troypolamalu

I just got me an old schwinn world sport and I absolutely love it. I put new tires and tubes on it, but it is not shifting very smoothly and it will not shift into the lowest gear. The bike has not been rode in probably 28+ years so I did expect this. Is this something that going and getting a tune up can fix?

Thank you!

Koa C.

yeah, any shop would be able to adjust the derailleurs pretty quickly, though like you said, since it's so old a complete tune up would take care of everything and probably be around $50 or so depending on what all has to be done.

troypolamalu

thank you for the reply

CJ C

troy,

Youtube and a screwdriver will be your friend if you rather spend $50 on a nice dinner.

caloso

I'd just have the cables and housing replaced while you're at it.

SouthFLpix

If you're even slightly mechanically inclined, I recommend doing it yourself also. Not only will it be cheaper, you will be a lot more confident about your bike because you will know how to work on it or how to adjust it when things go wrong.

monsterpile

The derailer limiting screw might need to be adjusted thats the most likely thing.

frantik

a "tune up" doesn't mean anything.. ask specifically what services are performed if your local shop offers a tune up

and chances are this is something you could easily fix

MK313

I found this link to be extremely useful in adjusting my own derailleurs
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

JAG410

Since you have friction shifters, it's very easy. A shop should charge you $8 each to adjust a derailleur, but it's so easy, use that money for beer instead.

A couple years ago someone typed out this "how-to" on a forum and I saved it. I wish I knew who wrote it to get them proper credit, because it's the best guide I've found. Not all of this will apply to your friction/stem shifter setup, but I'm pasting the whole thing anyways.

Pasted below:

"DONT mess with the hi/low screws unless youre unable to get one extreme of the cassette - theyre known as high/low LIMIT screws for a reason.

The hi/low screws basically dictate the limits of the cage - how far it can move, adjusting them wrongly will either allow the mech to go further than it should (ie, if possible, off the ends of the cassette), or it will prevent them going far enough (ie, you dont get the full range).

If you mess with them when theyve been moved, youll need to set them all over again

For me personally, its easier to do that with the cable not attached.

Method:
High.
1) Release the cable from the mech so you have nothing holding it into a certain position, let it hang down, dont bother to remove the housings from their inserts, its not neccessary
2) Allow the derailleur to hang slack (ie, with no pressure exerted anywhere on it) and it will sit in its default position. If you now cycle the crank to allow the gear to switch to the correct gear on the cassette (for the current mech position), hopefully it will sit in the smallest (hardest) cog.
3) If the chain doesnt rest in the smallest cog after a few turns of the cranks, then you need to adjust the H(high) screw - if its sitting in the next to hardest gear, then you need to turn it anticlockwise. Do this a quarterturn at a time, and turn the crank through 180+ each turn of the limit screw. When it sits in the smallest cog happily (silently) then add another quarter turn
4) Next, grab the derrailuer by the main part of its body (the big chunky bit), and push this to move the cage inwards. While still holding the cage, turn the crank a little, and change the pressure on the cage until youre in the next-to-smallest cog.
5) Now release the cage (with the chain still in the next to smallest cog), and turn the cranks a few more times - if the chain smoothly and quietly moves into the smallest cog, then its fine and you dont need to do anything to it.

Low.
1)Push the cage out as far as it will go (as per step 4 in high), and cycle the crank to move the chain - if the chain goes smoothly into the largest (easiest) cog, then everything is fine with this limit.
2a) If the chain goes too far (ie, itll go into it, then past it and over the back of the cassette) then you need to turn the L(low) screw clockwise to prevent this happening.
2b) If the chain doesnt go far enough (when youre pushing the cage to its limit) then turn the L(low) anticlockwise, each quaterturn, cycle the crank and see if it will go into it yet.
3) When it goes into the largest cog easily, leave it be.

Then to check.
1) Look at the cage while youre holding it with your pressure, to put it into the largest cog.
2) If you look at it straight, the higher wheel on the mech arm should be directly inline with the largest cog
3) Release the tension and cycle the cranks to let the chain go into the smallest cog
4) Look at it straight again, the higher wheel on the mech arm should be directly inline with the smallest cog


Then adjust cable tension (following from above, with cable not attached).
1) Screw the barrel adjuster all the way in, then back it out about 1 turn.
2) Turn the crank, so that the chain sits in the smallest cog - if limits are set right, this will happen easily
3) Hold the cable taught and tap the finger trigger a few times, so that all cable tension is released - the window will show you the position of the highest gear (corresponding with the smallest cog) when you are done.
4) Now all cable is free - that is, there is no excess cable left in the shifter, hold the cable as tight as you can by hand, and position it into the groove on the mech - then tighten the bolt securely to hold it in place.
5) Cycle the crank, the chain should remain in the smallest cog, if this happens, try screwing the barrel adjuster all the way in - if it still doesnt go there: release it, screw the barrel adjuster out again and dont try so hard with the tension by hand! (this is unlikely)
6) Downshift (thumb trigger, until you hear ONE click), turn the crank, and it should shift to the next cog up (next smallest).
7) Dont be surprised when/if it doesnt - it so rarely does. Increase cable tension a quarterturn and turn the crank - repeat as neccessary
8) Now try the next downshift (if it works, move on). If it doesnt shift to the next cog, then increase tension another quarterturn and turn the crank - repeat as neccessary.
9) Repeat step 8 for the next two downshifts - so the tension for the first 4 downshifts have been
10) Now upshift back to the smallest cog - this should happen smoothly and work fine - if it does, then end here...
11) If it does not manage to get back into the smallest cog, then try releasing a little tension, and see if it will then go in. Then downshift a few times again - if the downshifts are fine, end here...
12) If you still have problems, let a little tension out, if you still have a problem, then change your high screw again and add a quaterturn anticlockwise and see if it will then sit into it. Then retension the cable and see if this improves things.

This method has always worked for me.

Though parktools do give a good method for it, I find this one to be better - I dont like doing it with the cable attached. Its fine for the low limit, but it can affect the high and since you have to adjust cable tension anyway, I prefer to release it altogether."