I went to check out this bike last night and couldn’t get it because I didn’t have cash on hand. I’m considering returning tonight but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Everything seemed fine regarding the frame, brakes, and rear shifting. The chain is in good shape as well. The only issue was that I couldn’t shift the front derailleur. Currently, the seller is offering it for 200. How much of an issue could this be, and how much might it cost to fix? I think it could probably use a new crankset but I’m mostly new to this. Thanks!
by Hatarislog
2 Comments
The pictures do not have any definite answer to what is going on. But here is what I notice, and the steps I would take the fix it. I notice that this bike is 20-25 years old with original components, I notice the chain has a little surface rust, I notice that the rear shifter housing is split, and I notice that the drivetrain is overall quite dirty and greasy.
I would definitely replace the shifter cables and housing reajusting the derailleurs, I would definitely do a thorough drivetrain clean. This is 90% likely to significantly improve the shifting and you should be in for no more than $35 worth of parts but you do have to learn basic bike maintanence skills. I would consider replacing the chain as well depending how it turns out after cleaning. The chainrings on the crankset look totally fine. If it has issue still after that it is time to deal more seriously fixing or replacing the front derailleur itself which can be quite cheap, or the brifter which is where things get expensive.
You might be able to get that shifter working in just a few minutes. The guy below explains what happens and shows an easy solution. lf that’s not the problem, the cable housing might be frayed where it sits in the shifter. To check that, loosen the tension bolt on the front derailleur and pull the cable housing out of the shifter (only enough to inspect the end). lf the end is frayed, it’s off to the bike shop for a simple replacement. That’s a good price for that bike, even better if you get that shifter working with a little WD 40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzLxyrVQ_00