A friction shifter problem
03-29-07, 07:48 AM
#1
Zig zag wanderer
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A friction shifter problem
Hi,
I took my bike (Campagnolo friction gears, 2x7) from winter storage and ran into some misbehavior right on the first ride: whenever I shift to any of the three largest rear sprockets, the derailer shifts slowly back after I let go of the shift lever, eventually coming to rest on the fourth sprocket.
I hadn't adjusted anything when the bike wasn't being ridden. I have no experience of maintaining a friction shifter system, but it looks to me like the shifter cable had been under too much tension through the winter (ie. wrong gear) and bent into a position at the shifter, and now wants to return to that position if I shift past it. Does that happen? Is it plausible? What else could explain this?
(FWIW, I'm no luddite and have no particular reason to ride around with a friction setup as opposed to an indexed one -- I bought this bike with the sole intention of converting it to a fixed gear, but I've been enjoying it too much with gears to go ahead with the plan just yet.
)
I took my bike (Campagnolo friction gears, 2x7) from winter storage and ran into some misbehavior right on the first ride: whenever I shift to any of the three largest rear sprockets, the derailer shifts slowly back after I let go of the shift lever, eventually coming to rest on the fourth sprocket.
I hadn't adjusted anything when the bike wasn't being ridden. I have no experience of maintaining a friction shifter system, but it looks to me like the shifter cable had been under too much tension through the winter (ie. wrong gear) and bent into a position at the shifter, and now wants to return to that position if I shift past it. Does that happen? Is it plausible? What else could explain this?
(FWIW, I'm no luddite and have no particular reason to ride around with a friction setup as opposed to an indexed one -- I bought this bike with the sole intention of converting it to a fixed gear, but I've been enjoying it too much with gears to go ahead with the plan just yet.
)
03-29-07, 07:54 AM
#2
Remember Wool Shorts?
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It *could* be the cable has stretched. I see bent cables near the derailler and a good tightening will usually fix it. Also, since its friction levers, the tightening screw could be loose. If its campy (don't know what year yours is), there should be a loopy kind of metal. Designed so you can tighten it as your are riding.
HTH!
HTH!
03-29-07, 07:57 AM
#3
Unique Vintage Steel
1) replace cable, they're cheap and it's easy to do.
2) take shifter off, wipe down the plastic friction plates and the levers to ensure there is no oil/grease on them allowing for the slippage. Just remember what order they went back on in.
3) give the bolt a little extra tightness to increase the friction needed to move the lever.
4) Campy levers have been known to slip like this with age. Though it sounds like you've got a severe case of it that the above steps should help or completely fix. Good luck.
2) take shifter off, wipe down the plastic friction plates and the levers to ensure there is no oil/grease on them allowing for the slippage. Just remember what order they went back on in.
3) give the bolt a little extra tightness to increase the friction needed to move the lever.
4) Campy levers have been known to slip like this with age. Though it sounds like you've got a severe case of it that the above steps should help or completely fix. Good luck.
03-29-07, 08:37 AM
#6
Unique Vintage Steel
Originally Posted by darsu
Oh my, thanks!
