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Gt Avalanche front gear does not engage in 3rd gear, front rotor rubs

1K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  kimguroo 
#1 ·
I'm thinking that on changing the chain-ring that's just a case of needing to get used to the pull from 2-3. Depending on the conditions (torque on the drivetrain, for example) you may need to hold the shifter in place a little longer.

For the brakes - that sounds normal. The brake pads will get the top layer worn off and be a bit more grippy. The slight rubbing is normal too ;).
 
#2 ·
hey,
i've had this bike for a couple days and i'm noticing that when i switch from 2 to 3, it will not always engage. It will at times when i press the lever down hard and hold it down until i shift. Is this something normal, or should i have give my bike shop a call and have them check it out.

Another thing is the person that did the 30 day tune up told me that the disc brakes will become stronger in time, is this true? When i press my rear brake hard, it does not lock up the rear wheel. Another thing that i noticed is that one spot on the front disc brake rubs against the caliper when no brake is applied, is this also normal?

This i the first time ive owned a bike like this and its been years since i have ridden a bike; so i am not sure if these are normal things on the bike. Other than that, the bike has been very fun to ride and having a nice mountail trail right behind my house; i take my bike out every morning. One thing that did happen was that when i went off a jump, my chain popped off. not sure what happned there, but it hasnt happened since yet.



Thanks,
Andrew
 
#6 ·
ahh glad to hear that all this is normal :) Biking seems like it is becoming a daily thing and with the lake being at the end, i just pull out my telescopic rod and take alittle break to relaxe and fish :). I saw some other bikers going up another mountain near me and i was amazed seeing them peddle up the huge hill. From where i was standing, it looked pretty steep. When i am biking up hills, my rear tire slips sometimes, just wondering if i am in the wrong gear.


Thanks,
Andrew
 
#4 ·
Andr3w said:
hey,
i've had this bike for a couple days and i'm noticing that when i switch from 2 to 3, it will not always engage. It will at times when i press the lever down hard and hold it down until i shift. Is this something normal, or should i have give my bike shop a call and have them check it out.

Another thing is the person that did the 30 day tune up told me that the disc brakes will become stronger in time, is this true? When i press my rear brake hard, it does not lock up the rear wheel. Another thing that i noticed is that one spot on the front disc brake rubs against the caliper when no brake is applied, is this also normal?

This i the first time ive owned a bike like this and its been years since i have ridden a bike; so i am not sure if these are normal things on the bike. Other than that, the bike has been very fun to ride and having a nice mountail trail right behind my house; i take my bike out every morning. One thing that did happen was that when i went off a jump, my chain popped off. not sure what happned there, but it hasnt happened since yet.

Thanks,
Andrew
on a new bike the cables will stretch a little, just a minor adjustment
Im confused , you said you had the bike for a couple of days , then you said the person who did the 30 day tune up? which is it? if you allready had the 30 day then I would go back and tell them the front deraillier isnt shifting right. also you should be able to lock up a disk brake no matter if its new or not, they will seat in and get stronger after a couple of rides but they should still be strong enongh to lock. the rotor should not rub either, sounds like the rotor is bent and the brakes need bleeding and the front deraillier needs adjusting
 
#5 ·
Andr3w said:
ahh glad to hear that all this is normal :) Biking seems like it is becoming a daily thing and with the lake being at the end, i just pull out my telescopic rod and take alittle break to relaxe and fish :). I saw some other bikers going up another mountain near me and i was amazed seeing them peddle up the huge hill. From where i was standing, it looked pretty steep. When i am biking up hills, my rear tire slips sometimes, just wondering if i am in the wrong gear.

Thanks,
Andrew
not normal, see other post
while climbing stay seated, lean forward over your bars, slide a little forward so the nose of the seat in poking up your butt
 
#8 ·
when i first got the bike, they did what they wrote down on the receipt a "30-day tune up". The bike was purchased thursday. The brakes are the cable type, not the hydraulic. I'll be going there tomorrow to pick up some stuff, so i'll just have the guy take a look at it again and see if everything is good.



Thanks,
Andrew
 
#9 ·
dan0 said:
sounds like the rotor is bent and the brakes need bleeding and the front deraillier needs adjusting
I believe the OP mentioned that he has cable actuated disc brakes, so its not possible to bleed them. I think the pads just need to wear out its top layer, and it should be fine. But it depends on the intensity of the rotor drag- if it is strong enough to stop the wheel without the brakes engaged, something is not right, if its a very slight rubbing, maybe a couple of hard rides/braking will fix it. Also, as mentioned by Dan, the rear brake should be strong enough to lockup the wheel, even if its the first time being used. The rear brake cable needs to be adjusted if its not locking up.

If you could give us the model of the brakes that are installed, we could give more specific info.
 
#11 ·
the rubbing sound is very slight. If spun slowly, you will hear the sound at the certain spot and will not stop the wheel from spinning. I have the 06 GT Avalanche 2.0 Disc. It has the Tektro Aquila mechanical disc brakes, Alloy F. & Shimano disc R.


Thanks,
Andrew
 
#10 ·
You can adjust the gears yourself. Check out the park tools website, you only have to play with the limit screws a bit in your case.

As far as disc rubbing, no this is not normal, although it can occur, what brakes are they? Maybe we can help you fine tune them. And yes, the brakes become a bit more powerful after a time, because the glaze on the rotors and pads gets worn off. If you still cannot lock your rear wheel after 50-60 HARD stops, then you should get them adjusted as it is not normal.
 
#13 ·
anirban said:
I believe the OP mentioned that he has cable actuated disc brakes, so its not possible to bleed them. I think the pads just need to wear out its top layer, and it should be fine. But it depends on the intensity of the rotor drag- if it is strong enough to stop the wheel without the brakes engaged, something is not right, if its a very slight rubbing, maybe a couple of hard rides/braking will fix it. Also, as mentioned by Dan, the rear brake should be strong enough to lockup the wheel, even if its the first time being used. The rear brake cable needs to be adjusted if its not locking up.

If you could give us the model of the brakes that are installed, we could give more specific info.
yeah , he posted that fact after I replied
 
#14 ·
You dont want your brakes to be able to lock up easily. When your brakes are locked up they are no longer absorbing energy, defeating the purpose of having brakes (cars have ABS for a reason) . You should never have to force the bike into gear, something is out of adjustment. Take it to the shop and see if they will fix it. A little brake rub is normal with discs.
 
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