Thanks for the responses. I just tried disconnecting the cable and holding it with pliers while I shifted. It seemed easy. I tried just pulling on the cable, and it seems a little easier on my bike than on hers. It's a little hard to tell though. So this all suggests that the problem is in the FD itself. I worked a bunch of WD40 into it, and it seems to be moving OK. What else can I do to test it. Should I just replace it? They're not all that expensive.

What is "shift pod lubing"