Altus Front Derailler

[Downward]

Is Sticking.
Will shiftup but not down again. I have tried adjusting the screws and it worked on the ground but out in the field it's just not moving downwards

I have gave it a good clean up but no luck.

It's 2 winters old and maybe 2500 miles.

Ta

 

[gwhite]

Usually the problem is in the small loop of cable leading into the rear der. The cable becomes sticky or corroded within the outer. Hold the bike in a vertical position while pouring oil into the outer cable. If this isn't effective then dismantle the cable and renew outer loop. Make sure the rear der. is lubed also and moves freely over the whole of its travel. You can do this by engaging high (small sprocket) and then pulling the cable away from the frame moving the der. while rotating pedals. This should cause the der. to move across its arc of travel.

 

[chillyuk]

Usually the problem is in the small loop of cable leading into the rear der. The cable becomes sticky or corroded within the outer. Hold the bike in a vertical position while pouring oil into the outer cable. If this isn't effective then dismantle the cable and renew outer loop. Make sure the rear der. is lubed also and moves freely over the whole of its travel. You can do this by engaging high (small sprocket) and then pulling the cable away from the frame moving the der. while rotating pedals. This should cause the der. to move across its arc of travel.

Excellent advice, but wont do much for her Altus front derailleur, which was the subject of her post.

As you say, servicing the cables, assuming all else is OK, is probably the best course of action, then take it from there.

 

[Downward]

Excellent advice, but wont do much for her Altus front derailleur, which was the subject of her post.

As you say, servicing the cables, assuming all else is OK, is probably the best course of action, then take it from there.

Yeah the cable was really gunked but it feels a bit more like the spring is not springing back into place.

99.99% sure though it's to do with the general gunk which I need to clean out by the sounds of it.

 

[gwhite]

Excellent advice, but wont do much for her Altus front derailleur, which was the subject of her post.

As you say, servicing the cables, assuming all else is OK, is probably the best course of action, then take it from there.

Oops......I'm very old you know.

That said, I'd repeat the procedure re pulling the cable out from the frame and releasing it while in the small chainring and rotating the pedals. Sometimes the FD is very reluctant to move over the whole length of its travel and this usually does the trick after lubing the pivots. FD's very rarely go wrong in my experience.

 

[Downward]

And it's he !

 

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Still not working, Gave it a good clean but it's just not moving down.

 

[chillyuk]

This sounds similar to my son-in-laws very neglected Trek front shifter. It was encrusted with muck preventing it from swinging between the chainwheels. I thought it would be a simple clean and lube job, but that didn't completely cure it, neither did a new cable and cable outer. It turned out that one of the pivots had developed a lot of wear and grooves that was causing the stickiness. We bought a new mech for under a tenner from Halfords and problem sorted.

 

[Moodyman]

I've got the same problem.

Keep us updated if you get it sorted. Like to know what it is that was causing it.

Tried everything suggested above, but still no good. Been climbing the hills in the middle front ring this week - lower back's hurting but can't get the bike to the LBS until the weekend so will put up with it.

 

[Downward]

I'm gonna take it to LBS. If I buy the part it'll cost me £30. I need some bits for my QR so hopefully my LBS can give me a bit free and sort out my mech

 

[PpPete]

£30 sounds OTT

Seen this ?

 

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Well LBS sorted it Feb time but it's stopped downshifting again. Had it up on the stand and cleaned and oiled it and still not working.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

£30 sounds OTT

Seen this ?

+1.

The above link has expired but e.g. this is a much better quality mech than the Altus for £14 including p&p and will work as a direct replacement if it is the right clamp size for your frame (since I do not know what vintage your frame is, and Altus has been sold in numerous incarnations for years).

Also if you end up changing the front mech I would recommend changing the cable inner and outer at the same time. Such cable parts (should) cost peanuts (~£3).

Of course how much an LBS may charge is a totally different subject depending on the LBS.

 

[2Loose]

The winter salt caused a similar thing, I could pull the front mech onto the large chainwheel, but it would not spring back. The salt and grit had worked into the pivots.


I ended up taking it off and cleaning it with copious amounts of GT85 and manually working movement back into the mechanism with a drop of oil. It took a few attempts, as it felt better each time, but eventually 100% movement returned.

Then I bought mudguards to stop it happening again.

 

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I'm going to have to strip it down I think.

Kicking it hasn't helped I bet !!!