MTB old shifters

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CorsairC

Über Member
My old British Eagle MTB which I use for commuting, has Shimano Altus C10 shifters its a 21 speed with old style caliper brakes, and thus seperate brake levers.

The left gear shifter intermittently isn't working. I can get the inner and middle gear no problem but a lot of the time I can't get on the outter big gearwheel, and sometimes when I do get on it, it slips back to the middle on its own. Had someone look at it, and they reckon its the shifter itself slipping.

http://www.mtb-kult.de/media/catalo...a06f020e43594a9c230972d/a/l/altus-shifter.jpg

I've been looking for a replacement, and its proving trickly. I neeed a 7 speed and it has to work with Calipers no V brakes. Theres this...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=38698

But I've seen this on bikes in the shops, and maybe its just the way they've been fitted but they seem really awkward with the lever forward under the bar. So I was wondering is there any alternative.

Also I didn't want to spend a fortune as this bike isn't worth much. But at the same its in good nick. I intend getting a road bike on the CTW at some point. I want to keep the MTB as a hack. Funds are limited too.
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
I would have thought choices do exist, e.g. this at £7 a pair incl p&p, which should tie you over until you get your new bike?

Just in case, have you checked to see if the H screw on the front mech is correctly adjusted? If not it can give rise to the same phenomenon as you have described.
 

Shady

Active Member
Location
Isle of Man
I had an issue with my mtb shifters - combination of a slightly broken shifter - missing changes and also jumping/missing gears and the cable outers being all gunked up.

Replaced broken shifter and cables and outers and problem solved.

Shady
 
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CorsairC

Über Member
Hi guys, I just didn't like the STX Rapidfire shifters, with the trigger under the bar. Its seems awkward to me, anyone else tried it? Thats why I just didn't buy that one. I note the more expensive shifters move the trigger to over the handler rather than under it which feels much better to me. I was window shopping for hyrids when I noticed it.

On my bike, the cable moves freely, and the bike mechanic (who is very good) said it was the shifter. Also the bike guys at work all reckoned the same. It was suggested soaking some WD40 in the shifter might free it. But that made no difference. Its not stuck. It just doesn't work sometimes. The cable if you tug it by hand moves ok, as does the fron deraileur. The real problem is sometimes it does shift up to the outter gear, and you don't notice shifting up to it, in traffic, until it suddenly slips down with no warning. I was going to take it apart, but everyone said that was a bad idea. If I get a replacement I will, just out of curiosity.

Some further digging on the web, might have found a seller with some stock of the original shifter. So fingers crossed!

On a seperate issue entirely, I degreased and cleaned the drive train, properly for the first time ever on this bike last week. Looks great now. Some bits which I though were painted black turned out not to be. I never knew to do anything other drop some car oil on the chain before now. So in 16yrs its got kinda dirty. Had a mad urge to clean it last weekend,cleaned up well. With the result, I just want to get it all working properly again now.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Argh!!!!! Don't use car oil on the chain!!!!
Get some pukka chain lube. A bottle lasts for aaaaaaaages.
And use the Mickle Method for the chain - easily summed up as wipe, lube, wipe, lube, wipe, wipe.
 
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CorsairC

Über Member
Er? thats why I degreased it? Now has a wet lube on it.

That said the car oil worked for years. The chain just got very dirty. That said I never used to cycle far, or in rain. Different when commuting as I'm trying to do now.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Heavy oil is sticky and all the fine dust will collect on your chain, turning to grinding paste and wearing it out. Apart from which, it looks unslightly and makes dirty marks on everything.
 
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CorsairC

Über Member
Incidentally someone offered me V brake integrated shifters/brake levers and the V brakes themselves. Any point is converting from Cantilevers to these. Would the be a problem with the boss'es for the cables as this bike as center pull boss at the back.

I don't think I'll bother if I get the original grar pod shifter. But I was just curious. I used to think the canti's were bad brakes, but someone showed me how to adjust them properly and I've no problems with them now.
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
sounds like you just need to tighten the thumb screw on top of the left hand lever and tighten the cable a little

Also you first said you had caliper brakes and then you mentioned cantilevers. You could only convert to Vs is you have the post mounts on the frame and forks (ie. you have cantis at the moment)
 
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