shifter skipping middle ring on downshift
06-21-10, 11:45 PM
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shifter skipping middle ring on downshift
good day, all. my special lady friend (SLF) recently purchased a gt(w) tachyon 3 bicycle. it's really pretty, but the behavior of the left shifter bugs me.
first of all, we're dealing with a shimano st-r225 left shifter/brake lever here. it controls a derailleur for a triple crank. all the components are stock, if you want to check them out for yourself.
one issue that is simply aesthetic, but it bugs her, is that the numbered dial displaying the current gear shows the wrong number. i could fix this by opening up the shifter and painting over the dial, but one wonders if this isn't indicative of a larger problem.
the thing that bugs me the most is that it is impossible to shift down from the big chain ring to the middle one. moving the downshift trigger at all jumps all the way down to the small ring (on release--it seems to move to the middle when it's pulled). looking at the specs for the shifter, it doesn't seem like this is supposed to happen.
i've never worked with shifters like these before, and it being new and not mine, i'm hesitant to simply take it apart to have a look at the internals. this isn't standard behavior for these things, right? is there a way to correct this issue? has anyone had similar experiences?
first of all, we're dealing with a shimano st-r225 left shifter/brake lever here. it controls a derailleur for a triple crank. all the components are stock, if you want to check them out for yourself.
one issue that is simply aesthetic, but it bugs her, is that the numbered dial displaying the current gear shows the wrong number. i could fix this by opening up the shifter and painting over the dial, but one wonders if this isn't indicative of a larger problem.
the thing that bugs me the most is that it is impossible to shift down from the big chain ring to the middle one. moving the downshift trigger at all jumps all the way down to the small ring (on release--it seems to move to the middle when it's pulled). looking at the specs for the shifter, it doesn't seem like this is supposed to happen.
i've never worked with shifters like these before, and it being new and not mine, i'm hesitant to simply take it apart to have a look at the internals. this isn't standard behavior for these things, right? is there a way to correct this issue? has anyone had similar experiences?
06-22-10, 11:52 AM
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ok, i feel a bit of a fool now. but i know a shop i will never recommend.
i should mention that while she was buying some other stuff after picking up her bike, i went to check some of the display bikes, and the ones that i checked had the same issues.
the basic problem was the derailleur cable was too tight. i think it may have been adjusted, then had a kickstand put on it, which deflected the cable a bit. then again, there were a few other issues, like the barrel adjuster was screwed on so tight i had to use pliers to loosen it, and it was obvious someone had used pliers to tighten it, as it was all chewed up. additionally, this shifter has a "trimming" index, to give a wider range of gears in the lowest ring, and that was what switched to the middle ring. and the high gear limit screw had been tightened so the third gear on the shifter was unreachable.
anyway, i took it apart today, adjusted the cable properly, and it works fine. lesson learned, i guess. check the obvious stuff first.
i should mention that while she was buying some other stuff after picking up her bike, i went to check some of the display bikes, and the ones that i checked had the same issues.
the basic problem was the derailleur cable was too tight. i think it may have been adjusted, then had a kickstand put on it, which deflected the cable a bit. then again, there were a few other issues, like the barrel adjuster was screwed on so tight i had to use pliers to loosen it, and it was obvious someone had used pliers to tighten it, as it was all chewed up. additionally, this shifter has a "trimming" index, to give a wider range of gears in the lowest ring, and that was what switched to the middle ring. and the high gear limit screw had been tightened so the third gear on the shifter was unreachable.
anyway, i took it apart today, adjusted the cable properly, and it works fine. lesson learned, i guess. check the obvious stuff first.
06-23-10, 11:54 AM
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Yep. Never underestimate the potential apathy (or ignorance) of an apprentice bike mechanic (or LBS shop manager).
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