Gear shifter F***ed...

[Lauris]

Hi

I have a new problem with my bike. Feel like I'm cursed

This time it is front left Shimano Claris shifter not functioning for the front mech.

Prior to the failure, the shifting was not smooth anymore, I think not long ago I posted how I had to push the lever with 2 hands in order to move the front mech on to the big ring. I sprayed some lubricant and seemed to ease the problem.

But now recently its no longer functioning at all.

Usually, I just retensioned the cable and use the barrel adjuster which would usually fix the problem.

I will attach some files for you to see better.
Things to note:

The front mech moves fine by hand.
When push both levers at the same time the small gets stuck as seen in the photo and only gets back into position if I do it manually, but when I only push the small lever on its own then it comes back to its natural position.

The barrel adjuster seems worn a little but I don't think that is the main issue.

Please see the photos and advise what this can be.

I hope I don't have to buy a new shifter.

Thanks.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I have the same problem with my Ultegra levers. LH lever is back for warranty claim, but it is taking an age to sort out. LBS says lever is fubarred. Warranty it if you can, or else it's new lever time. Sorry.

 

[Spiderweb]

The barrel end of the cable shouldn’t be protruding like that in your photo, the cable may not be threaded through the shifter properly?
Try removing the cable completely, check there is no cable damage/fraying, if ok either re thread the existing cable or replace, make sure you thread it properly (see video) if you aren’t familiar it can be a bit tricky. The barrel end should be sat just inside the shifter, nothing protruding.

View: https://youtu.be/eO0nJAElE2w

 

[ianrauk]

I have the same problem with my Ultegra levers. LH lever is back for warranty claim, but it is taking an age to sort out. LBS says lever is fubarred. Warranty it if you can, or else it's new lever time. Sorry.

I've had 2 left side Ultegra levers go. One half way up a mountain in France

 

[fossyant]

Remove the cable outer and check the condition of the inner - they frey. Any shifter issues, check and renew cables.

You shouldn't have been using two hands to shift - I'd have renewed the cable at that point.

 

[nmfeb70]

@fossyant is correct, the inner cables fray and snag inside the outer. It's happened to me a few times.
To determine if the shifter is faulty, release the cable from the mech and remove the outer cable, then wrap the cable around your hand, take up the slack and try the shifter.

 

[hatler]

If the cable is near snapping (and you won't know that without a little disassembly) then I would be cautious about letting the nipple back in to the lever, 'cos if the cable snaps with the nipple in place in can be a pig to get all the bits out.

I'd be tempted to start by releasing the cable at the mech end, then pull the nipple out more. Any fraying is likely to be within the first few inches of cable you expose.

If there's no fraying, pull the cable back from the mech end and try the method nmfeb70 suggests immediately above.
If there is fraying, check and note the routing in the lever, and pull the cable all the way through. Try the lever operation. It should click through the selections sweetly. If it does, replace all the outer cables and fit a new inner cable.
If it doesn't, either buy a new lever, or try a DIY fix (not for the faint of heart).

 

[Ajax Bay]

The barrel end of the cable shouldn’t be protruding

This ^^^^
The cable isn't in properly so unsurprisingly the STI is not working. Remove the cable completely (if damaged use a new one); click down to smallest chainring position and reinstall (head disappears!) and index. Ride on.