My shifter is worn and only clicks/changes intermittently. I'd like to repair it or replace it however I'm having difficulty sourcing one. Can I use any other shifter or is it practical to upgrade to 9 speed. The bike is a Giant TCR
Have you tried adjusting with the information in the tutorial?
yes thanks, I think something is broken or very worn inside the shifter
I recently upgraded my Trek 2120 to some 105 STI's. SRAM makes a fairly economical 9 speed cassette (around $30) and you will need a 9 speed chain as well.
The spacing is a little different on an 8 to a 9 as there is less space between each sprocket. I have heard from people who made it work, but it will not shift very smoothly. And, considering your cassette is going to have to be replaced eventually, it may not be a bad move. I think all your other components should work fine.
I have also heard that there are people out there that know how to overhaul and repair STI shifters as well. Calling around at the LBS is something you should try.
Thanks Buzz, I've also been advised that Shimano 2200 8SP or Tiagra 9sp will do the job. My first choice is to try to salvage or refurbish the 105s if possible. I live on an island (I cycle the 22km of bitumen with monotonous regularity) and don't have a LBS however I'll try the nearest mainland ones by phone today.
My 2 pennies worth is that this Shimano 7/8/9 speed incompatibility is a sales pitch they are compatible and I have mixed and matched and never noticed any degradation in performance. I have heard that the 10 speed rear stuff isn't compatible with 7/8/9 but haven't tried. All you need to do is make sure that the cassette has the same number of sprockets as the indexes on the shifter.
I am not sure how economical it would be to refurbish a shifter as I am pretty sure you can't buy individual mechanical components new and how long will the things last anyway.
If the chain and rear sprocket are in good condition just buy new 8 speed shifters BTW I think the 2200 are now 2300's. You can upgrade to Tiagra shifters with 9 speed cassette and 7/8/9 Speed chain, no need to change RD or FD.
Hi Eric,
Shimano ST-2303 should still be available for Triple. The ST-R500 is compatible with Double or Triple but are getting scarce.
If you would like to attempt a fix, I can try to walk you through it if you can give me a model number (probably molded into the body under your hoods).
Wheelies don't pop themselves. (from a QBP fortune cookie)
Hi JonathanSG I'll probably end up acting on your advice however I see that RobAR has offered some assistance and I'll make an attempt to fix it first.
Thanks
Eric, sorry for the late reply. I have been putting in a lot of hours with pre-season orders coming in. eeforme sounds legit and I might not hesitate to contact him. If you still feel up to tackling it yourself - we can do - might take a while. But I am not looking for what is embossed on the levers. I need the exact model, which will be molded or stamped into a main body part and probably hidden. As I said, check under the hoods. Peel back the rubber 'hood' and look closely. It will be very small and you may need a flashlight to find it. Current 105 stuff will begin with an ST prefix.
Wheelies don't pop themselves. (from a QBP fortune cookie)
Hi Rob, thanks for reply. No worries about time. If I have to send it by mail I'll be without it for a while. I have found another stamp which is a "VE" inside a circle. The left STI has "UK" stamped on it. There may be a tiny stamp near the large ones however, if there is, it is VERY light and illegible.
The problem is that I have to move the little lever 2, 3 or even as much as 7 times to the left before it "clicks" and changes to a smaller gear.
Not so bad when using the bigger lever. Sometimes it "clicks" and changes to a bigger gear first time and sometimes after 1 or 2 lever movements to the left.
Hi Eric. Sorry I am late. Did you get it fixed, yet? If not... roll up your sleeves.
Wheelies don't pop themselves. (from a QBP fortune cookie)