105 LH Shifter Failures - What happend to yours next?

mattbibbings
mattbibbings Posts: 95
edited September 2010 in Workshop
On Saturday my LH 105 shifter joined the "broke-for-no-reason" club. 90 Miles use. Brilliant.

It was only after the failure that I have discovered there are loads of failed LH 105 shifters out there.

I got my bike from Buy-a-bike in Chorley and I am going to name and FAME them for being very helpful on the phone saying all I have to do is post the dodgy shifter back and they will send a replacement ASAP. Just what you want a bike shop to do in a scenario like this.

But this has left me wondering what has happened to all the other failed LH 105 shifters out there?

So, couple of questions to maybe help,

How did you solve your LH 105 problem? Helpful shop? Direct with Madison? Big Hammer?
Any ideas on number or percentage of failed shifters?
Are shimano bothering with a recall?
Is Ultegra any less likely to fail?

Any news you have will be gratefully received by all those cursed by the LH 105 phantom..........
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Comments

  • Oh my god , how weird . I have just been out on my Trek Madone 4.5c this morning , only the 5th time I have ridden it since I bought it in November last year . I just noticed after cleaning the chain that it wont click into gear on the front chainset . I noticed a little metal tab hanging off in the paddle , I touched it with a screw driver and it fell out . I guess this is what clicks in when the paddle is engaged . I got the bike from Primera in Bournemouth , lets hope they are as helpful . I guess my bike got about 150 miles on it , bloody crazy !!
  • Nagah
    Nagah Posts: 20
    My 105 left shifter failed 2 weeks ago. I returned to my LBS where I purchased the bike (Cannondale Six). They told me they would replace it under warranty, and I would have the new one fitted within 2 weeks.

    They phoned me yesterday to say they have not had any response from Madison, but promised a new shifter would be fitted this week. They also said that Shimano were aware of the dogy left shifters, and the problem has now been rectified.
  • The_Beast
    The_Beast Posts: 89
    I have 105 STI's on my first road bike and I must admit, while going from small ring to big ring is smooth as, dropping back down from the big ring has me on pins all the time.

    I really try to be easy going with it, the smaller lever requires a reasonable amount of pressure but it sort of clicks and then releases after applying tension. Going back on the big ring is very smooth indeed and fills me with confidence.
  • incog24
    incog24 Posts: 549
    Had this last summer. Wasn't near my shop so went to a local place. Madison sent out the part ASAP and I had it fixed within the week. In the mean time I got in some big ring interval sessions, which was actually just what I needed!
    Racing for Fluid Fin Race Team in 2012 - www.fluidfin.co.uk
  • rrsodl
    rrsodl Posts: 486
    akbond1973 wrote:
    Oh my god , how weird . I have just been out on my Trek Madone 4.5c this morning , only the 5th time I have ridden it since I bought it in November last year . I just noticed after cleaning the chain that it wont click into gear on the front chainset . I noticed a little metal tab hanging off in the paddle , I touched it with a screw driver and it fell out . I guess this is what clicks in when the paddle is engaged . I got the bike from Primera in Bournemouth , lets hope they are as helpful . I guess my bike got about 150 miles on it , bloody crazy !!

    Once I spoke to the guys of Primera in Bournemouth about the Shimano 105 shifters and they said they have replaced lots of guaranty - they are very familiar with this problem. The guy gave me a lecture of what the problem is and the range of models affected :o
  • I have 105 shifters on a double chanset and have a problems with them.

    \When i shift down on the front mech there is a click and nothing happerns. I have to push the shifter past the click and then it changes. The shifter works fine going up and front mech is set up correctly. The shifter is for a triple and uses the first two cable pulls and not the 2nd and third pulls.

    Does this mean the shifter is faulty or should i change it so it uses the 2nd and third pulls.
  • Fifer
    Fifer Posts: 60
    I've had 2 break on me. The first one was after only 100 miles and was repaced with another 105 shifter. My second one broke last month, exactly the same fault and my was replaced with 2 new Ultegra SL shifters :)

    All done under Specialized / LBS warrenty. Nice one!
    Winter Bike: Specialized Allez Elite
    Summer Bike: Specialized Tarmac Pro SL
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    My 105 lhs broke too. Currently in process of being exchanged but swapped for Force. New shifters going straight on ebay.
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Probably worthwhile at least trying to negotiate a shifter upgrade if this happens to you.
  • The_Beast
    The_Beast Posts: 89
    Evil Laugh wrote:
    Probably worthwhile at least trying to negotiate a shifter upgrade if this happens to you.

    I won't hesitate to try this if I have a future problem. :D

    What is a reasonable length of time for them to last though, or should they last for years if used properly?
  • This has just happened to me aswell! The shifter pulls enough cable to get chain to shift from inner to outer ring, butwill not 'click' into place.
    I've emailed the shop I bought it from and am awaiting a reply. Only trouble is the shop is in London and I'm in Carlisle so I've offered to put shifter in post to them. This'll be a bit of a pain as even if I get a replacement shifter I'll have to replace tape etc.
    I'll keep you updated with progress! :?
    'Pain is just weakness leaving your body'

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  • Mark1962a
    Mark1962a Posts: 47
    Good friend of mine works at Spesh HQ and he says loads of them fail but Shimano dont seem to ever admit a fault - I had one go on my old Tarmac, my sons went on his and my brother in Law on a brand new Tarmac Comp also failed within a 100 miles - it does not affect Ultegra Shifters so that is the best solution. My mate just grabs me a new spare and takes the old one in luckliy. Its all about the pins/point that catch on the internal ratchets - the point breaks so i am told hence it just wont stay when you shift.

    .....
    2009 S Works SL2
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    All in need of a Bigger Garage............
  • speshy
    speshy Posts: 42
    how do i identiy my 105 shifters yo see if they are from the bad batch??
    i've got a 2009 allez elite..
    =================================================
    2009 specialized allez elite
    kona caldera
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    My experience, and it seemed a lot of others too when I researched my problem, was the shifter was under a lot of tension and the pressure needed to shift onto small ring was massive. I felt like I was gonna brake it every time made the shift. When it did shift I could feel a massive ping inside the lever.

    Eventually, for me, it did break under shifting and ceased working completely. Something just snapped inside.

    My LBS tried 3 times to fix it before it broke.
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    The_Beast wrote:
    I really try to be easy going with it, the smaller lever requires a reasonable amount of pressure but it sort of clicks and then releases after applying tension. Going back on the big ring is very smooth indeed and fills me with confidence.

    This is what I'm talking about, exactly the same, then mine snapped.
  • beancounter
    beancounter Posts: 369
    The shifter is for a triple and uses the first two cable pulls and not the 2nd and third pulls.

    Does this mean the shifter is faulty or should i change it so it uses the 2nd and third pulls.

    This is the whole point with these breaking 105 shifters - they are both double and triple compatible. Folks with double set ups are "over-shifting" thereby putting too much cable tension into the shifter which eventually snaps inside.

    I had one replaced under warranty and since then have been very careful only to shift as far as necessary - and no more problems in thousands of miles.

    Re-reading this I maybe haven't explained it too clearly but I hope you get the drift.

    bc
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  • I have 105 triple shifters on my road bike, and the left one is in a box literally sat on the desk next to me, waiting to be taken back to the post office to be posted.
    My original 105 was great, put about 4000miles on it last year and it worked fine, but then it stopped working a month ago...
    Spoke to Chainreaction cycles, where I bought my bike from, and they told me to send it back for analysis and possible replacement.
    They replaced it, but I had a nightmare fitting it, couldn't get it to change on to the large chain ring...it was then that I noticed they'd sent me a double shifter instead of my triple, so I have to send it back again, and they'll send me a replacement.
    Chainreaction cycles have been very good, and are nice on the phone....if you don't mind waiting for your call to be connected..
  • The_Beast
    The_Beast Posts: 89
    Evil Laugh wrote:
    The_Beast wrote:
    I really try to be easy going with it, the smaller lever requires a reasonable amount of pressure but it sort of clicks and then releases after applying tension. Going back on the big ring is very smooth indeed and fills me with confidence.

    This is what I'm talking about, exactly the same, then mine snapped.

    As this is my first road bike, I dunno, is the lever supposed to click as it engages and move down onto the smaller ring? The move from small to big ring is just smooth, effortless and no sound whatsoever really.

    I only just removed the protective sticker from the top of the hoods as the bike is only 3 weeks old. I've now noticed, my LHS is correct for the bike, it says double, as I have a compact on a 2010 Trek.

    I still find it a bit worrying when using it, though its not needing as much force as when I first started.
  • I've said it already but I'll say it again.

    Buy A Bike in Chorley have been brilliant in helping me sort this out.

    Shifter broke Saturday
    Sent Back Monday
    New one arrives Wednesday!

    Ace service and deserves a mention, I urge you to shop with these folks as it's the sort of back up you want when investing in new bike.
  • I had it last summer too, 300-400miles use. As I bought them separately I sent the lever back to the online store and about 6 weeks later I got a replacement from shimano direct (madison).

    It had a note on it explaining that the shifter could break if not set-up perfectly. At this point I was glad than in the 6 weeks wait I 'd bought campag veloce to replace the lot and sold the shimano groupset on ebay.

    Campag has been flawless....
  • speshy wrote:
    how do i identiy my 105 shifters yo see if they are from the bad batch??
    i've got a 2009 allez elite..

    there is not a bad batch...it's a design fault.
  • Nagah
    Nagah Posts: 20
    Well my new LH shifter finally arrived and was fitted today by LBS, almost 3 weeks after returning it.

    The mechanic said that because I had fitted a new stem which is 10mm longer than the original, the shifter cable was under stress causing the LH shifter to fail?

    I mentioned to him that I had visited them weeks earlier to check that the new stem length did not affect the cable tension, and they told me it was fine.

    Anyway he re-cabled the shifters allowing for the stem length for free. :D
  • Nagah wrote:
    Well my new LH shifter finally arrived and was fitted today by LBS, almost 3 weeks after returning it.

    The mechanic said that because I had fitted a new stem which is 10mm longer than the original, the shifter cable was under stress causing the LH shifter to fail?

    I mentioned to him that I had visited them weeks earlier to check that the new stem length did not affect the cable tension, and they told me it was fine.

    Anyway he re-cabled the shifters allowing for the stem length for free. :D

    Unless the cables were cut way too short in the first place this is absolute rubbish!
  • Nagah
    Nagah Posts: 20
    Nagah wrote:
    Well my new LH shifter finally arrived and was fitted today by LBS, almost 3 weeks after returning it.

    The mechanic said that because I had fitted a new stem which is 10mm longer than the original, the shifter cable was under stress causing the LH shifter to fail?

    I mentioned to him that I had visited them weeks earlier to check that the new stem length did not affect the cable tension, and they told me it was fine.

    Anyway he re-cabled the shifters allowing for the stem length for free. :D

    Unless the cables were cut way too short in the first place this is absolute rubbish!

    You are correct, I disassembled the shifter before returning it and discovered the fragile plastic part had sheared off due to the design fault.
  • newpot
    newpot Posts: 34
    Mine went last weekend on a ride, although I had done 3000 miles before it went, Cycle Centre Jersey have ordered a new one and we are sending the old one back when the new one arrives
  • Any chance of someone uploading a pic showing the common LH shifter fault, please? My Felt has 105 shifters and this may explain the thin bits of broken black plastic I found in the shipping box three years ago! :lol:
    ================
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  • I took my bike back to Primera at Bournemouth on Thursday and left them to change the broken 105 shifter under warranty . They went the extra mile and got in touch with Madison and agreed to replace them with Ultegra for a small fee to myself . I am a very happy person indeed :D
  • speshy
    speshy Posts: 42
    akbond1973 wrote:
    I took my bike back to Primera at Bournemouth on Thursday and left them to change the broken 105 shifter under warranty . They went the extra mile and got in touch with Madison and agreed to replace them with Ultegra for a small fee to myself . I am a very happy person indeed :D


    What are they charging you for the upgrade?
    =================================================
    2009 specialized allez elite
    kona caldera
  • iainhw
    iainhw Posts: 3
    I too am another victim of this issue.
    The shop I bought the bike from, Chelmer cycles, v quickly replaced the shifter for me. I don't understand why Shimano haven't got some kind of recall in place. Also, even though I have a replacement fitted I now wonder how long this one is going to last...
  • I paid £50 to upgrade to the Ultegra STIs