Rear gears - thumbs of steel required

Blue Parker

Help, my rear gears are almost impossible to move down in gears (from small to big cog), when changing up this is nice and easy, but the other way is horrendous, I have chcked the derrailure and hanger and look ok, I have checked the shifter with out load and seems fine but I do get a rather loud "CLICK" from time to time.
Setup:
SLX derrailure
XT shifter
Part open and covered cable.

I was thinking of just moving to a fully covered cable (not using the stops on the frame (Giant) - will this work?

Ta

nicklouse

going to a full length will not make it any easier unless ýou have something wrong with your current routing and just by changing you inadvertatly fix it.

check your routing but shiftinbg one way is always harder than the other as you have to make the shift rather than the spring.
issues tend to show up on the spring shift before the other but you seem to imply the later.

cooldad

Have you adjusted the cable lately?

The Rookie

I wonder if the cable is fraying inside the shifter!

BigLee1

I`d replace the cable and outer & see how it goes, always been a revelation when I`ve changed mine for a quality cable even on a 5 month old bike

Redhog14

BigLee1 wrote:

I`d replace the cable and outer & see how it goes, always been a revelation when I`ve changed mine for a quality cable even on a 5 month old bike

+1 always a nice feeling after doing this

plenty of stuff on Youtube to show you how.

benpinnick

Has your outer popped out of the shifter? Sometimes happens and can lead to the inner dragging on the barrel adjuster.

Giraffoto

Check the cable first - part open/part covered can get gunk in there and seize things up. After that, and if you have somewhere where you can hang the bike up, try things in this order . . .

A. Hang it up and turn the pedals, then watch what the derailleur does when you change gear. Check that the top jockey wheel is not riding too high.

When your top jockey wheel is set to high, the whole concern is resting on the cogs and every shift to a larger one has a lot of resistance. This might explain the loud click as well

B. Once you've tried that, get the chain off and see how the derailleur feels when you're only moving it against its own spring pressure. check if it moves smoothly when you're holding it away from the cassette while you move the shift lever

This is the check for the gear cable, shift lever and derailleur - if the problem is still there without any resistance from the chain, one of these is at fault

C. Next, drop it into the smallest cog position and see how easy it is to move the cage with your fingers

If it's horrendously difficult to move with your fingers in test C, your derailleur has problems. Give it some TLC. If not, it's down to the shift lever or cable

D. Finally, undo the cable from the derailleur while it's on the smallest cog, and try a few shifts with the cable pulled a cm or so from the lever. The upshift should be as easy as the downshift. If not, the lever's gone wrong. If it is easy without the cable attached, the cable is probably the problem. Clean it and reinstall it

Blue Parker

Hi thanks everyone, I have been riding in Swinley lately so lots of sand etc, i did try the other week with nothing attached to the shifter and that moved OK but I will try all the systematic checks as suggested. I think a new cable with full outer may be in order also.

Ta

festa2

would be worth lubing the inner cables and also spray some GT85 or similar into the shifters, ive had similar issues and it was just the shifter a bit seized and a squirt of lube in them had it sorted..

Blue Parker

HI many thanks all sorted, I lubed the shifter, installed a new (fully covered) cable and removed and cleaned the rear derailure and the checked the hanger, also cleaned up the chain.

Thanks again for all the help.
Shame it was pouring down and there is now a lake out side my house (no kidding)! :shock:

green room

Full outer is awesome, I've been running the same one on XTR since 2006 without any maintenance. Get good quality stuff.