chainreka

Calling STI internals experts!!! I bought new 9spd durace STI in Y2K, and they are/were VERY nice. They had 12 months of hard training and racing and about one year of 300km/week just hooning/commuting around town.

Problem....the main, Right shifter (Rr derailleur) is increasingly difficult to release cable tension with the little lever (to change "up"/go faster). ...it's reached the point where it won't change up at all unless I hold/push the big lever outwards at the same time I'm pushing the little lever inwards. I think this is kinda the crux of the problem....the little lever actually pivots on a pin mounted on the big lever, so when I push the little lever, the big lever is going with it partially before the pivot can do the job of rotating the barrel back in the opposite (release) direction.

The return spring for the small lever HAS snapped off, allowing the small lever to flop around a little, but I am 'sure' this is not the problem.

With much cursing, I've had the unit off and dissasembled down to the basic barell. There are signs of wear but it still looks solid and operates with positive solid metalic noise when forced with screwdriver. It seems tho, that small amounts of wear on pivots and release cams may mean the mechanism is no longer capable of coordinating itself?

I'm not overly surprised, but still can't help feeling dissapointed...Durace STI aint cheap!! Is there anything I can do other than accept I've had my fun from them and start looking for new ones? I am a pretty hard rider on chains etc...and I do shift a lot, but that's what they're for, right?

mrfix

Right, that's what they're for but, based on what you said, it sounds like you wore them out. Once the pin have visible wear on them there isn't much you can do, I do around 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year and split it between 5 bikes and I get 2 to 3 good years out of my right shifters. Like you I shift a lot, I live in a very hilly area. Sorry to bring the bad news but look at the bright side, new shiny bike parts are the best things in the world.

chainreka

Thanks MrFix, I just needed some help to accept it. I'll go to sleep dreaming of reasonably priced and reliable solid state/wireless electronic shifter systems...no more cables and moving mechanical parts.

chainreka

Thanks MrFix, I just needed some help to accept it. I'll go to sleep (land of OZ) dreaming of reasonably priced and reliable solid state/wireless electronic shifter systems...no more cables and moving mechanical parts.

lotek 

I know you don't want to hear it, and I'm not
trying to start the campy vs shimano war,
but this is exactly why I prefer campy, they
are repairable.
oh, yeah what everyone else said!

Marty

mrfix

You're correct Lotek, campy is repairable and shimano is throw away, the performance, weight and precision is about the same. The campy stuff costs more, rebuild parts are not that readily available when and where needed, and if you can get the parts and have the skill to rebuild them, they are still not as nice, clean and new as a new unit. Generally by the time I have worn a component out, new stuff has come along or the old stuff has scars on it, so I'm not that upset when I buy the clean bright new part.

Rev.Chuck

If they are shifting poorly, and no little parts have broken off, I will flush them with carb cleaner(Don't get it on the grips) cycle them and flush them again. Then oil them with something light like triflow. This won't help you, chainreka, with a broken spring, but it often brings mountian and road shifters back to life, especially ones that have seen rain and dirt.

NIBYAK

I agree with the Right Reverend. My old 8 speed Ultegra STI shifter sometimes doesn’t upshift either. I just flush the whole thing out WD-40 and all is well. I’m not sure how old they are but they were original equipment on a Bridgestone RB-1.

caloso

Semi-related question: The rear brake lever is grabby on my Shimano RSX. It feels like it's in the lever and not the cable housing. Should I just flush it it with WD-40?

NIBYAK

The only thing I have ever used WD-40 for was my stuck STI shifter. That was because I couldn’t figure out how to get anything else in there without removing them from the bike. I’m not sure what you mean by “feels grabby”. Are the brakes locking or not working?

1oldRoadie

are you sure its not a cable thing?

caloso

The lever is sticky and doesn't hold the wheel well. Then, when I release the lever, it doesn't seem to release completely. I guess that's what I meant by "grabby."

My thought was that since the brake and shifter was all in the same lever arrangement, the fix might be the same.

Rev.Chuck

That sounds like the cable hanging in the housing.

caloso

I think what I need to do is just replace the whole thing with a full Dura Ace upgrade. Yeah, my wife will go for that....

1oldRoadie

HONEST...first disconnect the cable to prove its not the culprit.

chainreka

Thanks for the tips guys. I think I've already put 1/2 a can of WD40 through the shifter.

A good bottom line analysis of Shimano Vs Campag by Lotek and MrFix. I thought hard about Campag when I first bought the groupset, solely on the basis of shifter life.

All I know is I can't afford Durace levers again right now. I've heard you can use a 10spd Campag ergo (Taurus?) with shimano 9spd and derailleur...you just kink the cable at the clamp on the rear. I'm trying to work up the nerve to try it.

But I'll probably wimp out & just get Ultegra.. ...why can't they make a shifter that lasts like my Chris King headset?

bfong

I had the same problem with the left side. I took everything apart and cleaned it and greased it. (what a pain in the a$$) I also took apart the front derailleur and cleaned it. I rode in the rain and had a bunch of muck on the front derailleur. After everything went together it was like it was new. I would check the rear derail.

https://secure5.nexternal.com/shared...&CategoryID=59

If you are willing to stoop to the Ultegra level there is a new right lever for 59 bucks.

Bill F.

chainreka

Good news...my Australian Shimano dealer has offered to look at it with the strong possibility of doing a warranty job....either new lever or at least the main barrel inside. Apparently the warranty is 3Yrs, so I may just squeeze in. I'll celebrate when I have a new one in my hands, but it sounds hopeful. He's about 1,500miles away, so I won't know for a few days.

Rev.Chuck

Forgot about the three year warranty(Dura/Ace,XTR). Most of their other stuff has a two year warranty.

chainreka

Well, finally, Shimano Australia says they will fix my right Durace lever....... for $AUS220...that's a completely new internal mechanism. Not quite the warranty job I was hoping for.

A new set of 2 levers is $AUS540....$AUS430 for Ultegra(mailorder). I may be just out of the 3Yr warranty...they didn't specify, but did note that my levers aren't Flight Deck compatible, which maybe dates them as pre 2000? All I can say is I bought 'em early 2000, and they have had LESS than 2Yrs hard use...more like 18mths.

I've been riding a relatively easy 50km loop in the meantime with the rear deraileur locked in the 15...I get a little more tired, but I still average the same for this steady ride...32km/hr+. It's been oddly invigorating getting back to basics. I can't help but wonder if STI and Eroglevers were designed for pro racers or for recreational riders with 'discretionary income' to spare.

I may get those 9spd bar end shifters yet. Or maybe run some 10 spd Campag Ergolevers on my Shimano 9spd, just to show I'm not Shimano's 'b i t c h'.

fore

QBP carries Campy parts, which means virtually any bike shop in the US can get them. Rebuilding a Campy shifter isn't that difficult at all. I can take one apart and reassemble it in under an hour (and that's a very rough estimate. I'm sure it's well under that)

chainreka

Thanks for the tip Fore. I reckon I could handle that. It would probably make sense to buy the parts to do a rebuild or two if/when I get the levers.

I suppose they're not organised into a kit...do you know what bits you need to order? I've heard there's a spring or two and some washers, one in particular with a 'post' for retaining spring tension?

Given I accept a rebuild will be necessary, does it still make more sense to get Chorus (has bearings somewhere) or does Centaur do the same job with same mechanism?

fore

there's an article here about making Campy levers work with shimano deraillers. i've never done it myself, unfortunately. if i'm understanding that article correctly i suppose any 10sp Campy lever will work without having to replace internals, so if you like the Chorus, by all means go for it.