Noisy Shifters (ruining my ride)

happycrank(s)

Hello All,

The shifters work perfectly in both braking and shifting, but I have some unwanted noise (rattles) coming from my Tiagra shifters, I hit a bump or some rough tarmac and it turns a nice silent ride into something like a bag of tools rattling.

There were a few other rattles on my road bike (Giant Defy) such as bottle cages, the locking nuts on the valve stems (came loose) and even the barrel adjusters on the STI levers rattled. I've isolated and solved everything except what's coming from the shifters themselves.

I've uploaded a picture of the shifter (I think it's a 2013 model).

If anyone has had this problem or knows how to solve it I'd be grateful for any help.

desweller

If the brakes are binding then they can cause the cables to run slack, leaving play in the brake lever which you can hear as a rattle.

happycrank(s)

Hello Des,

The right hand shifter is making most of the noise (front brake), the brake cable already feels very taught, but I'll slacken off the cable, pull the lever down and then put some blue tack on the cable anchor making sure there's no movement within its housing.

I'll then bounce the front of the bike up and down a few times.

If it rattles it's won't be the brake cable/anchor (it's been secured) but probably something loose rattling around, If it doesn't rattle: Bingo!

I hope my logic is understandable? Either way Des I'm grateful for you help.

I'll post the results when I've done it.

Thanks,
Rob.

trailflow

Alot of shimano shiftera have been known to rattle. It something the havn't quite addressed properly. my DA7900 shifters used to rattle like crazy, on inspection was the detachable plate at the front that was vibrating. Do Tiagra shifters have those ? idk.

i doubt at Tiagra level your going to get the most solidly constructed shifters.

it could be the mechanism inside which will be hard to modify.

Might just have to learn to live with it.

or it could be a good excuse to upgrade

oh and remove those locknuts from your valves and use some electrcal tape instead. No need to add all that extra weight to your wheels.

happycrank(s)

Hello Des,

It was a bingo moment.

While the brake cable was isolated with blue tack pressing the anchor against its housing the rattle was significantly reduced and with the anchor pulled out of the shifter, the rattling was gone.

The question is what to do now? Will new cables (inners + outers) solve the problem?

I did have the thought of putting some blue tack between the anchor and the housing to dampen any rattle?

I bought the bike (Giant defy 2 2013) used for £300 an absolute bargain and all I've had to do on it is change the brake blocks and tune the gears, There's very little wear on the cassette or chainrings, It's original tyres looked new, the bike has hardly done any miles.

I can't really see how the cables could be so worn so quickly (but you have been proven right, it is certainly something to do with the cables). I'm worried this is a “Shimano” problem, that's always there?

I'll pay for the cables if it will solve the problem (but I'm uneasy).

Thanks for your help.

happycrank(s)

Hello trailflow,

Slight feelings of doom reading your post, but you might be right.

If new cables don't solve it (and all the hassle of removing the bar tape) There's only live with it or move up to 105.

I baulk a the thought of paying £100 for new 105 shifters, when I've got ones that do actually work.

Thanks for your help.

desweller

Can't say I've ever heard that Shimano shifters are prone to rattling before, that's a new one on me.

In my view the problem will be down to contamination either in the cable run or in the brake pivot, preventing the brake return spring from applying full tension to the cable. In either case the temporary solution is the same; squirt some WD40 in there, wiggle it about a lot, follow up with heavier oil.

Obviously when you're throwing WD40 and oil around your brakes you should take measure to ensure nothing gets on the brake pads, tyres or rims otherwise you're going to get a shock next time you slow down for a roundabout.

trailflow

Can't say I've ever heard that Shimano shifters are prone to rattling before, that's a new one on me.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Shimano+shifters+rattling&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=h9zKVe74NoOqa_PZkuAF

desweller

Oh well, perhaps you're right. The OP can solve his/her problem by tacking up the brake cable nipple though, so I don't think it's the shifter in this case, just something preventing the brake return spring from applying full tension to the cable.

keef66

My Tiagra 9 speed shifters are utterly silent, even over crappy road surfaces, so it is possible. Shifters and cables were second hand, but are well lubed and the brake calipers move freely.

Can you silence them by holding onto various bits (brake lever, shift lever)?

Sirius631

I know your problem..
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It says 'Shimano' on them. If you're going to buy fishing tackle, make sure you secure the floats and weights. :P

happycrank(s)

Hello Des,

I sprayed a good blast of WD40 on the calipers It helped they're much more springy now, but unfortunately the rattle is still there.

I'm still happy I did though, I didn't realise how much they were beginning to seize up, the brake levers feel easier to use now.

Thanks again.

happycrank(s)

Hello All,

My next line of attack will be to take those nasty plastic covers off (that make my shifters look cheap and amateurish compared to 105 and above), the ones that cover that useless red indicator needle and see what's underneath.

trailflow flow has given me some good links (many thanks) to people with similar problems and one of them describes a spacer underneath that cover that isn't secured and can rattle.

I'll have a look and see what's what, and probably also super glue the cover back on, it doesn't sound like it's too secure either.

happycrank(s)

Hello All,

I found what the shifter rattle problem was and fixed it, they're now totally silent.

It was the cable anchors rattling in their housing after all. The solution was simple, I've squeezed a blob of Blue Tack up against the anchor housing to stop it coming out and it works! (and it's dirt cheap!).

The only down side I can see is the blue tack eventually hardening, I'll just keep an eye on it. It's not actually holding on to anything, it's just filling a little cavity in the shifter and pressing against the anchor housing.

I've been lazy not wanting to undo my bar tape and fit new cables.

Ok, Thanks to all those who helped.

keef66

Is it the brake cables you're referring to? If the calipers are operating properly they should keep the cables under tension, no?

happycrank(s)

Hello keef66,

Yes you're right that properly operating calipers should keep the break cables under tension, but if those cables are not operating properly then it must cause problems somewhere?

It feels like the brake cables (front more than rear) are binding internally, when the levers are in their closed position (not being pulled), the cable anchors are advanced slightly out of housings and rattling around.

With a blob of blue tack pressing the cable anchor back into its housing the problem goes away.

As I've said in a previous post, I'm being a bit lazy here, I should just replace both cables. Indeed I will, but it will have to wait until I upgrade the shifters themselves to 105. Then I'll do everything, all the cables and bar tape.

mugensi

I upgraded my winter bike from 9spd Tiagra to 10spd and the shifters rattle similar to yours. The 9spd shifters were silent. I fitted cheap LBS no name brake and gear cables, so maybe buying genuine shimano cables might cure the problem. I don't like the idea of bluetack being stuck on the end of the cable anchor but perhaps wrapping the anchor is a small piece of electrical tape might do the same job? I'll try it tomorrow and if it doesn't work, I'm going to buy new shimano cables instead as its the most annoying rattle ever.

mugensi

I cured my rattle!!!!!

It wasn't the cable anchor that was causing mine, it was the black plastic cover on the back of the shifter that can only be seen when the cable is unattached and the shifter pulled fully and over to expose the whole back of it. Heres a picture of the piece



It looks like a protective cover to shield the inner workings of the shifter/springs. Its on both sides of each individual shifter. I simply got a few strips of electrical tape and folded them up, pry'd back the plastic slightly on both sides and wedged the tape in. Hooked up the cables to the brakes again and dropped the front end of the bike from 6inches height and was delighted to hear nothing other than the thud of the tyre hitting the ground. Went for a spin on a rough piece of road and it was bliss, no noise or rattles anymore. I'm not entirely happy with just having pieces of tape wedged into the shifters and so need to come up with a more permanent solution but for now it'll do the job nicely!!

happycrank(s)

Hello MugenSi,

My apologies for the lateness of this reply.

I'm not 100% happy about using blue tack myself, but it is only a temporary fix until I upgrade, It won't melt or damage any parts, about the worst that can happen is that it will dry out and become hard over a very long period (many years).

The way you solved your problem might be helpful to me should my shifters go that way, I'm a little bit disappointed with tiagra (it works shifts/brakes), but I guess the good stuff (more professional) starts with 105.

Thanks for your reply