How to Set up Mountain Bike Gears

Setting up your mountain bike gears properly is a simple process that can save you hours of headache later on. Correctly adjusting your gears can be broken down into a three-step process and can be performed by any budding bicycle mechanic. Once you have purchased the gear set and installed them on the bicycle, follow the steps outlined below to tune your shifting to perfection.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Allen wrenches screwdrivers

1. Using the barrel adjusters (bolts with holes in them that the shifter cable passes through) on your shifters, loosen or tighten your shifter cable as needed. Loosening the cable makes it easier to shift to a higher gear, tightening the cable makes shifting to a lower gear easier.

2. Adjust your shifting further by using the barrel adjusters mounted on the derailleurs to loosen or tighten the cable once again.

3. Fine tune your shifting by using the limit adjustment screws located on top of the derailleur. Adjust the screw labeled "hi" for you top 4 or 5 gears and use the "low" screw to adjust the lower 3 or 4 gears. Your gears are adjusted correctly when your chain does not jump or "chatter" and each time you shift to a different gear, the derailleur finds it quickly and accurately.

Tips & Warnings

• Many bicycle shops will perform a quick tune-up for a nominal fee, which may be worth the cash if you are inexperienced or planning on a ride the same day.

Resources

• Mountainbike.com

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