FD / shifter advice

[Piemaster]

My son has an older model Carrera Gryphon (2nd hand buy). The front derraileur has never changed very well but is now refusing to make much of an attempt at doing it at all.
The whole lot looks a bit of a bodge up, with a Shimano Nexave front mech, SRAM X5 rear and Tektro shifters
I've been playing about with the cable and adjusting screws without much success and the shifter just doesn't feel right, like something is not racheting correctly, it all looks a bit cheap and plasticky. The FD actually seems to be moving ok when just pulling on the cable, but I'm inclined to replace shifter & mech to something that matches so any suggestions?

presently:
front mech: Shimano nexave 32.0mm clamp, bottom pull
rear SRAM X5 - 9 speed
chainrings 50/37

brakes are Tektro HO mechanical discs.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

My son has an older model Carrera Gryphon (2nd hand buy). The front derraileur has never changed very well but is now refusing to make much of an attempt at doing it at all.
The whole lot looks a bit of a bodge up, with a Shimano Nexave front mech, SRAM X5 rear and Tektro shifters
I've been playing about with the cable and adjusting screws without much success and the shifter just doesn't feel right, like something is not racheting correctly, it all looks a bit cheap and plasticky. The FD actually seems to be moving ok when just pulling on the cable, but I'm inclined to replace shifter & mech to something that matches so any suggestions?

presently:
front mech: Shimano nexave 32.0mm clamp, bottom pull
rear SRAM X5 - 9 speed
chainrings 50/37

brakes are Tektro HO mechanical discs.

Am unsure whether your bodge up comment is about the mix and match of brands, they appear to be original as delivered.

There is a chance the problem is merely due to sticky/frayed/worn cable/outer which you could replace for little cost as a first step. Personally I don't like those sram ratchet shifters either. You could replace the front/left one with a higher grade sram one, or Shimano if you wish but if so it will look/operate differently to the right/rear one, which isn't Shimano compatible if you are keeping the sram rear mech (and in addition fyi sram 1:1 and Exact rear mechs/shifters are also not interchangeable).

 

[Piemaster]

Thanks for the reply. I'd agree you are right about the mix of components, its just something that in the engineer in me that doesn't like to see it.
I'll try a new cable first but think a new shifter is whats really needed. A new cable is a lot cheaper too!