Stiff Changer

[Bankieboy]

Hello All,
I have just restarted biking and have a "Hybrid".
I find that the changer for the front derailleur (Shimano V-Brake) is quite stiff to operate.
Is this something that is general, or, does anyone know of a make/model that is smoother and easier to operate?
The last time I had a bike the changer was on the down tube!
Thanks!

 

[HLaB]

The gear cables might just need a good lube but if the bikes new take it back to the bike shop they may also have to adjust the gears.

 

[Bankieboy]

I've taken it back twice. They say that it's O.K. I just wondered whether an upgrade would solve the problem. I realise that the equipment fitted as standard has to be within a price range which, often, means less quality.

 

[HLaB]

I've taken it back twice. They say that it's O.K. I just wondered whether an upgrade would solve the problem. I realise that the equipment fitted as standard has to be within a price range which, often, means less quality.

But it should still work !

 

[gwhite]

Hello All,
I have just restarted biking and have a "Hybrid".
I find that the changer for the front derailleur (Shimano V-Brake) is quite stiff to operate.
Is this something that is general, or, does anyone know of a make/model that is smoother and easier to operate?
The last time I had a bike the changer was on the down tube!
Thanks!

I take it we're talking about thumbshifters here. Whatever, the FD should not be that hard to shift, if it is then something is wrong. If the bike is new it isn't likely that the cables are the answer but they should be checked for lubrication and binding cables. Is the changes stiff going from middle ring to top or is it all changes? If it is from middle to top then this is sometimes caused by the "H" limit screw on the FD being too tightly adjusted and it should be slackened off. Really though we need more information on the nature of the problem.

 

[bonj2]

cable routing. Where the cable attaches to the front derailleur, try it with it going round the outside of the lug so there is more mechanical advantage i.e. thepoint of contact of the mech with the cable is further from the pivot. Might not be that but i once had that problem and that was the solution. despite someone on yacf telling me it should be near the pivot.
it's quite feasible the person setting it up could have thought it's supposed to go inside ofthe lug.

 

[ed_o_brain]

We had a similar problem on one of my partners bikes when it was new. It was a Roadbike with 105 shifters and Tiagra front derailleur. I had a similar bike with 105 shifters and 105 front derailleur.

I checked the shifters, cables, cable routing etc. It was just too stiff for her to operate.

As it happened, I broke my bike down and swapped her front derailleur for the one from my bike. Problem solved.

I don't think it was a question of component quality. Just the return spring in the original front derailleur was to strong. The one from my bike with a few thousand miles on it was nicely run in.

Is it a Shimano C-050 per chance? I could check my shed to see if I have a nice used one in the spares box.