Originally Posted by
lydahl
Question # 2 - The front derailleur will shift from the low range to the mid, but will not hold and shifts back to low on its own. I cannot get the front derailleur to engage the high gear at all. Why is this happening?
Question # 3 - The rear derailleur will not engage at all, the shifter is very stiff. Why is this happening?
Typically, the grease in Rapidfire shift levers that have sat unused for long time turns to hard, sticky gum. To restore them to usefulness, find an opening in the shifter cover and hose out the insides with spray lubricant. Use a "real" lubricant, not WD-40. Work all of the levers, and you'll feel them catching and releasing the cable. Crank the cranks and you should start to figure out which lever makes the chain shift which way.
The Park Tools pages are good for basic diagnosis and repair:
http://parktool.com/repair/