Originally Posted by
CACycling
Basically, if you have the FD on the smallest chain ring, you can pull the cable away from the down tube and it will move the FD out which shifts to the larger chain rings. If you release the cable, the FD should move back to the smallest chain ring. If it does not move back, the problem is between the point you pulled on the wire and the FD. If it moves back, the problem is between the point you pulled the wire and the shifter.
It sounds like you did this and the FD did not return back to the small chain ring. If this is the case, it is either a problem with the FD or the cable between the point you pulled on it and the FD. This narrows down the problem a bit.
+1 - the derailleur should
always move back to where it was when you pull on the cable and then release - that's how it shifts. Either the derailleur or a point between the bare cable and derailleur is binding - pretty straightforward.