Record 11s sticky thumb lever?

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wingguy
Posts: 4318
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

After an OCD cleaning session on the bike last week I finished up with a spray of light oil on all pivots, cable guides, barrel adjusters (which I regularly do) and finally inside the Ergopower controls (which I rarely do). Now the first click on the left thumb lever (from outer to inner big ring trim position) has become very firm, to the point that from the drops I can't trim down without overshifting another few clicks straight into the small ring. I do have the cable tension pretty high, but I haven't changed that recently and there hasn't been a problem before. I also haven't changed the hood position, and I've double checked that there's no rubber in the way of the thumb lever.

Thoughts? I'd rather not back off the cable tension because the trim settings are where I want them, but I will if I need to. Otherwise might I have dislodged a bit of grit or dirt that's now gumming things up, and if so how do I get at it?

by Weenie


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ronf100
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2012 5:39 am

by ronf100

Did you spray lube inside the shifter?
From looking at my own shifters, I think it requires grease not oil.


wingguy
Posts: 4318
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

I think you're correct. Right hand shifter has now packed up almost completely. Feck.

Bridgeman
Posts: 742
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2005 6:04 am
Location: USA
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by Bridgeman

This may not address your problem but here is one cause for this problem. I am currently experiencing the sticky thumb lever issue and will be fixing it later this evening. It's been my experience that this has been a problem for many of the Campy ergo lever iterations, going all the way back to the 8 speed.

In my case, it happens when the rubber hoods become worn, fatigued and begin to rotate about the lever housing as a result of your hands gripping them. The end of clearance slot for the thumb lever arm rotates and impedes the lever arm from returning to it's resting position, thereby locking the mechanism, making it impossible to shift.

I just elongate or open the slot in the rubber hood to add clearance and the problem is solved. Lately, I've have to remember to rotate the hood back to the proper position so I can shift, which is a bitch when you're stressed.

RichTheRoadie
Tinker, Taylor, Tart
Posts: 2070
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Sydney, Aus.

by RichTheRoadie

Something else to check: How tight have you wrapped your bar tape?

I only ask as an 'OCD clean-up' can often mean new tape(?), and winding the tape too tightly can create resistance in the cable run.

wingguy
Posts: 4318
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:43 pm

by wingguy

Thanks for the comments - a small amount of high quality grease has sorted out the left hand shifter, and the complete loss of downshifting on the right seems to have been caused by a frayed inner cable in the ergopower cable guide. New cable + bit more grease has sorted that one out as well. The group is now shifting better than it ever has, hopefully it'll last :wink:

by Weenie


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helios
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:27 pm
Location: STL

by helios

Also make sure you get the hood adjusted properly; mine feels sticky on big downshifts (4+ cogs) if the hood is in the way it doesn't let the thumb shifter return as quickly.

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