STI Shifter Maintenance

Mac9

Is there any standard procedure to follow for looking after your shifters in the same way as there is for the drivetrain?

During my weekly(ish) clean down of my bike I always just give it a good wash with soapy water, degrease the chain, dry it down and drop a bit of lubricant on the chain and cassette - a basic little clean in other words. I never touch the shifters other than to give them a wipe if they're dirty.

Should I be doing anything to the shifters? Spraying a bit of GT85 into them or popping some lubricant in there etc?

They're working perfectly fine and I want to keep it that way! Just wondering if that was because I haven't messed about with them or sheer luck because I should be giving them a bit more attention!

Thanks.

6wheels

I pull on the brake lever and then spray 3 in 1 oil into the opening. I do this about once a month.

There're a lot of moving parts in the levers so , worth giving them a bit of attention.

Matthewfalle

Agree - spray a load of GT85 in there as it smells nice and (to my mind at least) will drive out any schizzle that may have got in there.

Apart from that, in decades of using them, nothing more and have never had any problems.

Mac9

Ok cheers all, I'll get spraying!

wishitwasallflat

I though it was best to leave them be if they are working cause GT85 or WD40 and the like will rinse out the grease installed on all the small parts at manufacture and they dont leave anything suitable behind to replace it.

47p2

I agree with the above, spraying with GT85 or similar will wash out the grease. Best remove the hoods and carefully remove any cover plates and use a needle oiler to pinpoint any cams that may require some lube, using an oil heavier that GT85. I like to use Castrol SAE30, it's heavy enough that it sticks to the components without dripping off

ai_1

There should be no need for regular lubrication of the STIs and as wishitwasallflat says, light penetrating oils will do more harm than good. If you must do anything use a heavy oil or grease. I never did any maintenance on the STIs on my last bike in over 3 years and they work as well now as on day one. The only maintenance I ever did or think is needed on the gear change mechanisms consisted of re-greasing the derailleurs any time degreaser got near them (during occassional cleaning of chain, chainrings & sprockets) and re-indexing the gears a couple of times due to cable stretch or a knock. More maintenance is not necessarily better maintenance. Washing the bike after every ride and degreasing and re-lubing the chain every week seems way over the top to me - unless you're riding in appalling conditions. I think there are a lot of people out there over-"maintaining" their bikes! It's more a result of equipment obsession than good practice.

Just my opinion!

keef66

My 105 STI's are coming up for 7 years of year round use, and apart from eating the occasional gear cable they have required no maintenance. I wouldn't be squirting anything in there; I can still see traces of the factory applied grease which Shimano thought a good idea. If they start to seize up I might try injecting a bit more.