Problems shifting gears (main ones on chainrings)

[Dalton2250]

Hi guys,

I'd be most grateful if anyone could provide a little advice about my shifters/gears.

The shifter that works the rear derailleur seems to be having problems. It's a SRAM X-9 rapidfire trigger, leading to an X-0 rear derailleur.

Sometimes when I'm on the hardest of the chainrings and I try to switch down to the middle one, it gets stuck, in other words doesn't change down & renders the shifter unusable temporarily. The only way to bring it back to life again seems to be to alternate between upshifting & downshifting until something happens!

Can anyone tell me the cause of this? It's not all the time, just occasionally but obviously can cause fairly annoying problems especially if at the foot of a hill I'm about to climb!

Is it to do with the cables? Or the shifters? Or something else?

Muchas apprecianados fellas

Si

[Bubbalou8077]

(03-21-2011, 04:44 AM)Dalton2250 Wrote:  Hi guys,

I'd be most grateful if anyone could provide a little advice about my shifters/gears.

The shifter that works the rear derailleur seems to be having problems. It's a SRAM X-9 rapidfire trigger, leading to an X-0 rear derailleur.

Sometimes when I'm on the hardest of the chainrings and I try to switch down to the middle one, it gets stuck, in other words doesn't change down & renders the shifter unusable temporarily. The only way to bring it back to life again seems to be to alternate between upshifting & downshifting until something happens!

Can anyone tell me the cause of this? It's not all the time, just occasionally but obviously can cause fairly annoying problems especially if at the foot of a hill I'm about to climb!

Is it to do with the cables? Or the shifters? Or something else?

Muchas apprecianados fellas

Si

Have you tried adjusting the cable tension ring where the cable goes into the shifter on the handlebars? It should turn with your fingers. Try turning it by 1/4 of a turn then see if it helps. If it worsens try turning the other direction. If that doesn't do it then you will have to have a bike tech look at it if you do not know how to adjust the front derailleur.

[cyclerUK]

Check out the inner cables first. Look for loose strands or corrosion where they run through the outer housings. Remove the inners, if you can, and inspect them.
Check also where the cables run around the frame for cable wear, obstructions or dirt, especially if it goes under the bottom bracket shell..

[Dalton2250]

Thanks Bubbalou & Cycler, I'll take heed of both your suggestions.

Much appreciated.

Si