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05-10-05, 05:30 PM
My wife's bike is a 2004 Trek 5200 with a triple chainring. It has Ultegra brifters, Ultegra rear derailler (with a long cage) and a Shimano 105 front derailler. She was having difficulty upshifting her front derailler (no problems shifting the rear derailler). Took it to one bike shop, but when I picked it up, it still took a lot of effort to upshift the front (although it was a little better than before). The mechanic told me, "that's as good as it's going to get".
When I got her bike home, I set up her bike alongside my bike on our resistance trainers. My bike is a 1991 Trek with Shimano 600 brifters (I believe the 600 was a precursor to Ultegra). Unlike my wife's bike, mine is a double. Upshifting my front derailler is effortless compared to her bike.
Wanting to get a second opinion, I took her bike to another bike shop to have it looked at. When we got her bike back, it was just a little easier, but it still takes a lot of effort and hand strength to upshift the front.
Why is it so difficult to upshift compared to my bike? Is it because her bike is a triple? Is it because her front derailler is a 105? Does it take more effort to shift using more recent STI compared to STI brifters from the early 1990's? Or might if have to do with the chain tension/length?
When I got her bike home, I set up her bike alongside my bike on our resistance trainers. My bike is a 1991 Trek with Shimano 600 brifters (I believe the 600 was a precursor to Ultegra). Unlike my wife's bike, mine is a double. Upshifting my front derailler is effortless compared to her bike.
Wanting to get a second opinion, I took her bike to another bike shop to have it looked at. When we got her bike back, it was just a little easier, but it still takes a lot of effort and hand strength to upshift the front.
Why is it so difficult to upshift compared to my bike? Is it because her bike is a triple? Is it because her front derailler is a 105? Does it take more effort to shift using more recent STI compared to STI brifters from the early 1990's? Or might if have to do with the chain tension/length?