Gear problems on kona honkytonk

[catcat12]

Hi guys,

I've taken my bike to the local shop but they haven't been able to help me on this one. I've just bought a second hand kona honkytonk. Its set up with shimano tourney shifters, 3 x 8. The gears are playing up quite a bit, which I'm finding super frustrating. The bike actually only has two rings on the front, and a 8 cassette on the back. Pretty sure the original shifters on the bike were kona 2 x 9.

The bike shop didn't think it was the shifters or set up itself, and just tried to retune them a bit, and put on a new chain and cassette. But its still acting up a lot.

I'm wondering whether I should just upgrade the shifters to something better? That actually matches what's on the bike? The bike shop reakoned the fact its got a double crank on the front (sorry if I'm using the wrong language here, pretty novice) but the shifter is a triple wouldn't play into it too much, and that its not uncommon. But the shifting is overall hopeless.

Would love to get anyones tips who's had a similar problem, or get some views about whether I should keep shelling out cash to bike shops to get them to tweak it, or just bite the bullet and get a decent upgrade?

[P!N20]

Can you elaborate on how it is 'playing up'? Is the chain falling off the chainrings (front)? Or skipping gears on the cassette? Or not shifting front and/or rear at all? Or drinking too much at a party and trying to crack on to your best friend's partner?

[bychosis]

What sort of issues are you having with the shifting, other than not working well? How old and well cared for is the bike?

New cables might help, but don't throw money at it until you can describe some more symptoms and get the brains trust here to help diagnose.

[catcat12]

It's rarely actually changing gears when I shift. Sometimes when I shift, it doesn't shift at all, and then a few minutes later will finally clunk into place. Or ill have to shift again and again to get it into the right gear. It seems to be whether I'm shifting at the front or the back. Basically, whenever I shift a few gears, it just can't click into place properly, or just doesn't really move over at all. And sometimes makes a rattling sound even when it is in gear.

I don't know exactly how well maintained it is. The bike shop changed the cassette and chain, and put on new gear cables and tried to tweak it all. This hasn't made much of a difference though.

[10speedsemiracer]

Sounds like gummy shifters and poorly adjusted derailleurs. New chain + cassette + cables would have made little difference if this is the case. Which shifters ? I'm guessing it has the Sora brifters on drops. Is this the green thing that was in Brunswick, on Gumtree ?

[P!N20]

Its set up with shimano tourney shifters, 3 x 8.

[10speedsemiracer]

Its set up with shimano tourney shifters, 3 x 8.

I missed that...

[G@v]

Some instructions for front and rear derailleur setup.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-he ... adjustment

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-he ... leshooting

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-he ... adjustment

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-he ... leshooting


The Kona Honky Tonk in 2009 had 9 speed downtube shifters. 2010 to present day its had 9 speed Sora.

I thought Shimano Tourney shifters for road bikes were 7 speed? 8 speed is Claris.

It seems like whoever had the bike previously mixed and matched some old parts together?

Since you’ve got a new cassette and chain it might be worth replacing everything else as well.