STI lever problem

I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I decided
to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just creates
a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up the slack.
It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Thanks.

On Sat, 07 Jan 2006 16:46:35 -0500, Mark Heiple
wrote:

I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I decided
to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just creates
a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up the slack.
It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Thanks.

I'd try new cables. From what I have learned, that is the first thing
to do.
In both cases where my shifting started to become unreliable, it was
the cable.

Jeffrey Starr
All rights to the above text is reserved. No use
outside of rec.bicycle.tech, without express written
permission.

Mark Heiple wrote:
I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I
decided to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just
creates a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up
the slack. It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Try flushing again with WD 40.

Bill "U.B. Over-lubed" S.

Mark Heiple wrote:

I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I
decided to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just
creates a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up
the slack. It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?
Where is the slack?

If I read you correctly then it would seem to me that the fault is in
the front derailleur or at the fitting under the bottom bracket. The
cable is going slack along the down tube, but the derailleur is not
moving. That indicates a derailleur malfunction or hang-up under the
bottom bracket.

Alternatively, if the slack you are seeing is only at the STI head
(cable comes out of the mechanism and pushes the housing out) then you
have a real problem in the cable housing.

HTH,

Tom

Mark Heiple wrote in news:mark-03747A.16463507012006
@ispnews.usenetserver.com:



Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just creates
a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up the slack.
It doesn't move the front der


I hope I understand you correctly - when the small lever is shifted, it
slackens the cable, and when the large lever is shifted, it takes up the
slack? Is the slack along the downtube (or top tube, if you have a top-pull
der)?

It sounds to me like the cable slipped in the derailleur anchor. Shift the
small lever so the cable is slack, loosen the front der. anchor bolt, take
up the slack and resecure the bolt. use the downtube barrel adjusters to
fine-tune the indexing.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but it just sounds like the cable's loose.

Good luck!

Hank

Mark Heiple wrote:
I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I decided
to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just creates
a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up the slack.
It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Thanks.

Disconnect the cable completely and see if the lever(s) work. It sounds
like these, like a lot of STI, has gone south. Too bad since
replacements are so expensive. Campag, with a Campag rear deraileeur,
will solve the problem indefinately, since they are repairable.

Mark Heiple wrote:
I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

....

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Thanks.

I have had this problem, especially in the cold. It turned out to be
stuck cables, where the bare cables cross the underside of the BB. The
cables are generally hung up by road dirt and dryed drink mix. Cleaning
and lubing this area returns full functionality (assuming you haven't
forced the lever against stuck cables).

Unfortunately, if you try to force the lever while the cables are
stuck, you can sometimes damage the shifter internals.

It sounds like your levers pull OK, but the der return springs can't
pull the cable back - check for hung up cables.

Alan

Hi Mark
Here's what I'd do:
1. Shift rr der to center cog
2. " Rt. shifter to give slack or get slack any way possible.
3. Remove wires from slots
4. Move housings from their existing positions on cable
5. Look for grime, h2o, ice on cables.
6. If grimy cut end tip off, loosen cable clamp @ der. & pull cable
through housing.
7. Wipe cable off & inspect for frayed or bent sections.
8. If so damaged, replace.
9. If not, take aerosol Tri Flo w/ little tube & blow through housing
until clean TF comes out.
10. Also, take aerosol Tri Flo & clean under BB w/ brush.
11. Do the same w/ Fr der
3.1 If it's impossible to pull loose cables from slots, then just cut
end tip off, loosen cable clamp @ der. & pull cable through housing.
12. Lubricate every pivot or friction surface you can see on both ders.
both brifters.
13. If the cables are damaged, then the housings probably are too,
replace them all.
14. However, the above remedy may work well enough, even if damaged, to
get you by till you have time buy new cables & housings & install them.
15. If that doesn't work, take 2 aspirin, go to bed & email in the
morning.
Good luck, John

Oh, yeah
If none of the above stuff works, then you have bad brifters and
derailers. However, I doubt they all can be bad. It's most likely lack
of lube or bad cables.
John

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
Mark Heiple wrote:
I ran into an apparently common STI lever failure - on my right lever,
the small inner lever shifts to the small cogs ok, but the big lever
won't shift back up - sometimes if just flops over with no resistance,
like it isn't grabbing any cable. It is worse in the cold.

I googled the newsgroup, and found the many suggestions to flush the
levers, so I did so with Triflow, which is what I had handy. I decided
to go ahead and flush both levers.

Now the left lever doesn't work. Shifting the small lever just creates
a lot of slack in the cable, shifting the big lever takes up the slack.
It doesn't move the front der.

The right lever seems like it works now, but I haven't been out for a
ride because the left doesn't.

Is my lever messed up now? Or does it just need new cables?

Thanks.

Disconnect the cable completely and see if the lever(s) work. It sounds
like these, like a lot of STI, has gone south. Too bad since
replacements are so expensive. Campag, with a Campag rear deraileeur,
will solve the problem indefinately, since they are repairable.

Or the brifter could be replaced with a Shimano bar-end.

--
Tom Sherman - Fox River Valley