Shimano Tiagra Gear Shifting Issue
Hi All,
Recently my gear shifting has become unreliable. I purchased a new bike last winter with Shimano Tiagra kit and loved the fact that I now had STI shifters (instead of on the down tube like my old bike!).
However, I’ve been having trouble with my rear derailleur (at least that’s what I think it is!). Shifting into lower gears was hesitant at best so I tweaked the tension in the cable to help pull it along. This then meant that I struggle to get into the two highest gears on the rear cassette. I also have an issue with double or triple shifting into lower gears. Single shifts work all the way up. Double or triple shifts always miss the final change so that I have to drop it down one to align it to the right gear again. Really frustrating! The second issue may just be as a result of bad indexing on my part as I try to find the best option between poor up-shifts and poor down-shifts!
It is not the indexing that needs aligning as I can align it perfectly for one end of the cassette but it then struggles at the other. It’s not the limits either as I have checked these and even opened them up to allow greater movement to no avail.
I have cleaned and regreased the whole lot at the rear and there is no excessive wear and the rear hanger doesn’t seems bent in any way.
I think it’s either…
1) An issue with the main spring in the derailleur (the one in the parallelogram part that pulls it to its resting position on the highest gear…I don’t know its technical name!). I seem to remember that when it was new the spring recoiled tightly so that the spring was tightly shut together (no gap between the coils). There now seems to be a small gap. Could the spring has been damaged or lost some of its power and ability to put the derailleur and chain over to the highest gears (it would explain why I struggle at the high end and not the low!). Can it be replaced? Can you even take it apart? Or is it a case of buying a whole new derailleur?
2) An issue with the cables and their outers. Could they have stretched or been damaged in some way that still allows them to work but in a temperamental manner!? I would have thought that if it was simply a stretch issue a quick tweak would realign all the gears and I’d be up and running again!
3) An issue with the shifter. I hope it’s not as that’s the expensive bit but as I have no real understanding of how they work I wouldn’t know whether this can be the case.
Has anyone had a similar issue in the past and can help me resolve this one?!
Many thanks,
Steve
Recently my gear shifting has become unreliable. I purchased a new bike last winter with Shimano Tiagra kit and loved the fact that I now had STI shifters (instead of on the down tube like my old bike!).
However, I’ve been having trouble with my rear derailleur (at least that’s what I think it is!). Shifting into lower gears was hesitant at best so I tweaked the tension in the cable to help pull it along. This then meant that I struggle to get into the two highest gears on the rear cassette. I also have an issue with double or triple shifting into lower gears. Single shifts work all the way up. Double or triple shifts always miss the final change so that I have to drop it down one to align it to the right gear again. Really frustrating! The second issue may just be as a result of bad indexing on my part as I try to find the best option between poor up-shifts and poor down-shifts!
It is not the indexing that needs aligning as I can align it perfectly for one end of the cassette but it then struggles at the other. It’s not the limits either as I have checked these and even opened them up to allow greater movement to no avail.
I have cleaned and regreased the whole lot at the rear and there is no excessive wear and the rear hanger doesn’t seems bent in any way.
I think it’s either…
1) An issue with the main spring in the derailleur (the one in the parallelogram part that pulls it to its resting position on the highest gear…I don’t know its technical name!). I seem to remember that when it was new the spring recoiled tightly so that the spring was tightly shut together (no gap between the coils). There now seems to be a small gap. Could the spring has been damaged or lost some of its power and ability to put the derailleur and chain over to the highest gears (it would explain why I struggle at the high end and not the low!). Can it be replaced? Can you even take it apart? Or is it a case of buying a whole new derailleur?
2) An issue with the cables and their outers. Could they have stretched or been damaged in some way that still allows them to work but in a temperamental manner!? I would have thought that if it was simply a stretch issue a quick tweak would realign all the gears and I’d be up and running again!
3) An issue with the shifter. I hope it’s not as that’s the expensive bit but as I have no real understanding of how they work I wouldn’t know whether this can be the case.
Has anyone had a similar issue in the past and can help me resolve this one?!
Many thanks,
Steve
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Comments
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I've had this Steve. Basically, I can spend hours trying to get this right and then take it into my LBS and they get it working perfectly….
All systems go out slightly as the cables stretch/wear and everything needs readjusting every once in a while. I keep on meaning to take a maintenance class just so I can learn what I should be able to pick up easily.
My solution is to be a bit more chilled about it and to feel the gear change as I make it (I grew up riding with non indexed down tube shifters so this is OK for me). THat doesn't mean I've got the set up spot on, but it does mean that I can cope with it when riding..
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>> Domane Four Series > Ridgeback Voyage0 -
Those symptoms are almost always cable and outers - especially the final loop to the rear derailleur. The way it's positioned and moving the cable in and out just pulls muck in there.
I skipped changing that part last time I recabled (can't really remember why) but I'll never do it again. Just changed it and my shifting is better than ever.
That's much more likely than either of your other 2 suggestions - although I would clean and lube the pivots of the RD too. You can take them right apart but it's fiddly and not worth the time - better to replace it once it gets that grimy inside.I'm left handed, if that matters.0 -
Thanks for the advice guys; I didn’t want to cope with it as I knew that it could be better! :P
So I took k-dogs advice and started with the cable last night to see if there was muck stuck in there. Took it out of the outers and there didn’t seem to be a problem with dirt. But I did notice a problem with the cable up by the shifter. It looked like one of the individual strands of the cable had snapped as it was loosely wound compared to the others. Tried to feed it through the shifter to take a closer look but it wouldn’t budge; thought perhaps the loose strand was getting fast.
Turns out most of the strands had severed completely in the shifter and the loose ends had all bunched up and tangled! Had to cut the remaining 4 strands and yank it free…I’m surprised my gears worked at all with so little of the cable surviving! And I’m pleased to report that it doesn’t seem to have damaged the shifter in any way!
New cable purchased and installed in cleaned outers and the bike is working like a dream again! I am now changing gear unnecessarily just to feel a smooth gear change again!0
