faulty STI shifter - ideas?

[kpjoyce]

My aging Cannondale has all Shimano 600 components. The right-hand STI shifter does not like to let me upshift. The smaller lever just moves without effect the vast majority of the time. (Thank goodness I live in Illinois, where shifting is rarely required.)

I have replaced and adjusted that cables, but there was no improvement. I am convinced that the shifter is failing.

I am considering replacing the shifters, but this is an 8-speed setup, which means that Sora components would be my only option (in new components).

Am I better off going with new Sora components, or trying to find the now-ancient 600 components?
Will I be happy with the quality of Sora?
Is there some better way to get things to work well?

[ggg300]

downtube shifters? If so there are cheap 8 speed ones or 9 speed one is you want to add a cog...

sora works just fine by the way and e-bay should have em...

[OrangeJTM46]

Hey I was working on a friend's bike this weekend, a Cannondale with Shimano 600. The left STI shifter would pull cable, but would release it as you let go of the lever so the derailuer would shift until you let go. Fixed it by spraying WD-40 into all the openings in the shifter part of the lever. Within 5-10 minutes it was working again, and the ratchet mech started to catch. it was either rusted or the grease was too sticky. And I would stick with the 600, they work well, but if you do want to upgrade, I wouldn't go lower than 105.

Jon

[DieselDan]

I had the same problem with an RSX equipped Cannondale. Spray what seems to be too much WD-40 or Tri-Flow into the opeings of the shifters.

[solo]

It sounds like a problem I had with a 105 shifter. The first shop I took it to tried the "lots o' lube" approach which improved things only slightly. The mechanic at a second shop was a knowledgable guy and found that the rachet mechanism had stripped. I don't know the mechanics enough to tell you more than that.
He replaced it under warranty. It was the '99 model and was didn't lend itself to repair...or so I was told.