    I got this bike a few years ago and would ride it pretty often. I’ve stopped riding in the past year due to an accident (non bike related) but want to get back into it now.

    The last time I rode it the bike had a super lose chain, I tried changing the chain to a new one but it didn’t fix the problem. It lets me ride but when I slow down the chain sags until I start peddling again.

    I’m also having an issue shifting to certain gears. I’m having to press the shifting lever multiple times until it actually shifts the gears. Maybe the wire is stretched or lose or something?

    I would love any advice or if you guys have any links to where I can learn more about maintenance and working on the bike myself it would be greatly appreciated.

    (These are old photos from when the bike worked fine, no chain sag or issues shifting.)

    by li_Shadow_il

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    14 Comments

    1. SubstantialWin4251 on

      Start by looking at the Park Tool videos on YouTube, they have a video for almost everything. The host is an absolute legend

    2. goodhusband214 on

      Good for you for getting back on the bike and wanted to do maintenance on it. The issue describing is more than basic maintenance and I would suggest you get with a local bike club to find someone who can help you or a local Bike Shop and tell them you would like to learn how to do some of the basic maintenance yourself and have them do some others. It doesn’t come quickly or easily, but is a very learnable and important skill. Certainly make sure you know how to change your tires on the road to be able to fix a flat as a first necessary road skill.

    3. greg_regular on

      Do you have the right chain for the gearing? Is it a rear derailleur issue that the local bike shop could help with in a pinch? They might also tell you how to fix going forward and then buy the tools yourself.

    6. snmarkley7 on

      I would also search in your area for any bike co-ops or non profits. Some offer free or cheap workshops and will help you learn more or if you have the ability volunteering would allow you to learn a lot. sweet ride, cheers

    7. timxr_ on

      There definitely is chain sag in the photos!
      Check YouTube for measuring chain length and derailleur setup/indexing gears. You may need a new shifting cable too.

    8. RicketyGrubbyPlaudit on

      I want to know what folks think caused the suddenly sagging chain. Fatigued tension spring in the derailleur?

      Investigate your derailleur model and see what you can learn about it.

    9. dr_zubik on

      I started wrenching when mechanical shifting and rim brakes were peak performance. Very easy systems to learn. Spend some time on YouTube university and learn the basics: indexing adjustment, brake adjustment, installing new inner/outer cables. After that, add knowledge as needed: bottom bracket service, wheel trueing, etc.

      Modern bikes still use concepts of that bike. The only real difference is hydraulic brakes, but not difficult with proper knowledge and tools.

      Very pretty frame. I’ve been looking for a classic Bianchi for a while now. Sadly either not the right size or absurd money.

    10. ibike2500 on

      You might try finding a local bike club. Even if the club doesn’t offer maintenance training sessions, there are a lot of “bike geeks” who’d be glad to help.
      Buy them lunch or offer a beer… you’ll get a lot of takers.

    11. woogidy on

      Lots of bike shops in DC. You can definitely get some good guidance. Shout out to the weed bridge! Love that place!

    12. OldIllustrator5861 on

      Ahh…the dc aquaduct. I spent a lot of time there hanging out in my youth in the late 80’s-90’s doing things youth do 🙂

    14. 1kWattt on

      Yep second all the referrals for Park Tool videos, they should have a basic derailleur video you can start with. Also can try watching a basic derailleur adjustment video for “friction” style shifters or work on one irl to get a sense of how the systems operate. I started out rebuilding old schwinns and the like, they are very basic, but the principles are still the same as a $10k moder super bike. Google “how parallelogram rear derailleur works”. Good luck!

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