TheEnthusiast

Well I've made this post before and I never got any help. My bike was in the shop for 2 months and the bicycle mechanic never touched it. Now I'm stuck with it again. When I try pushing down on the lever, it won't do anything. It has nothing to do with the tension screw. Does it have something to do with the High & Low Limit screws? I don't understand those things. Help and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you guys for your time!

bobotech

We need a LOT more details than that. What kiind of bike, what kind of shifter, does the derailleur move when you pluck the shifter cable, is it the front or rear, index or friction shifting, brand of shifter, etc etc etc.

TheEnthusiast

It's a 1988 or 85 Schwinn Sprint 12 Speed and it the rear derailleur (Suntour Allegro) that's not wanting to shift. Lubricant didn't do ****. I don't know what you mean by index or friction shifting. :/

Hendo252 

I'd suggest finding another bike shop (or bike coop) to help you with your problem.

At the very least, try to be more descriptive. "I try to push on the lever but it doesn't do anything" doesn't give us the info we need to try and help you. Do you mean the lever doesn't move? Or the lever moves, but the cable on the other end doesn't move? Or the cable moves but the RD doesn't move? or ????

Start with the Park Tool site and lean the basics so you can better communicate to us. And good pictures are often helpful too.

And of course Sheldon Brown has a ton of info too; learn the lingo so you can clearly communicate the situation and you will be rewarded with plenty of good advice.

But you will be best served by getting somebody local to look at it. If the shop you went too gave you poor service, find another shop or coop.

bobotech

Okay I missed rear in the title. LOL

Anyway, first thing, does the rear derailleur move at all when you pluck the rear derailleur cable from the downtube? THat will tell us if the derailleur is moving at all. Pull the cable away from the downtube and watch the rear derailleur.

And read and take heed of the info presented by the previous poster.

TheEnthusiast

When I pluck the cable away from the down tube, the derailleur moves.

Pibber

well, that's a good sign. can you post some pictures when you get a chance? specifically of the shifter, the Rear Derailleur, and/or any of the cable travel between the shifter and the RD. some close ups of where the rear axle sits in the drop outs may be helpful, as well.

indexed shifting means that the shifter clicks into gearing positions as you shift. you won't have to search for the gear as the shifter position has been tuned already. friction is a smooth sweep of the shifter in which you have to adjust the shifting between gears more...delicately...finding the gear. the action of fine tuning the gearing, front and rear, is called "trimming". as you change gears on the rear mech, the chain will move farther in one direction, or the other, and can rub against the Front Derailleur cage causing noise. you would then "trim" the FD thereby stopping the noise by pulling the FD cage away from the chain. the same can be done in the rear to eliminate rear cog rub by properly trimming the gear to seat the chain better on the gear.

alecw35

Id have a careful close look at the cable. is there any damage at all to them. are they rusty. are they frayed. As it sounds to me thats somethings jaming up. a drop of oil on each end of the cable outer, the plastic covered thicker part of the gear cable, wont do no harm

cranky old road 

From internet images it looks like you have friction shift levers on your handlebar stem. It is possible the screw holding the shift lever to the mount is too tight (too much friction) or that the lever needs to be lubricated on its mount.