# Extremely stiff front derailleur shifting



## gregario (Nov 19, 2001)

I'm looking for a cause/solution to an issue I've been having with shifting my front derailleur. I have a tandem with STI levers and a Shimano triple FD-6503 derailleur. The tandem is about 14 years old and the derailleur and levers are original. Moving the shift lever to change gears is really hard. I changed out the cable thinking that might help, and if anything it's even stiffer. Do I need a new derailleur or what? What would make me to use so much effort to pivot the sift lever? Thanks.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Can't say w/o seeing it, could be a number of things. Did you replace the housing as well? Cables don't wear, housing does. If that's the issue then you did nothing to fix it. Cable routed correctly...under the bb? Derailleur pivots ok?


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

How long has this problem existed? Did it happen suddenly, or did the shifting become gradually stiffer over a period of time?


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## gregario (Nov 19, 2001)

Cable is routed correctly. I did not replace the housing but the short portion between the head tube and shifter is fine. I did trim some of the excess length off. The shifter was stiff before I changed the cable and I have to think it's gotten stiffer over time otherwise I would have done this earlier. I really didn't closely examine the derailleur pivots, I'll have to look at it tonight.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Which lever is really stiff? Both?

I botched the set up once so the small lever required a lot of force to click. I seem to remember I had the cable tension way to tight but don't quote me on that. It was easy to fix whatever it was.

If it's the big lever, you got me. If it were that hard to pull cable I'd think you'd notice a problem when releasing what you had pulled to shift to the small ring too.

I assume you unhooked the cable and checked how hard it was to move the lever(s) with no cable attached? That of course will tell you if it's the shifter.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

Loosen the cable completely and pull slack to as close to the shifter as possible, then shift while pulling on the cable with your hand. 
Is it the shifter that is stiff? Oil it.
Is it shifting fine? Look elsewhere.


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## gregario (Nov 19, 2001)

Jay Strongbow said:


> Which lever is really stiff? Both?
> 
> I botched the set up once so the small lever required a lot of force to click. I seem to remember I had the cable tension way to tight but don't quote me on that. It was easy to fix whatever it was.
> 
> ...


The large lever is the stiff one, to put it in the larger chainrings. The small lever pops it right down into the small ring. There was no comparison between moving the lever with the cable installed and under tension and with no cable or tension on it. I can barely move it with the cable installed. It usable but takes a lot of effort.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

gregario said:


> There was no comparison between moving the lever with the cable installed and under tension and with no cable or tension on it.


Well, maybe you should try and make that comparision!


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

Duriel's suggestion is spot-on. That will verify the shifter isn't at fault. Also, move the front derailleur by hand to verify it's moving freely.

You have to replace *all* the housing. That includes the short portion between the shifter and the head tube. Until you replace all of it, you'll never know.


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

Sometimes it is as simple as the cable being routed on the wrong side of the anchor bolt.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

^^^This and is the cable located properly near the bottom bracket? If it is too close to the drive side chainstay it will screw up the angle of pull. It should be in the bottom bracket guide furthest away from the DS chainstay.


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## mfdemicco (Nov 8, 2002)

Could be the front derailleur pivots. Lube them. Same thing happened to me some time ago. Make sure the bottom bracket cable guide is clean of gunk too.


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