OuHiroshi

I have Sora ST-3400 shifters on my bike and the first 20 degrees of shift doesn't engage the shift mechanism at all (it's just pushing the return spring). Full shift is at 45 degrees and it's a bit too long for me since I have small hands. Is there anyway to adjust this? This is the same for both shifters.


I did some Google search and didn't find anything, maybe I'm not searching the right terms. I'm new to cycling.

Kimmo

There's no adjustment for that, but 45° sounds like a lot... my Ultegra 9s shifters only have to move 25-30° to make a click, but then that may not be a valid comparison...

How old are the shifters? Is it completely consistent, or does it occasionally grab (or seem like it might want to grab) any earlier sometimes? Try making a shift really slow, and wiggling the lever a bit to get it to catch earlier.

Perhaps they're starting to come down with the sticky pawl problem. If they behave inconsistently at all, they may benefit from an overhaul; if so, check the link in my tag.

OuHiroshi

This is a 2011 Giant Defy 3 I bought used off Craig's List, the previous owner said that she rode it twice and shelved it. I rode the bike for 2 hours and the shifts are crisp and consistent, it's just the travel that's bothering me.

I took some picture of the action.

1. Neutral.
2. Start to engage.
3. 1st shift.
4. 2nd shft.

Kimmo

That's normal, nothing wrong with those levers.

One adjustment you can try is to angle the levers in a few degrees; maybe up to 1/2" inwards at the furthermost point. That way your fingers won't have to move as far. IMO it looks better too, as well as being more ergonomic than pointing dead ahead.

Usually the clamp bolts aren't so tight you can't manhandle the levers around, but if they are, you'll see a little groove leading under the hoods on the outsides, that's for a 5mm allen key.

After you point the levers in a bit the gear housings will be too long, but they were most likely too long already. It can affect function a bit.

You'd be surprised how much better a bike can look when the housings are properly sized... my rule for housing length is basically, as short as possible while following a smooth line and allowing full bar movement, except for the RD loop, which should be as long as it can be made before you start to get a straight section out of the barrel adjuster.

OuHiroshi

As a cycling noob, this is how I feel after reading that lol: https://i.qkme.me/353xnp.jpg

Kimmo

https://sheldonbrown.com/cables.html#routing

Don't move your levers down the bars or point them any further outwards without unwrapping your bars, or the brake housings won't be hard up against the levers, which would be bad. But you can move them around a bit.