Ghost Shifting

[gururug]

Can someone please explain "ghost shifting"?

I experienced this for the first time yesterday, I am guessing the rear derailleir needs adjustment/chain is gunky/cable has stretched?

[europa]

Can you tell me what it is? I'm guessing the bike decided to change gear on its own, in which case it's cable adjustment.

Richard

[sogood]

Or worn running gears (stretched chain, worn cogs).

[gururug]

You shift, but it does not engage any gear. It feels like the chain has come off but it is not OFF just floating in top of something?

[europa]

Thoroughly clean and lubricate everything. Could be some built up oily muck somewhere it shouldn't be, or a bit of grit, or bite of cheese or lump of an underipe potato

Seriously, sit down with a brush and some kero and wash everything, derailleur bits as well (you'd be surprised at what builds up in there), then check your cable adjustment and see what happens. If nothing else, the clean up will help decide what's worn.

Richard

[LuckyPierre]

I suspect that Richard is right - if you're saying 'shift' and your bike doesn't, then it's likely to be something in the cassette stopping it (or a very lazy cable).
So, clean everything (I'm a bike cleaner / squirt off / dry and lube guy, rather than a kero and brush guy), check your cables and derailleur adjustment and see what happens. Remember, the Shimano website has service instructions and the Park Tools website has good maintenance guides.
We can always agree to call shifts that don't happen 'ghost shifts', but what will we call shifts that happen when they shouldn't? I've always called them 'phantom shifts'.

[heavymetal]

It's actually remedied by fitting a good pair of friction shifters.


_________________
How do I turn this stupid signature off?????

[531db]

bicyclewa wrote

"It's actually remedied by fitting a good pair of friction shifters."

Absolutely.................

[Mulger bill]

Guessing wear in the chain if it doesn't seem to engage properly post shift, but I'm here to learn.

Does it happen for all shifts, or just specific combos?
Is your rear mech straight?
What sort of components, and how old are they?

Good luck Gururug, keep us posted.

Shaun

[gururug]

Well, it my new bike and I was just about to take it in for the first (free) scheduled tune up. I have been hesitant to give it its first clean (done 300kms on shared paths) as I wanted to retain the original chain lube but I have to admit noticing some dirt building up on the cahin / cogs.

I think we can pretty much put this one down to;

a) cable stratch
b) gunk in chain / rings

It was happening with the rear cogs about between numbers 5 and 7. I also was experiencing "delayed shifting" (stretched cables). But the ghost shifting one was different.

I was just a but shocked that's all. Spinning with no pull, I looked down and the chain was over the rings but just gliding, really wierd. I didn't think it would be possible for a chaint o just "fly" over the cogs with liitle or no resistance or vibration.

Anyway, bike is at the shop now, did not make a booking so I will have to be without my beloved untill friday arvo. They did however apologise that I was not fitted correctly and Dave (burwood) put me on the trainer and it turns out i do need a shorter stem after all.


Thanks again spinners, ride on

[sogood]

I was just a but shocked that's all. Spinning with no pull, I looked down and the chain was over the rings but just gliding, really wierd. I didn't think it would be possible for a chaint o just "fly" over the cogs with liitle or no resistance or vibration.

Sounded like the whole derailleur system needed some adjustments.

[Mulger bill]

Let the LBS do it Gururug. Don't forget to take a list of any problems, and don't let them try to BS you.

[europa]

If the bike is only 300km old, it's not dirt and it's not chain stretch.

Chains don't stretch as such - the bits don't actually get longer. The pins wear and that induced slop means that it is now longer when under tension. You don't achieve that in 300km.

Nor would you have the heavy, hard, grease like build up that could explain this.

I'm guessing something has gone adrift in the derailleur - either a mis-adjustment earlier or maybe something moving. Whatever, it's at the lbs and to be honest, that's the best place for it (in the mechanics tender care you cycnics )

Richard

[mikesbytes]

I'd start with a full degrease of everything and check the cable adjustment.

Have a nice day
training log

[amattinson]

I think that I also experience this. What I have put it down to is that if you shift down to the small chainring when on the smaller half of the rear cassette then the chain alignment is pulling the chain outwards and the font derailleur cannot put it enough inwards to fully catch on the front chainring, and it sits between the 2 chainrings.

The solution I have found while out on the road is to change up on the rear cassette to rectify the alignment issue and the chain will then catch on the front chainring. I don't know if it is an adjustment thing or just the way the system is designed to work. My set up is also only a few months old with only 1500kms on it and it has done this for some time although only infrequently.

[gururug]

LBS Mechanic said cable stretch (i still think a bit if gunk in the drive train also played some role)

[europa]

Cables can move a fair bit when new and it's an explanation that fits with the symptoms. Cheap fix, don't knock it

Richard