Bicycle Mechanics - Brifter problem

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CrimsonKarter21
04-21-07, 11:24 AM
Okay, I just had to get a new right side 10 speed Ultegra brifter today, and I've got no money to my name (I'm actually in the hole now). I took off the old and put on the new with new cables and everything. I try it out, and it only downshifts into the taller tooth three times, but can upshift as many times as I want until I get into the 12 tooth, and it keeps clicking past that. I had my derailleurs adjusted prior to ruining my last brifter, so they should be perfect except for cable tension, right?

Sheldon Brown
04-21-07, 11:58 AM
Okay, I just had to get a new right side 10 speed Ultegra brifter today, and I've got no money to my name (I'm actually in the hole now). I took off the old and put on the new with new cables and everything. I try it out, and it only downshifts into the taller tooth three times, but can upshift as many times as I want until I get into the 12 tooth, and it keeps clicking past that. I had my derailleurs adjusted prior to ruining my last brifter, so they should be perfect except for cable tension, right?
Sounds as if the cable tension is WAY too loose.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment

Sheldon "Tighter" Brown
DMF
04-21-07, 12:33 PM
Is it a 10-speed rear dérailleur?

Sheldon Brown
04-21-07, 12:41 PM
Is it a 10-speed rear dérailleur?
That's a non-issue. Rear derailers don't care how many speeds. My one 10-speed bike came with a "10-speed" Ultegra rear derailer, but I upgraded it to a "9-speed" XT and it works just fine.

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/speeds

Sheldon "That's Not It" Brown
vpiuva
04-21-07, 02:59 PM
Better check to see that your cable is seated correctly in the shifter now, too. my first time the tension was too loose and the cable end worked its way down in the mechanism making correct shifting impossible even after I [thought I] tightened it up.
HillRider
04-21-07, 03:15 PM
Disconnect the cable at the rear derailleur. Then shift the inner lever of the brifter at least 10 times to be sure it's in the "high gear" position. Pull the cable snug and reconnect it to the rear derailleur's clamp bolt. Now tune the cable tension with the adjustment thimble until the high to second position shift and back is clean both ways. Check the shifting over the entire cassette which should be good. Fine tune only as needed.

The error you most likely made is not having the brifter shifted to the highest gear position before attaching the derailleur cable.
DMF
04-21-07, 05:19 PM
That's a non-issue. Rear derailers don't care how many speeds.
Yeah. I knew that. Just forgot I knew it. ;)