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Problem with my Front Derailleur on my Bike
#1
I've got a problem with the front derailleur on my 21 speed mountain bike. The bikes chain keeps moving to gear one or even slipping off the chain entirely on the front when I try to ride it. I use this bike to get around my college campus, so I use this bike every day, so I need this bike to work.

The bike in question is a 1996 Marin bolinas ridge mountain bike I got at a garage sale years ago for $25. The bike has been working great so far, except for today.

After doing some research my bike uses a Shimano atlus bottom bracket Front derailleur. I think I figured out the problem, I just need to know what tools I will need to fix this or if it's even worth my time.

I believe the problem is the bottom bracket for the derailleur is not flush right up against the bike frame, so the whole front derailleur is at a weird angle. The derailleur cage then pushes the chain to a low gear of even off the gears entirely.

Here is the bottom bracket at the weird angle:

https://imgur.com/CdmUnEn

If I push my hand on the derailleur and make the bottom bracket totally flush, the cage no longer hits the chain and the bike shifts gears normally.

https://imgur.com/CvLAw7K

Also, this is my ghetto way of solving this problem for now:

https://imgur.com/eIE8HUt

Since I am in college, I have no tools whatsoever. I think I have a screwdriver in a drawer somewhere but that's it. All my tools are at my parents house right now. Now I had two things on hand that I could use to fix this, a wood chip and some tape. I shoved the wood chip in-between the derailleur cage to force the cage out of the way, so the cage no longer hits the chain. This will probably only last a few days, and Obviously I can't shift the front gears anymore.

How can I fix this? Also what tools will I need to fix this? Any help would be very much appreciated.
  Reply
#2
I'm going to say up front that I have no idea how you can fix your bike.

I just wanted to give you props for the wood chip solution. I've been experimenting with elastic bands and a golf pencil on my handlebars to keep my malfunctioning left thumb-shifter set to high gear - for I, too, am an impoverished university student with no money for tools or shop repairs Smile
  Reply


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