Hi, new to biking and all of the terminology, but I've been trying to read up.

Anyway, bought a new bike from Dick's Sporting Goods. It's a cheap bike, as I am on a budget. But it looked good enough for the occasional use I was going to put it to. Its a Diamondback road bike, with three gears in the front and 8 in the rear (making it a 24 speed?).

Anyway, the front gear will not change. I notice there are two screws that can be tightened or loosened above the silver thing that puts the chain into the different gears (is that called the cage?). I've been messing with them and can get it to upshift, but then not downshift...and vice versa. Sometimes it would shift, but then I can tell the chain is hitting that silver piece as evidenced by a clanking sound.

When I bought it, I got NO manual, and the lazy clerk only inflated the tires and checked the breaks. I don't know if he is supposed to check the gears or not, but he didn't.

I only bought it yesterday and will probably bring it back, as I called and they told me to bring it in so they can check on it.

Sorry for some newbness. Just looking for some answers if anyone can help. Thanks in advance!

edit, here is a pic of those screws:


In case its hard to tell, those screws are 90 degees to the length of the bike horizontally. That is the side view of the rear tire.

Could someone at least let me know if they're supposed to check the gears before you walk out the door with a new bike? Thanks.

Well, no...there's not really anything that says the HAVE too...but since 99.999999999999999% of actual bikeshops do it, I'd say good 'ol Dicks Sporting Goods employs...well...anyway. Those screws on your derailleur are limit screws which when adjusted correctly, keep the derailleur's in and out travel with a certain parameter, thus it won't throw your chain off either the inside or outside of the crank. Your rear derailleur has them as well...although..in my honest opinion, the rear is more important as the limit screw will prevent you from shifiting your derailleur into your spokes while your riding. Which, by the way generally has negative results! lol. The limit screws don't affect the shifting as much as just keeping the derailleur from going too far in either direction. Your lack of shifting is most likely due to an improperly adjusted cable. I'd give 'ol Dick a chance to save himself a future customer...but if they can't get it right...start taking your bike to another, more qualified local bike shop.

Thanks for the reply. I am regretting having to go to Dick's as I said since the employee wasn't helpful especially after we declined the warranty. He didn't even provide us with an instruction manual. But that place is the only one around here that has a decent selection of bikes, and we had to get a credit card there to afford the bikes. So we didn't have much choice.

Me and my g/f both bought bikes, so when we get a chance (I have a car, she has the truck) and our schedules work out, we're going to bring them both back up there and make sure to have them check both out.

The employee apparently lied to us about the warranty. He told us we couldn't buy it later, and he probably lied about checking to see if they have the manuals to the bikes as he couldn't find either. I just hope I don't have to deal with him again.