Spongy front shifter lever not clicking and travelling too far

[Hebe]

Hi, I am wondering if this is something I can safely fix myself with a bit of guidance or if I need to drop into the LBS. I’ve never done anything with shifters before.

Left hand Shimano Acer, the lower lever (moving from smaller to larger cogs at the front). The lever feels spongy, it goes past the point where it ought to click and the chain doesn’t shift over until the lever is nearly beyond reach. It’s not really a clean shift either, the chain almost limps over. The lever going the other way is absolutely fine, as is the right hand shifter.

Thank you for any help. I’m determined to learn more about bike maintenance, even if it just means that I know what to ask for when I call the workshop.

 

[Cycleops]

If it’s quite old they can get clogged up with dirt and grime. Try flushing out the shifter with WD40 or similar and see if that makes a difference. Could also be the cable so change that as well, easy to do, plenty of vids on YouTube.

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Cable may have stretched. Not too hard to adjust and probably worth a try, but it takes a lot of words to explain so as above, You Tube is your friend.

 

[raleighnut]

The cable may be a bit too slack but be careful, you need to push the lever beyond the 'click' to shift cogs so that when the lever returns to it's 'detent' there is clearance on the mech or it will rub on the chain.

 

[Hebe]

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies. I will try flushing it through with wd40 tomorrow and see how that goes. And I will watch some you-tube videos too.

 

[weareHKR]

And I will watch some you-tube videos too

Try watching.... RJ The Bike Guy he has plenty of vids!

 

[Hebe]

Try watching.... RJ The Bike Guy he has plenty of vids!

Ha - I have just saved a couple of his, thank you! I know what I’m doing with the wd40 now

 

[fossyant]

Good chance you will need new cables - inner and outer. How old is the bike ?

 

[Hebe]

Good chance you will need new cables - inner and outer. How old is the bike ?

8 or 9 Years. not ridden much the last few.

 

[fossyant]

New cables, especially if it's been stood.

 

[Hebe]

Thank you all - currently flushing through with wd40 according to a video by the guy that @weareHKR linked to upthread - and it is so much better already. The clicky changing is back and the travel before clicking is much less. I rotated the shifter slightly too so that the reach is less of a problem. I‘m going to see if I can pick up a cheap shifter somewhere so I can take it apart and see how it works on the inside. I think I’d like to know a bit more before I start tacking cables. Thanks again - I had such a spring in my step from being able to do a new task on the bike.

 

[DCBassman]

Not really worth it - you will vanish in a cloud of springs and small parts!
Usually, to change cables, there is a cover to remove, then unhook the cable end from whatever recess the particular shifter has for it. New one, reverse what you just did. The thing to take careful note of is the exact path of the cable through the shifter. Not complex, but needs to be right.

 

[Hebe]

Thanks Sounds like I’d need to photograph it before changing anything. The cable routing is mixed internal/external too, which is a whole other new skill.

 

[MichaelW2]

I tried fixing a spongy low end Shimano.
WD40 will flush out all of the grease and in the long run it will seize up . If you dissassemble it into parts you will have a very hard time fitting it all back with just 2 hands.
Low end Shimano controls work really well until they dont. At that point, in the long run the best option is replacement.
Do check the cable and mech movement.

 

[Hebe]

Thank you. I was going to put a bit of lube in, afterwards, that was shown in the video. Though now I need to look up the difference between lube and grease! I’m guessing the grease is thicker and hangs around longer.

What do I need to check for on the cable and mech movement please?