The gears on my road bike are playing silly buggers and l need help (with them, not in general). At first the chain would not drop back down into the smaller sprockets – changed the cable, cleaned everything, GT85’ed the mech – seemed to sort it. The problem now is a persistent ticking sound coming from the cassette / mech / chain, almost as if the chain wants to shift into the next gear but cant. I’ve played with the cable tension, had the alignment of the hanger checked, and there’s no friction in the mech. Could it be something else – wear and tear maybe?

In case it matters, cassette, shifters and mech are ultegra, and running a KMC chain.

Thoughts on a postcard…

adjuster needs tweaking

slightly bent / stiff link in chain?

I am currently in the process of sorting out gear issues, I have adopted the following approach:

New chain.
New cassette
New cables inners and outers – clean and oil mech.

If the above doesn’t work it will be either alignment issues, a bent or knackered mech and / or jockey wheels. I don’t think it can be much else after all of the above.

bent frame?!

learn to love your mis-shifting.
for some reason, on two of my bikes, it takes one click to shift up, but to shift one down I have to do two clicks down and one click up.

I have just had the same problem, after replacing the rear mech. My LBS took a look, replaced the cables and outers. Sorted.

Do you lube your cable innners? Shift to the biggest ring on the rear, click through the gears as though you’re going to the smallest cog but don’t pedal. The cable should be nice and loose, pull the outer out the way and go mental with gt85 on the inner cable. I had a sticky cable a bit ago and this caused the same issue.

mostlt likely cable friction/adjustment but also check cassette is properly tightened and hasn’t come loose and check for excess play in the upper jockey wheel.