I have an intermittent sticky shifter. From the big ring on the cassette I'll shift down/up (never know which..) and on about the forth click the shifter will sometimes just go dead/limp.
If I fiddle with the clicky-uppy lever it seems to pop back into use or in other words there is resistance again and not just.....nothing.
Brand new inner and outer cable, shifter seems quite clean. I'm loathe to take the shifter apart due to the ping-factor.
Anyone sorted a sticky shifter?
What shifter?
I had the same last year, in addition though the shifter would also become too hard to push - essentially the range of gears I could select was reduced as the shifter wouldn't get to either it's upper or lower ranges.
I ended up taking the derailleur apart and cleaning that through and putting a little oil down the (new) cable so there was no chance it was sticking within the inner.
All that worked for me, truth be told, I suspect it was lubricating the cable in the inner that sorted the problem.
Hope you get it sorted.
Dan
Sorry to say this but that is what mine did just before it completely gave up the ghost. I tried to clean it out and re relube it to no avail. New shifter sorted it.
You say brand new inner and outer cable, are there any tight bits of routing and was the cable outer re-profiled after being cut? Any slack caused in the inner cable when downshifting might present itself at the shifter and jam it.
It's usually the cable or mech. If you've replaced the cable and are sure it's not jamming, then there is too much friction at the mech for the return spring to overcome. You can try dismantling and lubing it, but I'd first of all give the various pivots a light lube and work them by hand a few times to see if that frees them up.
Do you use a drink bottle with energy powder? Drink is dribbling down, drying on the BB cable guides and making them sticky.
Even if you don't, give the guides a good clean, run the cables through some wire wool and lube lightly with chain lube.
Start by doing the cheapest thing first... Replace the cable, flush the otters with wd40, check for friction which may be a rough outer end, clean and lube the mech.... And if that does not do it.... New shifter.
When you cut the outer cable it can deform.
I always re-open ends by inserting a 1.5mm Allan key and giving a good wiggle.
flush the otters with wd40
Isn't that a bit cruel?
Yeah its a SRAM X7 shifter, the cables and inner are quite literally brand spanking and I gave the inner a good old lube before fitting as I always do, I also made sure the cut end was opened out again.
However, I'll check all that again, and also check and lube the rear mech.
Is it worth soaking the shifter in wd40 then blowing out with an airline? Then perhaps re-lubing it?
Do you use a drink bottle with energy powder? Drink is dribbling down, drying on the BB cable guides and making them sticky.
I use a full length outer cable, no breaks.
are there any tight bits of routing
All nice and free with shallow curves as far as I can see.
I think perhaps the mech wants a clean and if that doesn't sort it, it may be new shifter time... 🙄
Thanks for the help all.
I've seen shifters where the factory fitted grease has dried up over time, giving the symptoms you describe. But this would be on 10yr old bikes.
How old is your shifter? I've had some luck in the past blasting them with TF2, GT85 et c., seems to loosen the old grease.
Worth a try before replacement.
APF
Lay bike on floor with sticky shifter upermost, dribble some synthetic wet chain lube into shifter, worked on an avid which was not dropping down cassette
