maintenance of Shimano Index shifting

My wife's shifting on her 21 speed is getting rough. What type of
maintenance can I perform? I took off the plastic cover and everything
is bolted together inside. I sprayed some synthetic oil in there and
it seems to have made a bit of difference. Short of a rebuild by a
bike shop any more hints?

Papa4x wrote, On 4/15/2009 3:05 PM:
My wife's shifting on her 21 speed is getting rough. What type of
maintenance can I perform? I took off the plastic cover and everything
is bolted together inside. I sprayed some synthetic oil in there and
it seems to have made a bit of difference. Short of a rebuild by a
bike shop any more hints?

Papa,
Leave you shifters alone, most likely they are ok.

Poor shifting is usually caused by crud buildup or corrosion on the
shifter cables. Clean and lubricate them or consider replacing the
cables altogether. Another cause is dirt buildup in the pivots of the
derailers. Clean and lubricate everything before touching the shifter
mechanisms.

Best of luck.

--

Paul D Oosterhout
I work for SAIC (but I don't speak for SAIC)

Why don't you let your wife take responsibility for maintaining her
own bike? The LAST thing women need is men following around behind
them, cleaning up their stuff. She needs to develop her mechanical
skills, and you're not doing her any favors by allowing her to avoid
doing so.

wrote, On 4/16/2009 10:16 AM:
Why don't you let your wife take responsibility for maintaining her
own bike? The LAST thing women need is men following around behind
them, cleaning up their stuff. She needs to develop her mechanical
skills, and you're not doing her any favors by allowing her to avoid
doing so.

yawn...

--

Paul D Oosterhout
I work for SAIC (but I don't speak for SAIC)