Struggling to change down on front derailleur

[&roid]

I've had my road bike (first bike in nearly twenty years!) for a couple of weeks but on the last two rides I've had problems changing down on the front derailleur, every time I try to it just gets stuck halfway with the chain rubbing on the derailleur but not moving down to the smaller cog. The only way I can get it to change is to stop, pick the back wheel up and turn the pedal by hand, when I do this it shifts fine but clearly this is not helpful when trying to get up a hill!

Can anyone point me in the direction of some instructions on how to fix this? If it makes any difference they are shimano 2300 3-ring front set.

TIA

 

[smokeysmoo]

There's loads of vids on YOU TUBE that are great for beginners

 

[aberal]

Your cable has stretched. Use the barrel adjuster to tighten it - try a quarter turn at a time until it sorts itself.

 

[PpPete]

Your cable has stretched. Use the barrel adjuster to tighten it - try a quarter turn at a time until it sorts itself.

I beg to differ - that would be my advice if the OP couldn't change UP to the big ring.

More likely it needs a tiny adjustment (anticlockwise) of the "L" limit screw on the front mech.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I beg to differ - that would be my advice if the OP couldn't change UP to the big ring.

More likely it needs a tiny adjustment (anticlockwise) of the "L" limit screw on the front mech.

Agreed. Default position for a front mech (without a cable attached) is as close to the tube as possible thus cable stretch would have no impact on a down change.

 

[Sleeper]

Has it taken an inadvertent whack from somethIng?

 

[subaqua]

Agreed. Default position for a front mech (without a cable attached) is as close to the tube as possible thus cable stretch would have no impact on a down change.

+1 although on some top pull its the other way round, not for the 2300 though. shimano tech docs has full set up info , but i think the mech needs some cleaning and a lube.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1 although on some top pull its the other way round, not for the 2300 though. shimano tech docs has full set up info , but i think the mech needs some cleaning and a lube.

Ah yes good point about top pull mechs.

 

[henshaw11]

I've had a similar problem in the past with triples (on mtbs) - I think I just went back to the shimano setup docs and started from scratch - seemed to solve it. Can't remember what the exact fix was mebbe limit screws, might have even been redoing the orientation around the seat tube.

If you've bought it from a bike shop they'll generally have a check over it in the few weeks or so to make any readjustments.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

cable might be gummed up or the cable outer isn't seated in the lugs or adjusters or sti lever properly, in effect shortening the inner and not allowing it to return.

 

[Sleeper]

I was thinking similar, but the assembly would be under tension in the big ring (we assume) I'd suspect an errant item - stone etc. Stuck in the parallelogram mech somewhere? There's lots of debris around from the rain...

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I was thinking similar, but the assembly would be under tension in the big ring (we assume) I'd suspect an errant item - stone etc. Stuck in the parallelogram mech somewhere? There's lots of debris around from the rain...

That or the spring simply needs lubricating.

 

[Sleeper]

True... But it's unlikely to be dry so soon though?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

True... But it's unlikely to be dry so soon though?

You might be suprised. I thought the same about my road bike and a few weeks later had a stiff chain link. I would give the mech a good lube and drip some oil down the cable to be on the safe side.

If this doesn't sort it then tweak the limit screw.

 

[Sleeper]

Stranger things! I've not experienced 2300 before, only 105. For me though, I can't see how the limit screw would suddenly go way out. I reckon mark up the seat-tube, remove the mech, inspect, clean and lube