Campag Athena shifter not shifting

natsnoz
natsnoz Posts: 235
edited April 2014 in Workshop
As title, riding up hill today,put in granny gear as normal, when I went to shift down, right shifter just moves side to side. Thumb action also not working. No noise or friction,just movement. At least I got home,albeit spinning my little legs off!
Shifters are Athena 11s carbon.
Any ideas what's happened?

Comments

  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Do both the thumb lever and finger lever work but nothing moves?

    I've has this with an ultrashift lever - I'm not sure if the same thing would happen with a post 2011 powershift athena lever though. Do you have powershift or ultrashift?
  • natsnoz
    natsnoz Posts: 235
    That is correct,both move but nothing. 2010 Athena, think ultrashift
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Cool - probably the same thing I had. To confirm, Ultrashift has a thumb lever (multiple shifts), powershift has a thumb button (one shift per press)

    My issue was caused by letting the ratchet-wheel go too-far beyond where the 'hook' connected to the lever could reach the last ratchet tooth on the ratchet-wheel. This was because I was playing with the shifter while it was off of the bike with no cable attached. If it's happened to you in-situ, I would suspect there may be an issue with cable stretch/fraying near the nipple-end but you can look into that later.

    If it's the same thing it's a simple fix - though you may first want to watch the remaining working ratchet-wheel on the other shifter to get a feeling for what's going on. Next, remove all tension from the cable. As I think it'll be a good ideal to replace the cable - or at least check the nipple end, disconnect it from the mech,

    Look into the slot cut into the inside of the lever hood - just below the thumb lever button. You'll see the thumb lever hook which engages into the ratchet-wheel (on the working shifter, you'll see the ratchet-wheel teeth - on the failing one, all the teeth will be 'above' the thumb lever hook). All you need to go is get a small flat-headed screwdriver, and catch one of the teeth on the wheel and pull it down so the first tooth engages with the lever hook (as you need to get the first tooth to engage, make sure you pull down with the screwdriver on any of the other ratchet-wheel teeth).

    Once it's in place it should start working again - check the cable and set it all up again.
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    if those ramblings don't make sense, let me know and I'll annotate some photos.
  • natsnoz
    natsnoz Posts: 235
    Yes it is ultra shift. I'm not the most practical but think that makes sense. I will look tomorrow, thanks for you valuable input
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    No probs. Watch the good shifter working as the levers are pushed - it's very obvious when you see it - what's going on.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Had a similar thing on someone's bike which turned out to be they were using Shimano gear inners. Worked fine once swapped for Campag ones but did require the shifter to be taken apart to re-align the ratchet.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • natsnoz
    natsnoz Posts: 235
    Ok, well I did the ratchet and it changed gear, great. But......
    When I change to the granny gear, the ratchet does exactly the same again and comes out. Is it cable,or spring or just broken?
    Any ideas
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Try replacing the cable, make sure you use an official Campag inner able, otherwise it may stick and jam which could be the cause of what's happening.

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