Adjusting your gears: shop or DIY in 10 minutes?

The good news: most of the time, it's free

"My gears are skipping" sends a lot of people to the shop for what's often just a barrel adjuster turn. The derailleur cable stretches slightly over time, especially on a new bike after the first rides. Tension is corrected with the barrel adjuster (barrel) without any tools.

The adjustment in 4 steps

1. Shift to the smallest sprocket (hardest gear).
2. If the chain is slow to climb when you shift: turn the barrel adjuster a quarter turn anticlockwise (more tension).
3. If it skips when going down: a quarter turn the other way.
4. Adjust in small quarter turns until shifts are crisp.

Detailed procedure in rear derailleur adjustment and front derailleur.

When the shop really makes sense

• The derailleur pulley touches the spokes or the derailleur is bent (derailleur hanger bent after a crash).
• Cable or housing shot: if turning the barrel adjuster makes no difference, the cable is jammed or frayed.
• Electronic transmission not paired or in fault mode.

That's diagnostics plus parts, and a workshop will be faster.

The AI tells you which situation you're in

Not sure if it's "barrel adjuster" or "bent hanger"? Describe the behaviour (skips when climbing, descending, on which sprockets, since when) to L'Atelier's mechanic AI. It distinguishes a simple adjustment from a real mechanical problem, and guides you step by step if it's doable.

You save a shop visit when it's just a quarter turn. For the rest, see DIY bike repair or go to the shop.