After re-routing the clutch cable, next of the problems to be fixed was the gear-pedal.

This is an alloy lever and a characteristic of this material is that it will age harden, that is as it ages it becomes harder and less flexible so if you try to bend it “as is” it will almost certainly break.

If it is heat treated, or “annealed” first then it can be bent, but you need to be careful since it also “work hardens”, this means that the bend should be put in in one smooth pull.

The lever had to be heated to the correct temperature, the easy way to determine this was to smear some soap onto the lever and then gently heat it until the soap blackened.

The spline end of the lever was then clamped in a vice and steady pressure put on the other end to move it across by the required amount.

Re-setting the Gear Lever Alignment

This meant that the toe-piece was now at the wrong angle but as the whole lever had been annealed then this could also pressed  back until its angle was correct.

Re-setting the Toe Piece

When the pedal was put back onto the bike it now cleared the exhaust sufficiently that the pedal could be moved far enough round on its splines for me to be able to change gear easily.