Replaceable component? or whole new lever required?

[Peppa19]

Hey all,

I ran into the back of my mate on a ride today (accidents happen but feel awful about it), and it looks like I’ve damaged the housing around his left shifter.

The brake lever is now slightly loose, although everything still seems to function.

I’m hoping someone here can help me work out whether this requires a full shifter replacement or if there’s a smaller part I can replace.

It’s a Shimano Ultegra Di2 ST-R8170-L (R8150 groupset).

He lives quite far away, so I’m hoping to get some advice before taking it to a bike shop.
Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Punkawallah]

As it’s brakes, I’d just take it to the shop.

 

[Peppa19]

As it’s brakes, I’d just take it to the shop.

im pretty new to cycling, so definitely not a know-it-all, but my fear is that any old bike mechanic/shop will just say sorry you need a full replacement as an upsell.

i do need to find a good local mechanic..

 

[ivegotabike]

I think this is the parts diagram

https://si.shimano.com/ko/pdfs/ev/ST-R8170-4866/EV-ST-R8170-4866.pdf

I wouldn't go so far as to say that there are no other parts available, but I don't know where you would get them from.

Maybe worth getting in touch with one of the experts at the country distributor for Shimano (Madison in the UK)

 

[Peppa19]

I think this is the parts diagram

https://si.shimano.com/ko/pdfs/ev/ST-R8170-4866/EV-ST-R8170-4866.pdf

I wouldn't go so far as to say that there are no other parts available, but I don't know where you would get them from.

Maybe worth getting in touch with one of the experts at the country distributor for Shimano (Madison in the UK)

Thank you so much. ill get in touch with them

 

[T4tomo]

Nope, nothing in a shimano shifter is serviceable or replaceable - once you take it apart its impossible to put back together.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm completely unqualified to comment. But I won't let that stop me.

That looks unsafe. It looks like the lever could become completely detached under heavy braking.

The piece that is broken looks to be the actual shifter body. I'd be amazed if you can obtain those separately and even if you could you'd have to take the entire thing to bits and reassemble around the new body. And because of safety-criticality I'd be surprised if you'd find anyone who would do that.

But bear in mind that I'm an idiot.

 

[Peppa19]

I'm completely unqualified to comment. But I won't let that stop me.

That looks unsafe. It looks like the lever could become completely detached under heavy braking.

The piece that is broken is the actual shifter body. I'd be amazed if you can obtain those separately and even if you could you'd have to take the entire thing to bits and reassemble around the new body. And because of safety-criticality I'd be surprised if you'd find anyone who would do that.

But bear in mind that I'm an idiot.

Thanks. and yeah you're right - my deepest fear is that given the housing is essentially the whole assembly, it may well need full replacement.

Going to contact madison and find out but im 90% sure that's what they'll say.

 

[Big John]

We've become the 'throw away and fit a new one' society. The only folks daft enough to try and fix things that are broken are probably the bike charities like the one I'm involved with. However, even we know that these levers are the work of NASA rocket scientists who don't want mere mortals to go anywhere near them. Imagine the labour costs of a shop mechanic charging £40 an hour to fix something like a brifter. Much cheaper to buy a new unit and refit. That said Di2 ain't cheap I bet. Over the years I've had group ride mishaps but we never had expensive bits of kit back then or at least the guys I rode with didn't. It can be an expensive game now if you accidentally tail end someone.

 

[rydabent]

Repair parts are seldom available. You will have to replace the whole assy.

 

[ivegotabike]

I don't know how you / your friend would view a used lever, but there is at least one on ebay UK

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/880078922539

 

[classic33]

Housing where the actual lever is mounted is broken, replacement required.
1

2

1) From the link provided.
2) From the picture posted.

 

[midlife]

Just out of curiosity how did you manage break your mates lever by running into the back of him?