Help me diagnose some bad 9 speed shifting (Sora 9 Speed Road Groupset)

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nmfeb70

Senior Member
Location
Tonypandy, Wales
My trusty 2012 Btwin Triban 3 is poorly. I can't get it to shift in to the big cog or the little cog on the cassette at the back without playing with the barrel adjuster in between (Shimano Sora 9sp R3000, Double chainset). Things I have tried to resolve this include:
  • Checked that the wheel is seated in the frame straight.
  • Used my Park Tools DAG tool to check horizontal and vertical hanger alignment.
  • Replaced the inner gear cable.
  • Replaced the outer gear cable near the mech. Downshifting feels very free and easy on the shifter.
  • Played with limit screws.
  • At my wit's end, played with B screw.
If I tension the cable such that I can get in the big cog but not the smallest, when I'm upshifting it's as if one of the upshifts just goes missing and doesn't do anything, or at least very little.

I've been eyeing up Wheeltop's new wireless road groupset for under £500, and I can't be bothered buying another Sora shifter if I'm only going to use it another 6 months.

Is my shifter dead? Is this something that can happen on Sora 9 speed shifters? There's currently a faulty one on eBay for parts that seems to have a similar

My trusty 2012 Btwin Triban 3 is poorly. I can't get it to shift in to the big cog or the little cog on the cassette at the back without playing with the barrel adjuster in between (Shimano Sora 9sp R3000, Double chainset). Things I have tried to resolve this include:
  • Checked that the wheel is seated in the frame straight.
  • Used my Park Tools DAG tool to check horizontal and vertical hanger alignment.
  • Replaced the inner gear cable.
  • Replaced the outer gear cable near the mech. Downshifting feels very free and easy on the shifter.
  • Played with limit screws.
  • At my wit's end, played with B screw.
If I tension the cable such that I can get in the big cog but not the smallest, when I'm upshifting it's as if one of the upshifts just goes missing and doesn't do anything, or at least very little.

I've been eyeing up Wheeltop's new wireless road groupset for under £500, and I can't be bothered buying another Sora shifter if I'm only going to use it another 6 months.

Is my shifter dead? Is this something that can happen on Sora 9 speed shifters? There's currently a faulty one on eBay for parts that seems to have a similar issue. Cheers!

I recently had a similar problem with the shifting on my Trek MTB. It wouldn't shift up onto the larger sprockets, then after fine tuning the barrel it wouldn't drop onto the smaller sprockets. I changed both inner & outer gear cables, adjusted the limit screws, checked the hanger, checked & lubricated the shifter....but all to no avail.
After almost going mad I took it to my LBS and they figured out the RD was the problem. It's now shifting as sweet as ever.
 
OP
OP
Boopop

Boopop

Guru
I recently had a similar problem with the shifting on my Trek MTB. It wouldn't shift up onto the larger sprockets, then after fine tuning the barrel it wouldn't drop onto the smaller sprockets. I changed both inner & outer gear cables, adjusted the limit screws, checked the hanger, checked & lubricated the shifter....but all to no avail.
After almost going mad I took it to my LBS and they figured out the RD was the problem. It's now shifting as sweet as ever.

Thanks - yeah I started to wonder if that was actually the cause after all too. This mech is less than a year old though, these ones seem rather fragile. Hopefully this fancy new electronic shifter winging it's way from China will be more reliable.
 

nmfeb70

Senior Member
Location
Tonypandy, Wales
Thanks - yeah I started to wonder if that was actually the cause after all too. This mech is less than a year old though, these ones seem rather fragile. Hopefully this fancy new electronic shifter winging it's way from China will be more reliable.

I had only recently changed the RD. The LBS owner seemed to think the RD may had a slight knock - unbeknown to me - while riding over rocky terrain. Hope you get to the bottom of it. I know how infuriating it is.
 
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