Tiagra left shifter sticking

[Drago]

My 10 speed Tiagra brifter of similar vintage awoke from winter hibernation very, very sticky. It was the grease congealing heavily, and it took 2 days of WD soaking to free it (it freed up very well). The open cable routing is very benign, and the cables have an easy time on these, but of course check that too.

As an aside, I've got big hands and love the long throw on these shifters.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Cheap non-stainless cables do rust though.

'Course they do. But the OP's unridden for a while bike is a 2014? Cannondale Synapse with Tiagra. Will not be equipped with "cheap non-stainless cables".

 

[Drago]

My Tiagra equipped bike came with stainless Jagwire.

 

[wyre forest blues]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Today I stripped down the shifter. The cables (including the brake cable) were in perfectly good order, no fraying or rust. I cleaned as far as possible the mechanism in the shifter and sprayed with GT85 (should I have greased it?). I also checked the cabling to the front mech, removed and cleaned the mech and replaced all components. There was very little change in the operation. The changing of the gear from the small ring to the large ring is OK. When changing to the small ring it does change, the mech moves OK, but to achieve this quite a bit of force is necessary on the lever and then suddenly there is a loud clunk and hey presto the lever moves and the mech changes position. Its like as if the shifter gets to a point and then suddenly falls off a cliff instead of a steady descent if that makes sense.
I suppose the bottom line is that it works. Not ideal for me and if I was using it as my main bike I would sort it, but my son in law will only be an occasional rider so I guess he will have to put up with it, unless he wants the LBS to have a look. For inf, although the bike hasn't been used much recently it has been fixed to my turbo trainer, inside my house with occasional use,and the 'fault' has been present for some time.

 

[figbat]

That is how down shifts work - they are not progressive like the upshift. A loud clunk may suggest high cable tension or may just be how this shifter sounds.

 

[Drago]

Keep soaking it periodically over the next few days. The original grease hardens and glues everything in place and it took a couple of days for mine to free up properly - these levers should be light in operation.

As mentioned above, the downshift if never as refined as the upshift though. All you're doing is immediately releasing the tension in the cable and the spring in the front mech instantly relaxes to it's natural position, pushing the mech inwards. As you know, release a spring and it relaxes instantly, not gradually.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I cleaned as far as possible the mechanism in the shifter and sprayed with GT85 (should I have greased it?).

No to grease. A good spraying and wipe is good enough, and worth doing every 6 months.

 

[wyre forest blues]

That is how down shifts work - they are not progressive like the upshift. A loud clunk may suggest high cable tension or may just be how this shifter sounds.

Thanks. Yes, I understand that and perhaps I'm making a mental comparison with my other bikes which have Ultegra group-sets. I will have a go at playing around with the tension tomorrow.

 

[wyre forest blues]

Keep soaking it periodically over the next few days. The original grease hardens and glues everything in place and it took a couple of days for mine to free up properly - these levers should be light in operation.

As mentioned above, the downshift if never as refined as the upshift though. All you're doing is immediately releasing the tension in the cable and the spring in the front mech instantly relaxes to it's natural position, pushing the mech inwards. As you know, release a spring and it relaxes instantly, not gradually.

Thanks for the advice... will do that tomorrow. The force necessary to release the the mech spring has definitely increased over time before it reaches the point where it instantly changes.

 

[Jenkins]

That is how down shifts work - they are not progressive like the upshift. A loud clunk may suggest high cable tension or may just be how this shifter sounds.

Or the loud clunk on downchanges on the front may just mean you're running SRAM

 

[Drago]

Thanks for the advice... will do that tomorrow. The force necessary to release the the mech spring has definitely increased over time before it reaches the point where it instantly changes.

I squirted mine 2 or 3 times a day over 2 days and it recovered. Once it had dried out a bit I then gave a spray of Wurth white grease, and it seems to be completely back to normal.

 

[tom73]

If in doubt belt it
That will fix it one way or another

 

[Globalti]

Front derailleur cables often work at a huge disadvantage almost parallel to the line of the operating arm so they have to make a big effort to get the first few degrees of movement and the return action can be quite a snap. On my first carbon bike, a 2006 Roubaix, the action was so sharp that it kept throwing the chain right off until I fitted a K-Edge chain catcher.

 

[Nigelnightmare]

As mentioned above NO grease but after GT85/WD40 has freed it off it will need lubing.
On my 8 speed 105's (1055) not shifting at all (up or down).
I GT85 then lubed with chain lube as I couldn't find my Teflon spray lube.
Spray lube is better as it gets everywhere inside quicker.
The trick is to drown it in lube, work it then wipe it off with spirit dampened cloth.
Regular light lubing is needed to keep it sweet.
HTH