Left shifter

[lee241270]

Hi all,
I just purchased for my son : Carrera Subway 1 Mens 18" Town & Trail Bike.
Features and Benefits:
* Lightweight 18" 7005 aluminium frame<br />
* Rigid Cro-moly fork with mudguard and rack mounts<br />
* SRAM SX4 14 speed gearing<br />
* Alloy V-brakes<br />
* Suntour double ring chainset with integral chain guard<br />
* Low profile tyres and Kevlar puncture protection<br />
* Suspension seatpost and adjustable stem for extra comfort<br />
* Bike accessories also available
All seems ok but the left shifter seems very stiff to change from 1 too 2 and vise versa.
Also the numbers on the shifter say 1-2-3, but im sure it should say 1-2 as there is only 2 front gear wheels.... which would explain why it does not move too 3.
So my only real problem is the stiffness on the left shifter..any ideas?
Other than that it is a great bike.
Thanks
Jay

[DaveM]

It could be a number of things. First, make sure you are pedaling while trying to shift. The shifter will not move very far when the chain is not rotating. Also, the front shifter is always a little "stiffer" than the back since the jumps between the gears are much larger. "Stiff" is a relative term, so hard to know if what you feel is normal or excessive. Second, follow the path of the cable as it goes from the shifter to the derailleur. It should make nice smooth long curves. If you find any sharp kinks or bends, that could be the problem. Also watch that the cable looks to sit in the various little grooves that are there for it and that nothing is rubbing on the cable like a kickstand clamp.
Beyond that, there could be a problem with the shifter or derailleur, but hard to know without more info. The manufacturer is probably cutting costs by using a common shifter on various bikes which is why you have a 3 speed shifter with only 2 gears. That probably is not an issue. Finally, check out this video if there is problems shifting (beyond it just taking a lot of pressure): http://bikeride.com/adjust-front-derailer/

[lee241270]

Thanks for the info Dave.
This was the case "Also, the front shifter is always a little "stiffer" than the back since the jumps between the gears are much larger. "Stiff" is a relative term"
Took it myself for a ride for 30mins and it works great now, apart from my legs now, they feel like jelly...lol...just goes to show how un-healthy i am.