UKC

We bought a triban 3 from the Glasgow decathlon yesterday for my wife. She went for her first ride this evening and the thumb shifter for the front mech was so stiff she can't use it. I can, but it takes a lot of effort. Going the other way is fine and the right shifter for the rear is also fine.

Is it easily fixable at home or do I need to take it back? We're in Edinburgh so I'd rather avoid that.

Also, the little sticker guide on the front derailleur shows it is mounted about half a cm high. Does this matter, should I also get it corrected?

Cheers, Andy

In reply to Porridge the climber:

Stiff shifter is unlikely to be the shifter or mech and most likely a cable issue - either bad routing, or stiff in the outers, or both.

Worth disconnecting the cable and checking the shifter and mech move freely, then dropping the mech to the correct height to avoid shifting problems. Check the cable isn't kinked/frayed and moves freely through the outers and then re-install with some lube (chain oil) in the outers.

If it's still stiff then, or the mech/shifter is stiff without the cable, then it's back to the shop.

In reply to Porridge the climber: Sounds like the cables tight, dont try and keep shifting it as it may snap off something inside the shifter,try putting the mech to where its supposed to be failing that loosen the cable a baw hair.

In reply to Porridge the climber: can you manipulate the mech by hand? if so its probably bad routing. if not, try a bit of oil and manipulate it until it frees 'til the newness wears off

In reply to Porridge the climber:

Does it happen in all gears or just the top one?

If its just in the top gear the cable tension might be too tight (or the limit screw wound too far in).

If it's in all gears then that's a little more tricky. Can you tell if it feels like there's too much friction somewhere, or if it's pulling up hard against something?

As for the front mech, if it's affecting the shifting then move it. If not then only mess with it if you know what you're doing, as it's easy to make things worse. The main adverse affect of having the clamp at the wrong height is that in certain gear combinations the chain rubs on the inside of the cage (though at extreme combinations i.e. biggest ring/biggest sprocket or smallest/smallest this is normal, you shouldn't use these gears anyway as it wears your drivetrain more quickly and there will be another combination that gives a similar ratio).

I've never been to a decathlon, so I don't know how good the staff are, but it's not uncommon to see improperly assembled new bikes, especially from shops that aren't specifically bike shops. Front mechs are frequently fitted incorrectly at the factory and an inexperienced mechanic might not always pick up on it.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Should also add - check the outer limit screw on the mech - it may be too tight and stopping the mech moving far enough when you shift.

It's unlikely to be a cable routing/stiff mech issue as it would be more apparent shifting up, which as the op said is fine.

Cheers guys. I'm going to phone decathlon in the morning and see what they have to say about it as if it needs new cables I'm not paying.

It's a shame as it is a nice wee bike, my wife's first road bike and for the money it looks a bargain - she looked happier than I've seen her for ages when she got back from her ride

There's no excuse for a poor build though. What really takes the p1ss is we had to wait for them to do a "safety check", yet when I checked the tire pressures they didn't even get that right - one was 40, the other 60! I think the safety check actually just involved clipping on the worlds heaviest light set.

In reply to a crap climber: Its really stiff on the first change, easier (though still stiff) on the second. I'll try the limit screws, that sounds plausible and makes sense with one change being harder than the other.
Like you say, it rubs when at big/big and small/small, but I know that is a no no anyway.

Like you say I'm reluctant to mess with the clamp height unless it's necessary as I'll probably make things worse.

In reply to Dirk Didler: Silly question, but to loosen the cable I just loosen the screw holding the cable at the derailleur and let what, a few mm through? Does this not affect the position of the gears at all?

In reply to Porridge the climber: you should be able to match the cable up to where it was before, if not its very easy to re index the gears, especially for the front mech

In reply to Porridge the climber:

Try positioning the mech right first and if that dos'nt work release a couple of mill of cable by the screw you mention, in my view its unlikely to be dodgy cable or cable routing more likely a tight cable this would explain why it gets tighter with each move until it cant move at all, if you do have to release some tention on the cable it wont affect posistion of the gears as tentioning is about how it engages the gears,hope this helps Andy.

In reply to Porridge the climber: Had this happen on one of my bikes, the problem was that the cable had not been terminated correctly on the front mech. The cable needs to attach in the correct way. I hope this is making sense, i think mine had the cable routed on the inside of the connection screw therefore there was not enough leverage to pull the mech efficiently, once the cable was re attached correctly it work silky smooth.
Have a look at the manual that should have come with the bike (or down load it off t'internet) and check it is exactly as the pictures... seems a common problem caused by ham fisted, bulk bike builders.

In reply to Porridge the climber:



Aaahhhh, that just made my heart melt a little!

In reply to all: Cheers for all the replies, it does sound like the cable is tight and it makes sense with the first shift down (when there would be greatest tension) being the stiffest to release (I'm guessing the button actually releases a ratchet in which case tension in the cable would initially increase as the ratchet turns??).

Anyway, I'll have a go at lowering the front mech as that in itself will ease tension off the cable and it should be clear pretty quick if that frees the shifter.

Much appreciated.
Andy

In reply to Porridge the climber:

If you need to loosen a lot of cable then yes, do this. For small adjustments there should be a plastic barrel adjuster on the shifter where the cable goes in.