Cleaning Shifter?

[RedRider2009]

Today, I had a small mishap while riding. I was riding along and could see myself headed towards sand, so I clenched up and grabbed the brakes which caused me to skid into the sand. I did not fall fast, I basically tipped over because I did not get my foot unclipped, therefore I fell gently in the sand. As I was riding throughout the day I realized that my shift lever is very rough when I push it. There is sand jammed inside the shifter, causing the roughness. How should I clean my shifter to get it back into perfect working condition?

 

[Xsmoker]

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Actually, if there is that much sand in the shifter I would remove it from the bike and flush it in a parts washer then blow dry with compressed air.

 

[RedRider2009]

You know there is one dumba** who followed those directions on his shampoo too closely, he is still in the shower. I will give your idea a try. Are you reccomending something like keyboard cleaner or an air compresser?

 

[alfeng]

BTW. Are you referring to a MTB shifter or a ROAD shifter?

I think Xsmoker's remedy is for ROAD shifters ... because, it skips a step if you are referring to MTB shifters.

The mechanism on many MTB shifters is accessible by removing the plate which often gives access to the derailleur cable.

If it is a MTB shifter, after removing them from the bike, open them up & blow/brush them out FIRST before rinsing them out.

If you're referring to ROAD shifters, then if-or-after this pair of shifters dies, replace them with Campagnolo shifters which allow for user/shop maintenance.

 

[RedRider2009]

It is the stock shifter on my road bike...thanks guys

 

[Cycler6n]

BTW. Are you referring to a MTB shifter or a ROAD shifter?

I think Xsmoker's remedy is for ROAD shifters ... because, it skips a step if you are referring to MTB shifters.

The mechanism on many MTB shifters is accessible by removing the plate which often gives access to the derailleur cable.

If it is a MTB shifter, after removing them from the bike, open them up & blow/brush them out FIRST before rinsing them out.

If you're referring to ROAD shifters, then if-or-after this pair of shifters dies, replace them with Campagnolo shifters which allow for user/shop maintenance.

what do you mean by user/shop maintenance?

 

[alfeng]

what do you mean by user/shop maintenance?

The CAMPAGNOLO shifters can be "field stripped" -- completely dis-assembled & re-assembled ... I've done it, so most people with a reasonable amount of dexterity & patience can also do it -- of course, you would probably want to do this in a quiet workplace and NOT out-on-the-road unless you were trekking in the middle of nowhere!

Not all bike shops sell/handle Campagnolo components OR can service them. Also, parts can be expensive to the point where it was (in the past) sometimes less expensive to cannibalize a less expensive shifter for the parts since post-1998 & pre-2007 shifters which looked the same (except for Xenon) had interchangeable parts regardless of the Group the shifter was assoicated with (e.g., Record, Chorus, Centaur/Daytona, Veloce, or Mirage).

Apparently, some pre-1998 bits-and-pieces are not interchangeable; but, I did install the guts of a LEFT 8-speed shifter into the body of a more recent (currrent "style") RECORD left-hand shifter.

SHIMANO shifters cannot be "serviced" other than cleaning -- reassembly is not possible after disassembly.

SRAM shifters can apparently be disassembled & reassembled, but spare parts are currently (AFAIK) not available.