Connondale R300
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Connondale R300
I have acquired this bike in as new condition. It has a Shimano RSX group. The only problem the bike has is the shifters in the brake levers don't work well. I am guessing that the grease is old and dry. I have sprayed the insides with WD40 and it has helped the action some but they still don't work near as well as they should. Is there anything that can be done to improve or eliminate this problem. I haven't researched the bikes age but the top tube is still horizontal and down sloping as current style seems to dictate. The problem has came about from no use. I don't think there is a scratch on this bike.
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Remove the pinch bolt from the rear derailleur so you can grab the cable in your hand loosely along the top tube. Then pull on the cable pretty hard and keep working the shifter, every 10 trys or so spray the inside of the shifter with lubrication, I like tri-flow a lot more than wd40. It may take a while but this works unless something is broken inside of the shifter.
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There are a couple of Sellers on eBay who advertise that they can disassembly and overhaul or repair the early Shimano all metal brifters. Price looks like $35-$40 for a single brifter or $60-$80 for a pair. You might want to consider contacting them, and sending the brifters out for repair, if hosing/soaking them does not free them up.
Even in non-working condition, these brifters have some value as they are still popular, and people are actively looking for these brifters (and parts for them). If you are staying with 7/8 speeds, you should really consider having them repaired if necessary, and if you are considering modernizing, sell them on eBay, to help finance the swap.
Even in non-working condition, these brifters have some value as they are still popular, and people are actively looking for these brifters (and parts for them). If you are staying with 7/8 speeds, you should really consider having them repaired if necessary, and if you are considering modernizing, sell them on eBay, to help finance the swap.
#6
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I have the same bike with RSX and was given the advice to remove the shifter and soak in mineral spirits overnight. Unfortunately I had taken the shifter apart before being able to apply this advice. They can be difficult to put back together. RSX shifters tend to be pricier than you'd think on eBay so the repair guy would be a good route if previously mentioned methods don't work.