Underblog Rides Again

I have been engaged in Maicoletta surgery off and on for a couple of years now. The problem is the gearbox, which will shift up all right but downshift only with difficulty (originally), or not at all (most recently). Colleagues (though I am not quite competent to perform surgery, I will call for a consult at the drop of a spring) suggest that it may be a simple matter of adjustment. I swear that I have adjusted all there is to adjust: namely, the threaded adjustment at the foot gearshift and moving the lever on the spline of the shift-shaft.

The garage tends to get re-organized or moved between surgeries, so small parts are often lost between surgeries. My best case scenario is to have one of the Maicolettas sold by the time we move; at least, I hope to have them both complete and running. I would really hate to have dragged a carcass a fifth time. On this most recent plunge into the bowels of the Letta, a shim washer fell out of the case as I split them. I can find no shim washer on the relevant parts catalog pages. I will leave it out and hope that the bike does not seize up completely at some point down the road.

Regardless of the outcome of this present surgery, I will miss this garage: it has light, power, and windows. And room for a bench, a lift, a car, four bikes, a snowblower, and a Weber Bar B Kettle. If it had heat and water, I think I could live there.