Front derailleur no longer responds

[Rider]

For some reason the FD no longer respond to my shifter. I shifted from the middle ring to the largest one. However once there, it won't shift down anymore. I am using a Sora STI shifter btw. Any ideas?

[cyclerUK]

Will the shifter click back down or is there no response from the shifter?

If you can get every thing back down to the small ring then, by pulling on a section of bare cable with your hand, can you move the derailleur up and down, without the shifter? (you will have to turn the pedals/cranks so that the chain will shift on the rings)

Squirt some release oil (or WD40) into the shifting mechanism to see if this will free a stuck shifter.

I have had this happen on an old Shimano set and I managed to free it with WD40.

[Rider]

Hi,
The lever goes down. But no click. It doesn't feel like there's something stuck. So not sure if WD40 will help. This shifter is brand new!

[Bill]

As cycleruk was asking when you down shift is there any sloppiness in the cable that you can visibly see? If not, when you down shift does the shifter feel looser then normal from the point of it being in the middle ring to the lower ring or tighter when moving it back and forth? Is it possible that whoever installed it may not have install it properly? With all these I do asked if you have put whatever lubricant you use into the pivot points of the FD? Also here is Alex's video on FD http://bikeride.com/adjust-front-derailer/ .

Hope one of these solve your problem.

[cyclerUK]

What make of shifter is it?
There is a reported problem with some Tiagra shifters.
As it's new, can you not return it for a replacement.
Just make sure that everything else is working first.

[Rider]

Update: I loosen the FD cable and the shifter lever seems to click through fine. I think it may be the barrel adjuster that gone too tight or something that prevented the shifter from dropping the chain to the smaller rings. Now I have to figure out how to set the cable back....
I followed the video from bicycletutor, but no success yet.

Chain is on the innermost largest sprocket and innermost smallest chainring to begin with.

[cyclerUK]

It's mainly a case of trial and error.
Make sure the 2 limit screws aren't screwed in to far and restrict the derailleur movement.

Park Tool instructions:- http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75