I installed a new 5800 gear set on my bike. 50/34 front and 11-32 cassette. I also installed new shifter and brake cables.
I'm now pulling my hair out on the shifting.
First trouble is it will not shift down to the 11 tooth gear.
Second is it will shift all the way up to the 32 gear nicely but when I go to shift back the other way there is slack and no shifting at all. I have adjusted the barrel tension at the rear derailleur and this will work to get it shifting back up to the 32 but slack again going back down.
I have turned the H and L adjustment screws I and out.
I have the 32 adjusted where the chain won't jump off the cog into the spokes. I feel good about that adjustment.
I fidget the chain to go down to the 11 cog and thought I was done. I then shifted back through the gears and get back up to the 32 and then when I would go back down no clicking.
Ughhh
Need some help.

First thing I do is to separate the cable and lever from the actual ders WRT the shifting and der adjustments by not using the levers to control the initial shifting. Pull on the cables, or push the ders. with your hands to set the limits, with no lever influence. Only after the ders shift over the ranges do I move onto the lever aspects.


I then test the lever and upper cable friction by working through the lever shift range with only holding the cable ends. If the slight hand pull/pressure won't result in easy/quick/complete function then you have cable friction (assuming the levers are working properly).


Internal cable routing, casing end caps with seals, casing loops too tight or sloppy, badly seated casing ends wrong cable routing past the anchor bolt and more can effect cause and response of the system. Andy.

Second what Andy said above.

Add to that shifting to low but not back, with a slack cable is a classic sign that the cable is binding someplace.

In fact, the bike is speaking to you, and telling you that the pinch is someplace between the slack area and the derailleur, with the frame/derailleur loop being the likely suspect.

I agree with the first two posters. They both always give good advice - but:

The first thing that I would do would to be sure that everything is in the default condition. That means checking the derailleur hanger alignment. If it's not in pretty close alignment, no amount of fine tuning will get your indexing right.

Thanks guys. It's all brand new gear and it's external wiring.
I can see what you are advising. The short piece of casing at the rear derailleur had a lot of friction on the reassembly . I replaced it with new.
I will get busy and check back later.
Perfect day for this...it's raining

I'd suggest that you replace all of the outer housing. The old inner wire wears a groove (one of the sources of cable "stretch") into the housings and the new wire may bind in the groove. Also ensure that the housing ends are properly prepared and that appropriate ferrules are installed.

Whenever I cut new housings, I ALWAYS take a round file to the ends, push it in to move any steel winding back, then rotate it both directions for a minute or 2.

I can't thank you guys enough!!!
I went out and released the cable from the RD . I was able to go top to bottom back and forth using my hand with zero hitches on the cassette .
I pulled the new short piece of casing at the RD and noticed it was sticky. The end caps were tight. I opened them up enough for the cable to slide freely. (I suspect this was my trouble spot) I pulled the cable all the way out checking for tightness as I went . The new short piece from the shifter to the barrel was sticky at the end cap. I opened it up slightly.
Reassembled all the way. Double checking.
I had also thought about the shifter being indexed. So I clicked it all the way to where the chain would be on the 11 cog. Chain was on the 50 front and 11 rear.
Pulled the cable hand tight and secured.
Started pedaling while shifting and she shifted smoothly up and down the gear range many times.
Sweet harmony!
Super thanks for the help.

Glad you solved the problem. The next time you face one, though, avoid the kitchen sink approach and first take some time to look at how the item you are working on operates.

In this case the fact that the lever has to pull on the cable to shift to the larger/lower gears means there is resistance (a spring) that keeps it from moving that way on it's own. The fact that once you release the cable the derailleur returns means that only that spring is helping it to shift the other way (by pulling on the cable in the opposite direction). If a portion of the cable is loose then logically something between the loose portion of the cable and the derailleur, where the spring is, is the problem. That would have been the curved housing.

This is ALWAYS the trouble spot.