Sram Force shifter - can't shift

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nayr497
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:55 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

by nayr497

I was riding my first proper cx training last night...when my right shifter stopped allowing me to send my chain in, towards a bigger cog. I can still send it out.

It's an '09 Force right shifter.

I've found a few related threads here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60779

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=72860

I pulled the hood off and can see the issue. Parts (03) and (04) in the diagram in the second link, the pawls I think you would call them, just slip past each other, not engaging.

1) Can anyone tell me if I can in fact buy the parts to fix this?

2) Or, do I need to buy a new right shifter?

3) Any other ideas? Spray some lube in there? Blow some air?

Purchased this bike & groupset from a friend, so I can't really head to the LBS and ask about a warranty. I suppose I could call Sram customer service. Thought I'd check here and see if anyone could offer some help.

Thank you.
A good day becomes a better day with a bicycle ride.

by Weenie


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nitropowered
Posts: 1136
Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2009 4:10 am

by nitropowered

go to your lbs and have them warranty it

nayr497
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:55 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

by nayr497

I'm not the original owner. I also don't have the original receipt, due to this.

Will the LBS still be able to warranty it?
A good day becomes a better day with a bicycle ride.

ekamila
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:21 am

by ekamila

I had the same thing happen to me last year. I couldn't find a way to fix it myself, so I brought it to the local bike shop, and they returned it to SRAM even though I didn't buy it there or have a receipt. SRAM replaced it for free. Then, a year later, it failed again, and now I'm going through it all over. These shifters just can't handle lots of cable friction - in both cases, my shifting really required lots of force, so I've since tried to minimize cable friction.

Note that there are two routing options for the rear derailleur. For your setup, try and use the one that results in less cable friction. Also, don't use grease to lubricate the cables - it gets sticky. Some books recommend using chain oil instead.

zipp404yuki
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:28 pm
Location: Japan
Contact:

by zipp404yuki

I've heard this problem, it might be caused by dry-shift.
A friend of mine has same experience and he said "If you can't replace the broken shifter through LBS, it's only way to solve the problem is buy a new one."

Hope it helps.

fitty4
Posts: 370
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:19 pm
Location: Denmark

by fitty4

It happened to me as well unfortunately in a kind of exhibition race with Rolf Rørensen. As I thought I was going to school him, I myself got schooled in how not to put a bike together, on the 1rst lap out of 8 I couldn´t shift to lower gears and riding on a little bumpy roads made my chain pop off 3 times since I was riding small sprocket small chainring.

Going through the bike several times and changing both gear wires, searching internet I found out that I forgot some ferrules on the gear housings in the hoods. :oops:

iamtak
Posts: 146
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:51 pm

by iamtak

Take it to your LBS or call SRAM (they'd probably prefer the former).

SRAM is awesome with warranty stuff. I've had two levers break (in two different ways on two separate occasions) that were replaced for free, no questions asked and had a new part in 3-4 days. I didn't even have to send in the old parts or prove I purchased them. For all they know I was just making it up.

The levers are simple enough to dismantle and reassemble. Maybe something came loose or got stuck? Couldn't hurt to rebuild it.

nayr497
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:55 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

by nayr497

Alright, I started this thread a few months back. I talked to Sram and ended up just buying a single new right shifter. It has worked for a few months but now...when I try to send the chain in, the paddle hangs up and just sticks inside, to the left of the brake lever. I have to manually push it back out.

I'm not sure what the problem is & what I should try to fix it. This is on a cross bike but hasn't seen much use, only a few months, and definitely hasn't seen much abuse. Been a dry fall/winter so not much muck, mud, or rain.

This seems kind of crazy to happen so quickly. I hope it can be fixed. I've read some folks try flushing out the insides. Others have tried lubing things internally. I wonder if it could be related to cable tension?

I did buy it new so I could warranty it but, that's a big PITA to pull off the right shifter again just a few months after doing it.

Suggestions for trying to fix the sticky shifting?
A good day becomes a better day with a bicycle ride.

thisisatest
Shop Owner
Posts: 1980
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:02 am
Location: NoVA/DC

by thisisatest

how far over does the paddle hang up? when it's all the way to the left? or does it come back towards the brake lever but stop early?
if it's the latter, a lever reach adjustment can cause it, and you need to shorten the reach of the paddle. theres a little eccentric at the top of the paddle that controls it.
other possibility is the brake hood. it can affect movement, but on sram it's unlikely.
it could also be a broken return spring. :noidea:

nayr497
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:55 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

by nayr497

Thanks for the reply.

Good suggestions. I'll check all of those out.

When I push it left it goes all the way left, then comes about half of the way back. It hangs up so it's just a bit off the inside of the brake lever. I have to manually push it back, then it kind of clicks (but doesn't "click") back into position.

I do have the paddle adjusted a bit back already. I'll see if adjusting that helps at all.

I hope it isn't a spring or something broken. Wouldn't make me happy after just a few months.
A good day becomes a better day with a bicycle ride.

Zitter
Posts: 575
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:12 pm
Location: Los Angeles, CA

by Zitter

damn this just happened to me today. i'm going to try to warranty it, but since i have 2 races next week, i'm going to borrow my friends ultegra group for now

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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nayr497
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:55 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

by nayr497

Hmm, was having a tough time getting my left Force shifter to work right, and my own thread from two years ago popped up again.

I seem to have bad luck with ol' SRAM stuff, not sure why.
A good day becomes a better day with a bicycle ride.

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