Shifting into 1st

[Rusty Rocket]

Hi, so I’ve just started riding again, and aware that new bikes need a bit of bedding in with stretchy cables etc, and I’ve looked around on the web for an answer but haven’t found it, hopefully it’s not too daft a question!

My bike (folder) has 1 cog at the front, and 8 at the back. I took it out for its first ride yesterday and I struggled/failed to get it into first gear.

I’ve read elsewhere that you shouldn’t really go big cog to big cog (or small to small) but wherever I’ve seen this it’s normally referring to a 3 cog chainset.

So does the same rule apply to single cog chainset? Do I have an 8 speed bike with 7 useable gears or should I be able to use 1st gear, just need to tune it so all 8 are working.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Specialeyes]

The latter - you have an 8-speed bike and should be able to use all 8 gears without difficulty. As it was the bike's first ride, it's likely that the problem is either the limit screw on the rear derailleur set a bit too far in (it's designed to stop the derailleur moving beyond the largest sprocket and potentially mangling in the spokes and ant the very least dropping the chain) or the gear indexing is slightly out as the cable outers have compressed (which is what usually gets called 'cable stretch'). Both are easy fixes.

If there's a barrel adjuster where the cable enters the rear derailleur, give it a half- to a turn anti-clockwise and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't then, with the chain in the 2nd sprocket, see if you can push the derailleur across to the lowest gear by hand - watch the inner workings of the derailleur parallelogram and you'll see if the limit screw hits the stop before the jockey wheels are aligned a gnat's past the largest sprocket. If it does hit the stop, try backing the screw off a little until you can push the derailleur all the way over.

 

[figbat]

All gears should be achievable - sounds like it needs fettling.

 

[Rusty Rocket]

The latter - you have an 8-speed bike and should be able to use all 8 gears without difficulty. As it was the bike's first ride, it's likely that the problem is either the limit screw on the rear derailleur set a bit too far in (it's designed to stop the derailleur moving beyond the largest sprocket and potentially mangling in the spokes and ant the very least dropping the chain) or the gear indexing is slightly out as the cable outers have compressed (which is what usually gets called 'cable stretch'). Both are easy fixes.

If there's a barrel adjuster where the cable enters the rear derailleur, give it a half- to a turn anti-clockwise and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't then, with the chain in the 2nd sprocket, see if you can push the derailleur across to the lowest gear by hand - watch the inner workings of the derailleur parallelogram and you'll see if the limit screw hits the stop before the jockey wheels are aligned a gnat's past the largest sprocket. If it does hit the stop, try backing the screw off a little until you can push the derailleur all the way over.

Thanks, good to know - will have a fiddle with it tomorrow and see how I get on. Much appreciated

 

[Ajax Bay]

Is the gear cable slack when you're in the smallest sprocket? From there can you get 7 clicks on the shifter?
Quite possible that one of the ferrules in the gear cable path has settled properly into its slot after being set up and before riding, and the cable tension has been lost.

 

[I like Skol]

aware that new bikes need a bit of bedding in with stretchy cables etc

This is bollix! Cables don't stretch and the 'bedding in' can be done in seconds by tugging the cable to fully seat all the ferrules etc. Your 1x8 set up should give all 8 gears with no issues.

 

[Cycleops]

I’ve read elsewhere that you shouldn’t really go big cog to big cog (or small to small) but wherever I’ve seen this it’s normally referring to a 3 cog chainset.

No such issues with a single chainring up front.