I was riding to work last Sunday from South to North London via Central London,when I found I couldn't get 1st.or 2nd gear no matter what I tried. Being early morning it wasn't too bad although I had to do some amber gambling. Going home was different as the rush hour was on,and I had to do a few 3rd. gear starts. I found that if i used the outside of my foot (better control) to move the gear lever up about 5mm.it allowed the gearbox to detent and allow me to select the next gear down.I rode up to traffic lights,` then about 30m.away did this to select 2nd gear and stopped in that gear,I then did it again to select neutral which then allowed me to select 1st gear and start off. If the traffic lights changed quickly it wasn't so bad starting off in second.
I know why this happened, because I could only get 5th.,and 6th gears on the way back from Manchester to London last September,it was ok on the motorway,but murder starting off from trafficlights in 5th. gear. Luckily Steptoe was my saviour,and showed me that it was the gear selecter pivot that had seized. Steptoe managed to get it apart without removing the footrest hanger,but I found it easier today to remove the lot, clean out the kack and regrease it.I consider myself lucky last year because a month later I was in Morocco,and if it had happened there I would most probably thought that the gearbox was shot, but at least I know now what it is, how to fix it, and how to get home if it happens again.
I know why this happened, because I could only get 5th.,and 6th gears on the way back from Manchester to London last September,it was ok on the motorway,but murder starting off from trafficlights in 5th. gear. Luckily Steptoe was my saviour,and showed me that it was the gear selecter pivot that had seized. Steptoe managed to get it apart without removing the footrest hanger,but I found it easier today to remove the lot, clean out the kack and regrease it.I consider myself lucky last year because a month later I was in Morocco,and if it had happened there I would most probably thought that the gearbox was shot, but at least I know now what it is, how to fix it, and how to get home if it happens again.
