Help me diagnose some bad 9 speed shifting (Sora 9 Speed Road Groupset)

[fossyant]

 

[fossyant]

Hmm, now not sure looking at the tech docs above. My mechs all have the 'tab' over the cable.

 

[fossyant]

I'll be honest, if that's a new cable, it's not stainless. Looks quite old, and I suspect it could be draggy.

 

[Boopop]

Yeah, it's definitely clamped properly. Anyone who's telling me the tab is in the wrong place is essentially saying to do this:

The only reason the cable may look old is it's been clamped a few times now. As I say, there is very little friction when downshifting, so I'm not convinced there's anything wrong with the cables.

This isn't the first time I've had a shifter fail, although previously it was more obvious.

 

[fossyant]

Well I'm out then.

Fist advice is cables. STI is really fussy. I only use either Jagwire or SP41 on my 10 speed bikes as they don't like the cheaper stuff.

GT85 the shifter too. To check the shifter, take all the cable out so it's just the shifter and the inner. Now try clicking through the gears whilst holding the cable. If it's pulling or releasing through all the clicks it's fine.

 

[Boopop]

That makes two of us then! The cable does move with each shift, it just doesn't move enough anymore. I've used these cables with 8/9/10 speed in the past without any issues. I think Aliexpress will be getting some of my £££ soon!

Thanks.

 

[SuffolkBlue]

I know it's not clean but I don't think that's the issue, I'm sure this is where most of you will disagree!

TBH - yes I am in that camp. You won't know until you try? Remove the mech, clean it all very thoroughly and lubricate the pivot points with light oil. It's got to be worth it otherwise you'll end up going in frustrating circles or dumping a load of unnecessary money on AliExpress

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The cable is not clamped in the groove that there for the purpose

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If you really cannot sort it, then your LBS would be next stop not splurging £500.

I always use the high limit screw to align the derailluer jockey wheels under smallest cog first before clamping. Then turn barrel adjuster till they just start moving further inwards. Then turn back a tiny amount. Then check your 8 clicks and cog movements. If you get resistance for biggest cog then adjust low limit screw.

 

[fossyant]

If you really cannot sort it, then your LBS would be next stop not splurging £500.

I always use the high limit screw to align the derailluer jockey wheels under smallest cog first before clamping. Then turn barrel adjuster till they just start moving further inwards. Then turn back a tiny amount. Then check your 8 clicks and cog movements. If you get resistance for biggest cog then adjust low limit screw.

But the OP is going La-la-la to any suggestions, as he's not convinced. Bike shop it is.

 

[Boopop]

But the OP is going La-la-la to any suggestions, as he's not convinced. Bike shop it is.

I think that's an unfair characterisation. Someone suggested I really should replace both outer cables, so I did that this morning. Someone else said the cable isn't clamped properly, so I checked, and so far as I can tell it is. I know a couple of you at least disagree but I've asked others with the diagram and photo and they think it looks fine. Plus like I say I've done it lots of times before.

 

[EckyH]

According to the image it seems to me that the cable isn't clamped correctly into the "knurled" groove:

In my opinion hat roughly one millimetre deviation changes the ratio of the derailleur enough to cause shifting problems.

Hth,

E.

 

[Boopop]

According to the image it seems to me that the cable isn't clamped correctly into the "knurled" groove:
View attachment 726552
In my opinion hat roughly one millimetre deviation changes the ratio of the derailleur enough to cause shifting problems.

Hth,

E.

Thanks for the clarification. I'll give it one more try at lunch time.

 

[Person]

Try cleaning the rd with a tooth brush. Put a small amount of washing up liquid on the tooth brush and work into the pivot points. Rinse with plenty of clean water and spray gt45 into all pivot points. Wipe off excess oil.

 

[Ajax Bay]

The 'tab' on the clamping washer should be over the cable.

It should not. If you are doing yours that way I'm surprised that your wheels are even going round

But the OP is going La-la-la to any suggestions, as he's not convinced. Bike shop it is.

OP's responses seem entirely reasonable to me. Pleased he didn't follow your clamping suggestion.
Cables including outers now changed: the 'new' cable looks a bit ropey, I agree. Maybe it's the light.
A good clean and oil of the RD: still to do. May as well go the whole hog and dismantle the cage, clean the jockey wheels (their tooth profile looks almost as new).
Get the cable in the groove.
Good squirting in the STI: still to do, but it gives 8 clicks, as designed/required.
I would back the limit screws off and start from scratch.
https://si.shimano.com/en/pdfs/si/5TS0B/SI-5TS0B-000-ENG.pdf