remoteportal

I have two inexpensive ("cheap") Walmart mountain bikes.

On both bikes the Dynagrip Falcon shifters won't shift or shift with extreme difficulty.

The derailleurs seem to be fine because I can pull the metal cable at the destination and the mechanics move pretty easily. So, I think the problem is either in the controllers or cabling.

I'm bad at maintaining bikes and am wondering what to do:

1) Should I attempt to oil/grease the system? How do you do this? Should I attempt to open the controllers and put in WD-40? Can I spray that inside the cabling conduit?

2) Should I attempt replace the cabling?

3) The bikes cost $70-$80. If the cost of repairing them is over $40 I'd probably just buy new (cheap) bikes.

Pete
Welsey Chapel, NC

Reference:
Dynagrip Falcon Model MLG-26i on left handlebar
Dynagrip Falcon Model MLG-2LI on right handlebars

Don in Austin

Are these bikes Huffys?

I am a member of a minority that will defend "department store bikes." I own two Wal-Mart Schwinns I bought used that are doing me fine. One Schwinn MTB I have put a buttload of miles on. Both have Shimano shifters and other reasonably decent components. They are not the ultimate in light weight or high-tech but are quite rideable. Having said that, the very cheapest department store bikes such as a Huffy do not seem to be worthy of so much as the cost of adding a bell or taillight. I think you might have a lost cause here.

Don in Austin

bikinfool

You might simply have kinked/contaminated housing/cable, although it's possible the shift mechanism could simply use some lubrication as well. The WD40 into the shift mechanism followed by some actual lube might be a start. You can also pull the cable out of the housing and inspect for kinks (replace if you can't straighten them out), clean, lube the cable (lightly with triflow would be my recommendation) and reinstall, although it may be time for new housing as well.

Torchy McFlux

You get what you pay for.

LarDasse74

I am not familiar with the shifters you mention... but if I were you, and the maximum damage I could possibly do is $80, I would try to fix it and see what happens.

First thing I would do is release the cable from the derailleur (usually a 9mm nut or pinch bolt holding it in place) to see if the cable housing moves freely on the cable. If the housing is not at fault then try to slide the shifters off the bars and take them apart and see what happens. I am familiar with older Sram Gripshift shifters and they were a royal pain to disassemble, but Falcon might be simpler.

A final thought - sometimes problems like these are caused by improper cable routing, or interference with the cables caused by badly installed accessories (a cable does not slide smoothly when there is a lock bracket clamped over it, and cables don't work wel if they are wrapped around the frame twice before heading to the derailleur).

Good luck... and if the bikes are pretty new... just bring them back and Walmart will prbably just give you new ones that may or may not work better.

CACycling

As others mentioned, start by shooting everything with WD40 and cycling is all a few times to see if that helps. If it does, lube it and ride it.

If it doesn't, see if you can slip the housing out of a brazeon (the part on the bike where the frame holds the housing and the inner cable continues on - sometimes there is a slit that allows the inner cable to slide through). This will take the tension off so you can try the grip shift to see if it is the problem. If it is the grip shift and using WD40 and cycling it didn't free it up, the grip shift is shot.

If the grip shift is fine, you can get a complete set of cables and housing at Walmart for $5 or $6 and you can replace it all.

sonatageek

I really sounds like a cable issue. I would not open up the shifters or shoot them with lube until you have ruled out a cable, housing or routing issue. If you disconnect the cable at the derailleur and pull it out of the housing, try to move the shifter. If the issue is related to the cable you should be able to move the shifter with normal ease.

If it is the cable, shoot WD-40 through the cable housing, clean off the cable and give it a coating of lube and then reinstall and test.