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Ultegra Won't Shift


snutkin@gmail.com

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Hi guys,

 

Like many others, I am in lockdown and have my road bike on my indoor trainer. Something odd is going on with my Ultegra chainring front derailleur /shifter set up. Basically, when I use the shift levers, nothing happens. The shift levers move and you get the usual "click sensation" but there is absolutely no movement on the derailleur. At first I thought the cable must  be broken but when I checked the cable on the derailleur and where it feeds through into the frame, the cable is still absolutely taut, which tells me that this is probably not a cable problem. But I am mystified as to what the problem could be and thought that I would ask here before I start trying to take things apart.

 

If anybody has a pretty clear idea as to what it is likely to be, I would greatly appreciate the input.

 

TIA.

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I'd guess you've trapped the cable somewhere when installing the bike on the trainer.

 

If you take the bike off the trainer does the FD shift again?

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^ that or a cable/hose end slipped out of a boss somewhere on the frame or check under the BB (if bottom pull) if the cable slipped out of the guide there. if so, the lack of cable tension will do the same.

Edited by morneS555
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Hi guys,

 

Like many others, I am in lockdown and have my road bike on my indoor trainer. Something odd is going on with my Ultegra chainring front derailleur /shifter set up. Basically, when I use the shift levers, nothing happens. The shift levers move and you get the usual "click sensation" but there is absolutely no movement on the derailleur. At first I thought the cable must  be broken but when I checked the cable on the derailleur and where it feeds through into the frame, the cable is still absolutely taut, which tells me that this is probably not a cable problem. But I am mystified as to what the problem could be and thought that I would ask here before I start trying to take things apart.

 

If anybody has a pretty clear idea as to what it is likely to be, I would greatly appreciate the input.

 

TIA.

 

How well did it work before the lock down?

 

I have Ultegra on my road bike which does the same on the road and IDT, and for both the front and rear derailleurs. Move the levers repeatedly for a few seconds / minute and nothing happens (cables don't move) and then it suddenly starts to work normally again. 

 

My Ultegra is old +/- 2005 but with new cables and cable housing, makes no difference.

I think its some little widget gear thingy in lever mechanism that is worn.

Time for a new bike  :whistling:

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How well did it work before the lock down?

 

I have Ultegra on my road bike which does the same on the road and IDT, and for both the front and rear derailleurs. Move the levers repeatedly for a few seconds / minute and nothing happens (cables don't move) and then it suddenly starts to work normally again. 

 

My Ultegra is old +/- 2005 but with new cables and cable housing, makes no difference.

I think its some little widget gear thingy in lever mechanism that is worn.

Time for a new bike  :whistling:

 

I would say you have slack in your gear cable, which quite often happens when bikes are placed in trainers.

Release the cable tension bolt on the front changer and see if you pull out any slack. This should be done while gears/chain is  in the small chain ring and the gear shift lever has not been operated or tensioned to go up to top chainring. Let us know outcome please

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How well did it work before the lock down?

 

I have Ultegra on my road bike which does the same on the road and IDT, and for both the front and rear derailleurs. Move the levers repeatedly for a few seconds / minute and nothing happens (cables don't move) and then it suddenly starts to work normally again. 

 

My Ultegra is old +/- 2005 but with new cables and cable housing, makes no difference.

I think its some little widget gear thingy in lever mechanism that is worn.

Time for a new bike  :whistling:

 

I would say you have slack in your gear cable, which quite often happens when bikes are placed in trainers.

Release the cable tension bolt on the front changer and see if you pull out any slack. This should be done while gears/chain is  in the small chain ring and the gear shift lever has not been operated or tensioned to go up to top chainring. Let us know outcome please

 

 

Thanks for the tip.

The cables are all external and I recently replaced all the cables and cable housings.

There is no slack

 

How would putting the bike on an IDT cause cable slack, its an A frame type trainer which attaches at the rear axle / quick release, no contact on the frame or under the BB?

Edited by SwissVan
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Hi guys,

 

Like many others, I am in lockdown and have my road bike on my indoor trainer. Something odd is going on with my Ultegra chainring front derailleur /shifter set up. Basically, when I use the shift levers, nothing happens. The shift levers move and you get the usual "click sensation" but there is absolutely no movement on the derailleur. At first I thought the cable must  be broken but when I checked the cable on the derailleur and where it feeds through into the frame, the cable is still absolutely taut, which tells me that this is probably not a cable problem. But I am mystified as to what the problem could be and thought that I would ask here before I start trying to take things apart.

 

If anybody has a pretty clear idea as to what it is likely to be, I would greatly appreciate the input.

 

TIA.

 

I'm also running Ultegra and sometimes with mine you got to "Double click" my front derailer. Its the same when I shift down to granny gear (WHICH I DON'T DO EVER  :whistling: ) but it always works. 

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How well did it work before the lock down?

 

I have Ultegra on my road bike which does the same on the road and IDT, and for both the front and rear derailleurs. Move the levers

repeatedly for a few seconds / minute

and nothing happens (cables don't move) and then it suddenly starts to work normally again.

 

My Ultegra is old +/- 2005 but with new cables and cable housing, makes no difference.

I think its some little widget gear thingy in lever mechanism that is worn.

Time for a new bike :whistling:

Time for a new bike? No.

 

Time. For. Campagnolo.

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I'd guess you've trapped the cable somewhere when installing the bike on the trainer.

 

If you take the bike off the trainer does the FD shift again?

 

Hi Droo, no it has nothing to do with the trainer. None at all. It's a direct drive trainer and comes nowhere near the FD or its shift system. And it was working fine while on the IDT until this morning when it decided to say "nyet!".

 

 

^ that or a cable/hose end slipped out of a boss somewhere on the frame or check under the BB (if bottom pull) if the cable slipped out of the guide there. if so, the lack of cable tension will do the same.

 

Thank you. I'll check it out. Cable is still fully tight but will take a look at it. I think the problem may be somewhere inside the shifter. Or maybe the FD is just stuck for some reason.

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Okay, I feel like a bit of an idiot. Checked the thing out. Nothing obviously wrong. Pressed the FD with a thumb, not too hard. Realised things are sticky. A bit of silicon spray on the FD and the underpass shifter cable and all is fine again. :blush:

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I'm also running Ultegra and sometimes with mine you got to "Double click" my front derailer. Its the same when I shift down to granny gear (WHICH I DON'T DO EVER  :whistling: ) but it always works. 

 

Is it not the trim function? I also have a double click on mine. When you go down to the small chain ring, you first need to go through the trim (click one) and then down to the small chain ring (click two).

 

You have a message from Tech Support:

 

 

Please rate our service from 1-10 10 being very satisfied. 

 

Great stuff! Thanks for the help. 10.

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Is it not the trim function? I also have a double click on mine. When you go down to the small chain ring, you first need to go through the trim (click one) and then down to the small chain ring (click two).

 

 

Great stuff! Thanks for the help. 10.

 

No idea, as long as it's working, when it breaks I'll have it fixed. It's always been like that, service after service. 

 

Actually now that I think of it, apparently mine was a triple that could be why I sometimes have to double click.. Anyway I've seen the Fast and Furios movies, I imagine myself looking like Paul and Vin when they shift from 3rd to 4th, 4th to 3rd and back a few more times for no reason... 

 

It adds to the special effects of me cycling. 

 

Sorry I blame lock down, I think I need to take a walk around the yard.

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No idea, as long as it's working, when it breaks I'll have it fixed. It's always been like that, service after service. 

 

Actually now that I think of it, apparently mine was a triple that could be why I sometimes have to double click.. Anyway I've seen the Fast and Furios movies, I imagine myself looking like Paul and Vin when they shift from 3rd to 4th, 4th to 3rd and back a few more times for no reason... 

 

It adds to the special effects of me cycling. 

 

Sorry I blame lock down, I think I need to take a walk around the yard.

 

:lol:

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No idea, as long as it's working, when it breaks I'll have it fixed. It's always been like that, service after service. 

 

Actually now that I think of it, apparently mine was a triple that could be why I sometimes have to double click.. Anyway I've seen the Fast and Furios movies, I imagine myself looking like Paul and Vin when they shift from 3rd to 4th, 4th to 3rd and back a few more times for no reason... 

 

It adds to the special effects of me cycling. 

 

Sorry I blame lock down, I think I need to take a walk around the yard.

I ride an almost 10 year old 10 speed Ultegra groupset. Maybe you are encountering that "in between" setting ie its there for when you are traversing through the middle of your rear cassette and the chain is touching your FD outer cage....

As an aside, now and then my FD and/or RD will stick, and I spray a little Q20 into the shift mechanism from underneath with the bike standing normally, just to clear out any crud, and then wipe dry very carefully, you dont want to attract dirt.

Sometimes its just some dried juice that has run under the BB and is sticking in the cable guide...

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