How To Fix Bike Not Shifting Gears

How To Fix Bike Not Shifting Gears

I am often asked how to fix a bike that won’t shift gears or will only shift to some gears. The problem will be the shifters, derailleurs, or cables. I walk through the steps to isolate and locate the issue and how to fix it. I cover both the front derailleur and rear derailleur.

How To Fix Shifter Not Catching/Clicking – Won’t Shift:

Bike Shifters Won’t Shift – The Most Common Cause:

How To Diagnose/Repair Stiff/Sticky Shifting On A Bike:

Repair Shimano STX RC Trigger Shifter That Won’t Shift:

Derailleur Limiting Screws – What Are They? How To Adjust Limit Screws:

Straightening A Bent Derailleur Hanger:

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50 Comments

  1. Doug Corrigan on June 25, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    Well explained.



  2. RJ The Bike Guy on June 25, 2019 at 6:55 pm

    For more bike repair videos hit the subscribe button 🛑 and click the notification bell ► http://bit.ly/SubRJTheBikeGuy



  3. bok. ool on June 25, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    My bike’s shifter won’t shift from 1 to 2. It will only shift to 2 if it’s from 3 then to 2.
    Any advice pls.



  4. Brain In A Cat on June 25, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    Manually changing the gears like you showed actually helped kick mine back into place so thank you for the tip!



  5. Long Unstrung on June 25, 2019 at 7:02 pm

    Only half of my gears works, and those that do work, will make the chain jump one socket, i dont know if thats correctly explained but i hope you understand, would be lovely to take my bike out for a spin now when summer is on its way.



  6. Robin Rai on June 25, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    My bike perfectly shifts up, but initially takes two clicks to shift down, and I’m at my wits end trying to fix it!



  7. Malav Patel on June 25, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    Really love the explanation!! I have improved my both gear derailers. Thank you so much!! #CyclerSpirit



  8. Harsh Singh on June 25, 2019 at 7:04 pm

    Sir me gear handle ma 1 gear lagata hu to back gear 2 par chale jateha



  9. Ibrahim Adeel on June 25, 2019 at 7:05 pm

    Thankyou very much for the extremely useful video



  10. Your Valentine on June 25, 2019 at 7:06 pm

    I think he has a video



  11. sisnege licayan on June 25, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    My bike gears wont shift,it wont even run,each time a push the pedal,the pedals comes off.



  12. PaxTheRex dino on June 25, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    Thx mate not only it helped me fix my DADS bike but i have a better understanding on the engineering of bikes



  13. Josh on June 25, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    I have a problem so my chain in the back of my bike is shifted in the biggest part of the circle thingy and i want it to be in the smallest part so i go fast but my gear in the right handlebar is broken so i can’t gear how do i change my rear gear manually please someone help me i tried making the pedal reverse and change the chain into the smallest part of the circle thingy and then when i try to ride it and go it automatically goes into the biggest part of the circle thingy.



  14. Coverforce on June 25, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    Hey guys , look , my rear shifter-levers on my MTB just won’t work , like the one to shift to the smallest gear moves freely and does nothing, and the one to shift to the biggest gear won’t move at all and just blocks , any idea what the problem could be ? (And sry for the kinda bad english , i’m 14 and german , sooo ) Thanks in advance 😄



  15. Atjc 05 on June 25, 2019 at 7:15 pm

    8:00 damn…. So much Pepsi 😂anyway, good video 👍



  16. VISSRO vlogs on June 25, 2019 at 7:15 pm

    Hi there I have a grip shifter in my cycle it release the cable but when I try to bring it back it not coming it so hard. What I need to do?



  17. Tristan Tasker on June 25, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    I fell off my mountain bike and the shifters aren’t even moving



  18. Soul_ KiLlEr on June 25, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    Good job u deserve a Pepsi



  19. Jake Cohen on June 25, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    My bike wouldn’t shift into all of the gears. it would be stuck on the finer shifter side (idk the correct name) in 5th. The left side worked perfect. After watching this video I messed with my bike a little and now it works like a charm. I think a thank you is in order.



  20. RedNBlack Beats on June 25, 2019 at 7:19 pm

    When i have my bike on a high gear 3,4,5,6,7 i push the pedals and then it stops me from pushing them and i cant ride it , help if anyone knows how to fix it



  21. Jade Doucet on June 25, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    Thank you so much! This was very informative.



  22. Verda West on June 25, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    plz help,
    I have a mountain bike and I shifted gears on it the wrong way I guess and now all my pedal does it spin it won’t connect to a gear. going koo-koo lol. is something broke what is a spider
    gear?



  23. VISSRO vlogs on June 25, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Hey I want to thank you cause of your video I was able to fix my MTB and its gear



  24. GOPRO Mountain bike on June 25, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    Hi RJ it happens my bike



  25. Spooky Skeleton on June 25, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    i feel like ive improved as a person after watching this video and learning the info to fix my brothers bike. thanks so much!



  26. Ryan Mitchell on June 25, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    I know spray everything with wd4 until its soaking then everything should work fine😎



  27. Macallan Giunta on June 25, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    i genuinely have no idea how anyone could dislike this video lol



  28. Ryan Mitchell on June 25, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    Very useful thanks



  29. AllElsewhere on June 25, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    I just bought a bike (used) but when I shift up It goes back down. I have to hold it at a certain number to keep it on the specific gear



  30. Munteanu Madalin on June 25, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    Thank you very much my bike is gearing well now



  31. Dominic Herring on June 25, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    I relate to the guy in this video: in the garage, with white socks. Subbed for that reason (and the repair advice too lol)



  32. nig ward on June 25, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    My bikes are always rusty and dirty after a year
    How you keep your bike like new?



  33. Fe4rlisha_1 on June 25, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    My rear gears don’t even move helppp



  34. Olivia Morgan on June 25, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    Very helpful thank you



  35. project CLOUDS on June 25, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    *PLZ HELP*
    I loosened the H and the L limiter (I had both problems) its BETTER, but it still wont go ALL the way!?!??! (if I loosen it anymore both WILL come out). [WHAT DO I DO]



  36. Kelly Young on June 25, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    I am one with my bike and my bike is with me.

    No really though, this made me feel confident that I could tinker around on my own without needing to go to a shop. Thank you!



  37. Liverpool 6 times on June 25, 2019 at 7:36 pm

    Mine snapped off ahahahaha getting it replaced at the shop ( Halfords)



  38. Tweaked Bikes on June 25, 2019 at 7:39 pm

    Hey, I have a Shimano shifter that stays on 3rd gear and when I change my gear the indicator does not move but it shifts. Any way to fix that.



  39. Sunil Naik on June 25, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    Not having



  40. Kelly Young on June 25, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    I am one with my bike and my bike is with me.

    No really though, this made me feel confident that I could tinker around on my own without needing to go to a shop. Thank you!



  41. Zulfi P on June 25, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    its further and not farther🙄



  42. Desmond Suber on June 25, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    My bike is no shifing



  43. Joseph Menu on June 25, 2019 at 7:45 pm

    What if your grip shifter won’t turn at all?



  44. CMANIAC1 on June 25, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    Maybe you can help me. My bikes gear shifter will get tighter and tighter as i go from gear 6 to 5 to 4 ect…to the point i cant make it go anymore without forcing it with a lot of strength. My left gear shift for the bigger sprocket will work just fine.



  45. CapturedSkull on June 25, 2019 at 7:49 pm

    THANK YOUUUUU!!!!!



  46. jr s on June 25, 2019 at 7:50 pm

    Bike shops don’t even try to mess with this guy just cuz he’s trying to be helpful to people that can’t afford unreasonable prices



  47. Dee Vious on June 25, 2019 at 7:52 pm

    You helped me, about 40 seconds in – the brake acting as a gear down-shift, alerted me to the fact that my bike has a gear down-shift lever. D’oh!



  48. now you know on June 25, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    My kind of problem is that

    It wont shift by a single click,i should hold the shifter til my gear moves to gear i choose to shift

    Meanwhile my bike is 3×8

    And i cannot put it the 3rd Gear
    Even tho im holding it,itself
    And now im stuck at 2×8



  49. Collectors Edition on June 25, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    My gears are all one off. Gear 1 on the shiftier is actually gear 2. Any help?



  50. Sarika Singh on June 25, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    My rear gear doesn’t go on 1