How to

[CycleSafeUK]

Hi, I've got a very old and rusty Muddyfox Icarus, I've given it a fairly basic service just to so it can pedal about and be used just for the odd leisurely ride.
It's a 5x3 speed, both shifters are completely broken and don't have any effect on the bike at all.
I'm not fussed about replacing the shifters rather just want to make the bike rideable, it's currently lodged in 5th gear on the rear mech which makes it quite hard to ride, obviously if i move it randomly to a smaller gear it will go back to 5th because the shifter is stuck in 5th. How can I get it to go to an easier 3rd gear despite the broken shifters.
The tension screws are also pretty much damaged hence why i can't just ease that a little to shift the gears.
Regards

 

[Cycleops]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you've got an original Muddy Fox and not one of the awful Mike Ashley cheapies, which is good.
You've got several options cheapest of which is to buy a cheap rear mech, any speed and adjust the limit screws so it holds the chain in one gear. You'll probably need a new chain too. You'll then have a single speed bike. Alternatively also buy a new thumb bar shifter new cables etc you can have a operational gear system. You might have trouble finding a five speed thumb shifter so you might need to change the rear gear cluster to 7 speed freewheel, but it's not expensive.
Please post a pic of the bike to show the gears etc.

 

[sleuthey]

Hi, I've got a very old and rusty Muddyfox Icarus, I've given it a fairly basic service just to so it can pedal about and be used just for the odd leisurely ride.
It's a 5x3 speed, both shifters are completely broken and don't have any effect on the bike at all.
I'm not fussed about replacing the shifters rather just want to make the bike rideable, it's currently lodged in 5th gear on the rear mech which makes it quite hard to ride, obviously if i move it randomly to a smaller gear it will go back to 5th because the shifter is stuck in 5th. How can I get it to go to an easier 3rd gear despite the broken shifters.
The tension screws are also pretty much damaged hence why i can't just ease that a little to shift the gears.
Regards

Not sure what you mean by tension screws but if the high low screws are operational on the rear mech use them to select a permanent gear after releasing the gear cable. If you have horizontal drop outs then get a chain tool and remove the rear mech completely and shorten the chain

 

[Ajax Bay]

both shifters are completely broken and don't have any effect on the bike at all.
I'm not fussed about replacing the shifters rather just want to make the bike rideable

From your 'inner tube' thread:

Hi, I am a bicycle mechanic in the south east of England,
I've had a customer come in for an inner tube replacement

What sort of broken shifters are they?
As a bike mechanic you must know what limit screws are and how they can be used to set up the chain on a chainring and a sprocket which will allow you to potter around on it. If you are calling the limit screws 'tension screws' (and they are dysfunctional) then to fix the chain/derailleur on the middle sprocket, cut the cable up by the stem and remove from its shifter. Use a bottle cage bolt (loosen the bottom one on the downtube) to secure the cable so that the RD guides and keeps the chain onto the middle sprocket. Tidy up the cable end. Same routine for the front derailleur to fix the FD cage suitable for the chain to run on the middle chainring.
I have to say that riding a bike which could so easily be fixed in a bodged way like this is anathema to me. OK if you're 250km into a 400, maybe, but not otherwise. Have some respect for her.

 

[CycleSafeUK]

I have to say that riding a bike which could so easily be fixed in a bodged way like this is anathema to me. OK if you're 250km into a 400, maybe, but not otherwise. Have some respect for her.

I understand what you mean mate,
the bike is only going to be used probably once every 2/3 weeks hence why I wasn't fussed on spending on it even if it was very little.

 

[CycleSafeUK]

I should've mentioned in my original post, the high low screws are dysfunctional, the derailleur is also in a poor state after looking at it last night.
By 'tension screw' i meant as in the barrel adjuster on the handlebar as the cable was generally loose anyway. Again, sorry on my clarity.

 

[CycleSafeUK]

Update:
All sorted now, after taking the bike out into the light, the high low screws turned out to have just been rusted through completely hence why they didn't work. The derailleur also isn't in as poor condition as i thought. Otherwise, I've modified the limit screws and the bike is now in 3rd gear as intended. It only gets used once or twice every few weeks so i'm happy with just lodging the gear as it is rather than replacing the shifter. I've got a different fully functional bike that I use far more often and take care of anyway.
Thanks again.