The Get fit club!

[pino]

Mark can you post a pic of your bicycle here or on Facebook...just curious

[schmenke]

For the first time in a while I took my (aging) mountain bike for a spin this weekend. I noticed the rear trigger shifter is a bit dodgy and might need a replacement. The upshift trigger is “loose” and often doesn’t shift at all. When it does, considerable thumb pressure is required to “push” it. It’s hard to explain but it feels like it’s on the verge of snapping .

It’s an 8-speed bike and my on-line browsing results in few options for a replacement shifter, as 9 or 10 speed systems seem like the norm for most bikes these days.
I noticed SRAM offers 8-speed trigger shifters at a reasonable price but I don’t know much about this manufacturer as most of the components on my bike are Shimano.
I’ve never replaced shifters before. Would this by a reasonable DIY job (it strikes me as a rather fiddly job), or should I have a shop do it?

[Firstgear]

Are you sure it's the shifter that's buggered, and not just the cables starting to seize up? Dripping some oil, or spraying some WD40 into the cable jackets at all the points where the cable enters them (and then putting the shifter through the gears a few times) might free things up.

[Mark]

SRAM is just as good as Shimano and most of their stuff will interoperate with Shimano components. However not all and I know e.g. Shimano road and MTB have incompatibilities.

[GridGirl]

Have you already re-indexed front and rear gears? I would do that first before thinking about changing shifters. My other half changed the shifters on his old mountain now converted to hybrid bike. There is hardly and choice in 8 shift these days but on the plus side the spares are cheap.

I did two 67km rides this weekend. Need to do another 83km by Friday night to meet my 500km target for this month though.

[schmenke]

Are you sure it's the shifter that's buggered, and not just the cables starting to seize up? Dripping some oil, or spraying some WD40 into the cable jackets at all the points where the cable enters them (and then putting the shifter through the gears a few times) might free things up.

No I'm not sure FG, but it sure feels like something mechanical. I'll try your suggested lube job before diving into more drastic measures.

SRAM is just as good as Shimano and most of their stuff will interoperate with Shimano components. However not all and I know e.g. Shimano road and MTB have incompatibilities.

Thanks Mark, good to know.

Have you already re-indexed front and rear gears? ...

What the heck does that mean? :cornfused: :

[GridGirl]

You will get cable stretch on your gears over time which will affect shifting; this can be fixed by re-indexing the gears. It's easier to do with a bike stand but you can do without and it should only take a few minutes. There are plenty of YouTube video's that will show you how to do it better than I can describe. All you will need is an allen key. If it doesn't work and you do end up changing your shifters yourself you will need to index them anyway.

[TyPat107]

SRAM and shimano have different ratios for the rear derailleur so a SRAM derailleur is not compatible with a shimano and vice versa. SRAM is 1:1 and shimano is 2:1.

sorry I meant to quote Marks post.

[Gregor-y]

For the first time in a while I took my (aging) mountain bike for a spin this weekend. I noticed the rear trigger shifter is a bit dodgy and might need a replacement. The upshift trigger is “loose” and often doesn’t shift at all. When it does, considerable thumb pressure is required to “push” it. It’s hard to explain but it feels like it’s on the verge of snapping .

Older Shimano 'rapidfire' shifters will just wear out the ratcheting mechanism. Mine did on my Trek from 1994 with STX components. I replaced them with some slightly older but more reliable thumb shifters.


I haven't ridden it very much lately. I did take my commuting bike on a three day trip this weekend from Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin, though. It held up well and - suprisingly - so did I over about 200 miles. If anything I feel a bit crampy this morning from not riding.

[schmenke]

Thanks Gregory. Do thumb-style shifters have to be indexed, as GG states above?
Also, is replacing shifters a reasonable DIY?


200 miles! hock: