GMBN Tech Essentials Ep. 4 | Adjusting Gears

Setting up your gears can seem like an art, but it’s actually really easy with a little help from Doddy. This Essentials episode takes you through some drivetrain fixes and gets your gears shifting perfectly.
0:20 - All about shifters
2:06 - All about front derailleurs
4:44 - All about rear derailleurs
10:21 - Front derailleur problems and solutions
14:30 - Rear derailleur problems and solutions
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From the front derailleur to the rear, shifters and shifting problems, gears can actually be really easy to setup and get working correctly. Doddy goes through al the parts of the bike that makes your gears work, explaining how they work and also how to get the most out of them.
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[@gmbntech]

What else would you like to see covered in our Essentials series?

[@liam6200]

GMBN Tech maybe a video on tubeless maintenance for people who aren't clued up on it as much as others and seeing as tubeless is the norm these days too!

[@liam6200]

Brake pad centralising would be a useful video for folk out there perhaps?

[@Z1E1K1E]

Mins 8:17 looks like that shift cable needs to be replaced soon...

[@ulukai_555]

Hi you should have said for the last problem that a used chain or cassette can too cause weird and untunable gear shifting.

[@jensondartnall4716]

Wheel trueing dishing etc. Would be a good topic

[@gwidjeskog]

No mention of bent derailleur hanger as a cause of erratic shifting?

[@thegravityenthusiast8632]

God bless the extensive GMBN tech catalog

[@scottyfpv5651]

This cleared up a lot for me. Thanks for the video!

[@69peterpumpkineater]

Thanks for the series so far! I've been watching your videos since I started mountain biking and even now as a competent home mechanic still watch them and learn new things here and there!

[@josereneducharme142]

Ten thousands "How to" videos condensed into one swell DIY . Double thumbs up!

[@lennygermany1507]

Better late than never , but I,m binge watching all I can from you guy,s , and this one has hopefully saved me from " trying " to get an appointment at my LBS .. thanks a bunch

[@saenzteiger]

You forgot to tackle shifting symptoms when the rear hanger is bent. That would be helpful tho. 😁

[@g.ldutton1952]

Just watching this has made me go and have a tinker with mine.... thanks Doddy 👍

[@leebridgwater]

Wow, you can't get more detailed than that. 👍

[@savoirfaire8979]

*Bruh. Doddy normally uses clean demonstration bikes, but the blue one is filthy.*

[@carloswithac]

Thank you! I needed this refresher.

[@joeocarroll1561]

This whole series is a great idea doddy💪🏽A good way to make sure everyone can keep riding🙏🏼

[@lukeallen310]

Would love to see a crank and bottom bracket video

[@bobbyhempel1513]

Top tip. Always do a pre-ride safety check ( check tension on all bolts, check chain wear and tire condition/pressure), keep the "dork disk" on (even if your mech is perfectly adjusted a stray stick can throw your chain over the cassette and into your spokes.

[@darrinpoirier4736]

Love these videos! Always very helpful and inspires confidence for the DIY-er! Thanks!

[@th_js]

Great video Doddy even though this is nothing new for me but still entertaining to watch 👍🏻

[@angelxmoreno6477]

thanks for the help, i was having serious issues on my last ride, only being able to use gear 8 and 10 whilst climbing. turns out, my cable just needed a little more tension. i love to work on my own bike but get a bit fearful cause i don’t want to make a little problem bigger, specially with a $4k bike. Your channel gives me the confidence and knowledge i need. thank you

[@jackadler5941]

Excellent tutorial, thanks Doddy.

[@Sycoholic]

Ahhhh... just got done messing with my shifting today. Shifting seemed a little off since I got the bike a month ago. Well, she finally fell off into the spokes. Luckily I was riding my home trail as I had to pull the cassette to get the chain out it was so bad. Well, 5 minutes of fine tuning and she shifts sooo much better and won't drop off into the spokes anymore. That'll teach me to ignore issues.

[@joegislam86]

Think gmbn might need a group “ how to clean your bike video”! 😜

[@thomaswolski1043]

Doddy youre a weapon. Just what I needed.

[@jesusenriqueriveratellez531]

Very practical tips, thanks doddy. I would like to see how’s the correct way to Align disc rotors. See you around.

[@gtflyer]

I had the erratic shifting problem on my new bike, when I replaced the cassette from a 11-42 to a Boxone 11.46. I finally checked the mech mounting screws, and sure enough they just loose enough to cause the problem. Once tightened up, the bike shifted perfect.. @Doddy, can you do a video on how to remove, and replace a the rear wheel on a hardtail, where the tire is fairly close to the seat post..? I have a devil of a time getting my wheel on, even with the clutch disengaged..Great show, as usual.

[@POVMTB1]

forgot one thing to mention and explain, mech hanger bend, i work in a bike shop, that is the most common issue people happen to have

[@ArthurMac15]

Do you have tips on doing this if you cant get your gearing fixed once you've tried to adjust everything else?

[@johnjohannemann536]

Great info, TY 🚲

[@izenteno78]

Great info as always Dodd!

[@mikieson]

very good detailed HOW TO..Thanks!

[@rich3633]

Screws on shimano are JIS (Japanese Industry Standard) rather than Phillips or pozi. Worth getting one or two JIS drivers👍

[@dartwadermovies]

Hi , I have a question. I have a 12 speed gx eagle transmission and I have trouble with it. The top 4-5 gears work fine , but the harder gears just shift up and down uncontrollably when shifted onto. I have gotten my hanger checked and it is perfectly straight. Any ideas why that might be happening ? The transmission is quite new the first chain isn’t even worn yet.

[@stephenbohn592]

Very very well done! Thank you so much. Very professional, and fun! Right on target!! - - American professor Henry; master aviation internal combustion tech/trainer and are you a visual media producer performer

[@chumpmtb2554]

How about hard shifting? Sram Eagle XO1. Brand new, adjustments correct, hanger isn't bent. Shifts timely and smoothly, all the way through, in both directions, but when shifting to a lighter gear, under slight load, it is very loud, clanky, and kind of a grinding sound. The example would be, when transitioning into a climb from a downhill, finding yourself in too tough of a gear, and trying to get into a lighter gear quickly during the pedal stroke. Thanks!

[@T40Z]

Great vid mate! Any chance of an essentials video on fox forks - cleaning/servicing etc? Cheers 🤘

[@badlarry172]

thanks

[@SeptemRoptem]

Thank you soo much 😎

[@munkley123]

I've got an issue after changing my chain and cassette. Can shift from the smallest cogs to the largest (all the way through) but when going back again its sticking on most of them. Would this be cable tension?

[@jdavis417]

Concerning the issue with 2nd chainring getting noisy when the highest gear is selected in combination... don't do that! The concept that you have an "X"-speed transmission calculated by taking the number of chainrings X the number of gears in the rear mech is (generally) a fallacy. 3-5 gears is typically what you should expect to use for each chainring. The chain design is a controlling factor since each rear mech progression (8 to 9... 9 to 10, etc.) uses a more flexible (and weaker) chain to accomplish the side-to-side requirements of the rear mech. I'm generalizing and there will be exceptions... also, you might just have to tolerate a little noisiness... there's no significant wear (I'm told) caused by such slight interference considering how little time we mountain bikers can reasonably spend in a single gear selection.

[@MarineMan017]

I would like to see changing out a hyraulic dropper to a mechanical one like a reverb to a transfer.

[@aaronkameric1419]

Ghost shifting when pedalling? Whenever I put the power down it slips gears all over the place on its own, both up and down the cassette. Driving me mental.

[@michaelkleinberg269]

Cannot get the derailleur to shift into 1st gear (the largest cog)

[@philc6820]

when i go backwards or fakie on my montainbike, the chain on the front derailleur jumps from the 2nd gear to the 1rst gear i dont realy know what is the reson for this

[@nickwatkins5227]

Another great tip is clean your bike more often.

[@rickmoz]

Doddy .... what is the recommended torque for the jockey wheels on the sram nx you used in this video

[@roberthenry9108]

👍

[@jamesw496]

Suspension essentials

[@edwinparson346]

I'm perplexed why there is blue duct tape on the non chain side of the lower chain stay... can't be for chain slap protection.

[@Dude-Smellmyhelmet]

Frame pivot bearing replacement....

[@error0815]

Trail Work there is a Video on that already on GMBN, not part of the essential series tough

[@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_]

What's up if on one gear in the middle I can shift to the smaller cog perfect but shifting back to the big one it doesn't switch (but gets noisy) and if I shift again it goes two gears bigger? Everything else on every other gear is perfect.

[@th_js]

Bent hanger or cable tension

[@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_]

@@th_js Need more cable tension? My barrel is tightened to the max so it might be the problem.

[@th_js]

@@Hunter_Bidens_Crackpipe_ just loosen it all the way and then 1 revolution back and then slightly pull the cable tighter at the RD end if that's the problem

[@Dude-Smellmyhelmet]

I would guess a bent hanger or derailleur.

[@69peterpumpkineater]

Sometimes it's best to just chuck in a new inner and housing cables and start over.

[@rickcarlson4208]

Why do bikes not have the rear derailleur above the cassette so that you don't damage it as easily?

[@markopolo9559]

Doddy. Why has the drive always on the right hand side of the frame or if it has been done then by who?

[@mattgies]

I'm not sure why right-side drive is the norm, but there are some bikes out there that are left-side drive. Some freestyle BMX bikes come with a left-side drive option for people who prefer to do grinds on the right side. And in the polar oppsosite end of the cycling universe, Felt made a left-side drive track racing bike, operating under the theory that if you're constantly turning left, your aerodynamic drag is less if your drivetrain is on the left side since there's marginally less airspeed on that side.

[@sidnt6091]

Hi doddy I bought some crank brothers stamp 2 flat pedals and the Allen key bolt used to tighten them into the crank does not turn the thread. The bolt it’s self turns however it doesn’t engage the pedal thread turning. Is this a fault In the pedal or am I doing something wrong. Would appreciate any thoughts.

[@_Steven_S]

Do you have them on the correct side (they are 'footed')?

[@th_js]

I have them too, just make sure you have them the correct way around and pedals always tighten to the front of the bike.

[@sidnt6091]

Tomi Saaranen that is not the problem it is a very difficult problem to explain. I am almost sure it is a fault in the pedal as the Allen key bolt does not turn the thread, the bolt itself turns but not the thread so they aren’t connected. Seen as you have them and seem to have not suffered the problem it must be a faulty pedal. But thankyou very much for the help

[@th_js]

@@sidnt6091Oh that's very very strange. Are you 100% sure you are using the right size Allen key? Since the CB's pedals use a 8mm hex and can often be mistaken to a 6mm one. And if you are absolutely certain it's a faulty product, you should do a warranty thingy

[@sidnt6091]

Tomi Saaranen ok I will try that thanks

[@msweeney61050]

2 other causes of erratic shifting: 1) chain stretched and needs replacement and 2) cable incorrectly routed through derailleur body

[@gavinsorenson461]

Just watched a good ol back in the day video with doddy in it! Grow your hair out again doddy!

[@gmbntech]

😂

[@jenslaursen1]

Hi, I usually strugle with the indexing doesn't match the gears. It is like 10-9-8 will work then 2-3-4 will not, like it will be jumping, and if adjusting then the problem just change to the opposite end of the casette. I do not understand this issue when in when ever video I watch it is like if it works in one end i must also in the other. This is not a problem I have had only once I have had it several times on different setups. Can anyone explain? Thank you

[@nicliddell2511]

hi i found that if the cable tensioner was at the mech was even slightly too tight would cause the symptoms you have described

[@_Steven_S]

Usually something bent - cage or hanger. Sometimes excessive play in the mech pivot.

[@th_js]

Most likely a bent hanger.

[@jenslaursen1]

It is a complet New setup in one case.

[@th_js]

They still could be bent or just loose

[@andreasgeorgoulias3091]

100th like!

[@angelociocca9362]

I tightened my barrel adjuster all the way and my bike still won’t shift down

[@MaQuGo119]

Sram's bear trap tho

[@Dude-Smellmyhelmet]

It hurts

[@mileswheatcroft]

3rd

[@gavinsorenson461]

2nd

[@Jman-kn7yo]

First

[@thomashardbattle4287]

Front mecha make me angry

[@Muler3627]

Well, I'm early here aren't i?

[@Clynikal]

How to adjust the front derailleur…remove the bastard thing