james300

I know it's controversial but i've converted my drop bars to a flat bar. However, i'm having problems. The brakes (canti), handlebar (shortened), grips (ergon) etc are excellent and all working fine - really happy with the setup and the way it feels. The gears on the other hand.........

The bike is a Carrera Zelos and is 14 speed (2x7) and I bought SRAM X3 7 speed trigger shifters. Reading other forums, it was said that a 3 speed shifter will work when there is only 2 front chainrings as long as i set the limiter screw. Having done this, i've found that changing from the small chainring to the larger one to be very very difficult - you need thumbs with biceps! I've tried slacking off the cable but then it doesn't work at all!

That i could live with though. The rear derailleur is the biggest problem. The shifter is 7 speed and the cassette is 7 speed, and i've read on the forum that MTB shifters and road rear cassettes and derailleurs are compatible but it keeps slipping gears. I've tried tinkering with the adjustment screws on the derailleurs but it still skips.

If anyone could help tell me where I'm going wrong i'd be very grateful. I'll not have any hair left soon!

Torchy McFlux

You don't mention what derailleurs you have exactly. SRAM X3 shifters are 1:1 ratio, I believe, so they won't work with Shimano stuff.

james300

Thanks for your reply Torchy McFlux.

The derailleurs i have are Shimano Tourney 7 speed. The RRAM shifter user manual says that it is a 1:1 ratio (although I'm not 100% sure what that means as far as gears go), but it also says that it is comparable with SRAM and Shimano front derailleurs.

Might it be something to do with the indexing or spacing?

Torchy McFlux

AFAIK, all Shimano stuff works on a 2:1 ratio, so 1:1 shifters will not work with them - which explains why you have to push so hard to make it go.
Trade those X3 shifters for some SRAM Attack (8-spd rear, 3-spd front) or TRX (7-spd rear, 3-spd front) shifters and you should be good.

james300

Brilliant. Thanks for your help. Will those shifters solve the issue of skipping gears on the rear derailleur? I assume the issues are connected.

james300

Annoyingly, it doesn't look like you can buy either of those shifters anymore. I'll have a look for some 2:1 ratio Shimano comparable shifters.

cs1

How about just replacing the rear derailleur with a SRAM? They're not that expensive either. Probably cheaper than new shifters. Good luck.

Retro Grouch 

One other thing to check:

Where your cable attaches to the front derailleur there is often a little tab. It looks like the shift cable should run under that tab but it doesn't. Route the cable over the tab and see what that does for your shifting effort.

Scooby Snax

A sram X3 rear derailer is $20 online, a set of shifters will set you back more. also if the front is really hard to shift, are you sure your front limit isn't too tight?

LesterOfPuppets

+1. Cable goes over the tab on Tourney front derailleurs or upshifting will be pretty much impossible.

james300

I'll have a look into that. As Scooby Snax also pointed out, they're not that expensive. Can pick them up for £15 here in the UK.

Would i also need to replace the front derailleur though? Or is that fine as it is? I'm not sure how the front works into the 2:1 / 1:1 ratio.

james300

You were right! I did run it under the tab. Thanks! I'll change that now and see how it is.

LesterOfPuppets

I have a feeling the X3 front shifter will work fine with a Tourney front derailleur.

cs1

It should work fine.