Troublesome FD

[cyberknight]

The FD on the commuter was working perfectly before x mas and when i started commuting again it felt stiff so i gave it a squirt of wd 40 and it eased it a bit but its got stiffer to the point i need to use so much force it not feasible when riding .
Tried new cable and a new mech to no avail
if you disconnect the fd or take the pressure off the cable it moves ok , the FD moves fine on its own but join it together and its stiff a feck , the cable guide under the BB is clean .

 

[fossyant]

New outer as well ? - potential crud in outer cable under the bar tape - likely on a commuter.

 

[Jenkins]

if you disconnect the cable from the FD and put tension on it while operating the shifter, does it move easily? If not it may indicate a problem with the outer cable (as per @fossyant ) or the shifter itself.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Did you replace any cable outer? I had a similar problem last winter. I think Shimano outers have some sort of lubricant in them which can solidify/degrade - maybe due to frost.

Edit - obviously slow posting that and others got there before me

 

[Gunk]

I always replace both outer and inner, it is a complete false economy doing only the inner, you end up doing twice the job.

 

[fossyant]

SP41 for the win TBH.

 

[cyberknight]

the cable moves freely when there it is not connected to the FD , and the FD moves freely when not connected to the cable .Join it together and it refuses to play ball. I even tried putting tension by hand on the cable and its ok .
When i replaced the cable i did not change the outer but i guess that’s my next stop.

 

[Lookrider]

Could it be where your cable is pinch gripped on the F D
It only has to be less than a mm out of position and you will need extra force as you loose " leverage " if it's not routed over the guide correctly
Your Shimano document on that model/series FD will show this

 

[Big John]

Could it be where your cable is pinch gripped on the F D
It only has to be less than a mm out of position and you will need extra force as you loose " leverage " if it's not routed over the guide correctly
Your Shimano document on that model/series FD will show this

It's got to be that I reckon. I'm sure I had this problem at the bike charity where I'm a volunteer. I'd connected the cable incorrectly but you'd hardly notice it. Re-jigged it and it worked. Front mechs can be a bugger.

 

[si_c]

the cable moves freely when there it is not connected to the FD , and the FD moves freely when not connected to the cable .Join it together and it refuses to play ball. I even tried putting tension by hand on the cable and its ok .
When i replaced the cable i did not change the outer but i guess that’s my next stop.

I find you can usually delay that task a little bit by putting some chain lube (PTFE based, not wax) on the inner with my fingers along the whole run, then feeding it into the outer. Move it up and down a bit to get the lubricant feeding into the outer, and then remove and reapply. Doesn't have to be much.

Only takes a couple of minutes and prevents the need to replace the whole outer sometimes.

 

[cyberknight]

It's got to be that I reckon. I'm sure I had this problem at the bike charity where I'm a volunteer. I'd connected the cable incorrectly but you'd hardly notice it. Re-jigged it and it worked. Front mechs can be a bugger.

The cable was working fine for years and installed as per the instructions, new cable is exactly the same

 

[gbb]

It's got to be that I reckon. I'm sure I had this problem at the bike charity where I'm a volunteer. I'd connected the cable incorrectly but you'd hardly notice it. Re-jigged it and it worked. Front mechs can be a bugger.

Yup had the same, slightly incorrectly routed cable.

 

[robjh]

I've had four different kinds of problem causing a stiff/reluctant FD :
1. frayed cable - but OP has a new cable so it won't be that
2. gunk on the FD itself - quite common. Had some sand in a new Shimano GRX FD recently which was very tricky to get out.
3. incorrect cable routing into the FD. On some models it has only to be a fraction out to affect the leverage.
4. an in-line barrel adjuster on the cable that was somehow slipping and loosening itself.

I've never knowingly had problems from a worn cable outer, but have at times replaced them just in case. Never known the lever to be the cause of stiffness either.

 

[Lookrider]

 

[Paulus]

Yup had the same, slightly incorrectly routed cable.

I've had a similar problem with tiagra Fd. I clamped the cable on the wrong side of the mech, ie back to front.