Just a short word of warning to all Shimano users who are taking their bikes off the road for the winter .
Shimano makes some really good gear but it all has a small design flaw : the mecanism they use , a sort of rachet and pawl thing ( techcrats can give the correct term ) relies on a small moving piece that locks the gear in place on up shifts , hence that small click and on the down shift its just pulled out of the way and it falls back a gear with a loud clack .
All fine when it´s working all the time but the grease on the post that this piece pivots on can stiffen if the bike isn´t used for a while and if it´s seizing you start not to be able to shift up correctly if at all .
two cures :
..... a) apply a little oil to this pivot point , STI use a syringe , MTB open the unit and apply oil to the pivot any way you can - doesn´t need a lot .
......b) rather simpler this one ; just remember to run the shifters up and down all the gears at least once a week , especially if stored in a cold , damp or dusty environment .
it´s a flaw that´s present in all shimano shifters from durace / xtr to the cheap **** sold on junk cycles - though not the old thumb shifters funnily enough .
Once it does seize it may not be possible to free it off so a touch of prevention can save a lot of trouble .
Happy Holidays everybody
Shimano makes some really good gear but it all has a small design flaw : the mecanism they use , a sort of rachet and pawl thing ( techcrats can give the correct term ) relies on a small moving piece that locks the gear in place on up shifts , hence that small click and on the down shift its just pulled out of the way and it falls back a gear with a loud clack .
All fine when it´s working all the time but the grease on the post that this piece pivots on can stiffen if the bike isn´t used for a while and if it´s seizing you start not to be able to shift up correctly if at all .
two cures :
..... a) apply a little oil to this pivot point , STI use a syringe , MTB open the unit and apply oil to the pivot any way you can - doesn´t need a lot .
......b) rather simpler this one ; just remember to run the shifters up and down all the gears at least once a week , especially if stored in a cold , damp or dusty environment .
it´s a flaw that´s present in all shimano shifters from durace / xtr to the cheap **** sold on junk cycles - though not the old thumb shifters funnily enough .
Once it does seize it may not be possible to free it off so a touch of prevention can save a lot of trouble .
Happy Holidays everybody
