Video of what’s going on. Threw a brand-new cable in, checked shifter for any frayed cables, there were none. Put the front derailleur and shifter to the lowest possible gear and pulled the cable tight, clamping it down to the front derailleur clamp. I can shift into the big ring, but can’t seem to shift back down into the small ring. Not only that, but the derailleur doesn’t even move. Seems like the shifter has an issue or it’s not clicking? It can’t be the front derailleur because I purposely indexed the front derailleur low limit screw so inboard that it can fall into the bottom bracket inwards from the small chainring, and it is still not shifting. What’s going on? Is it not clamped properly?
Can’t shift into small ring, front derailleur doesn’t even move.
byu/Competitive_Can3499 inbikewrench
by Competitive_Can3499
5 Comments
Release the cable and see if the shifter fires normally with the cable you replaced. You may have installed the new cable incorrectly or there is leftover debris in the shifter. Expand the range of your limit screws and make sure the fd moves freely. If all seems normal, reset the cable at the pinch point. Adjust the limit screws after you assure the der is moving in sync with the shifter.
The head of the cable may have migrated out of position and got jammed inside the lever body.
I can think of two options. Either you installed the cable, while the brifter was set for the big chainring, or you missed the liner of your outer, leading to a lot of friction.
Anyway, the problem should be resolved by taking the cable out, shifting to the smal chainring, then reinstalling the cable, threading the cable through the endcap, then carefully threading it through the liner of your outer and puttong tge endcap on the outer after.
Put a coin inbetween the lever and the stub that it moves.
Sometimes the little stub bends microscopically leaving it stuck and the lever just not doing its job.
This is how you test if it’s that, you fix it by adding a shim,
It may or may not be that nevertheless, but the coin test will help rule that one out.
EDIT: I don’t think it’s this one because it just makes the lever stuck.
2. Check that the underside of the tab is not catching up with the rubber or that the assembly got loose, add oil; this happens when the tabs get stuck in place because either something obstruct them or lack of lube.
Try doing it while crank is moving.