Shimano 105 Left Shifter Issues

Hey all,

TL,DR
I have a sticky left hand Shimano 105 (5700) shifter, checked and eliminated all other potential issues that could cause the front mech to jam/not work, has anyone any suggestions before I fork out for a new lever?

Scenic description below...

So I have a Shimano 105 10-speed groupset (5700 series) that I bought brand new last year. I rode it for around a year with no issues, generally commuting in all weather approx 25 miles a day.

Recently upgraded my frameset and swapped all the bits over. Gave the groupset a good clean etc, new cables, new chain. I do look after my kit as well so once cleaned up it was essentially like new.

Here lies the issue, I've struggled to get the front mech to work consistently on the new frame when shifting with the left hand shifter. The issue is I get it all set up and it will shift perfectly for the first handful of times, after that it degrades to a point where a full shift action with the lever doesn't quite get the chain onto the big ring. If I release the lever and then give it another nudge it gives a bit and gives me the big ring?

At first I thought, cable slippage at the anchor bolt, but I've marked this and it never changes. The other thing I thought was cable stretch, but with some simple adjustment it goes back to working perfectly again for about half a commute - the cable can't be stretching that much, else it would now be about an inch longer than it was to start with.

I've heard of issues with Shimano's shifters in the past but nothing too specific on the failings of the 5700 groupset? I had a good look at the shifter and cable fitment and it all looks perfectly normal, i.e. no cable chew, nothing seems to be jamming, until this morning when I shifted to the big ring using my new patented "double shift" action to force the issue and the smaller downshift lever jammed, meaning only the bigger brake/upshift lever returned to the home position. I managed to stop and get the lever to go back, and it seemed to be going beyond the pivot point and sticking behind what I can only describe as the lever hinge?

Any help appreciated, I don't mind too much, although it is annoying it's broken after just over a years service, but want to check it's not something simple before I fork out for a new shifter (£60-70ish by the look of it?)

Cheers,

OSR.

Mine's notoriously bad, but I found that going from little to big ring if it doesn't shift, I cycle the gears to a higher one at the back, and the difference in tension seems enough to force it onto the big ring. Not a solution, but a workaround if it happens whilst out on a ride. Never had a lever jam though. Sounds bad!

It sounds like a problem with the outer cable and or the end caps. (If it isn't the inner cable fraying at the nipple, which is also a possibility)

I had an Ultegra shifter do a similar thing to me a while ago. It was a screw that had fallen out. The screw that secures the small lever's mechanism, up behind the larger lever. I found a replacement screw, and used it to re-attach the lever with a little Loctite. The lever then worked perfectly again.

Thanks for the replies guys,

@pdlouche I know what you mean, but I pride myself on my anti-cross-chaining riding style (lol) and I'm only ever shifting small>big ring when in the middle of the cassette. Never had any issues at all on my old frame and I expect to be able to shift into the big ring without issues.

@adroit fair point, it's a brand new Jagwire "racer" cabling kit, and full internal routing so the only cable run is from the lever to the headtube area but I'm going to slack off the entire inner cable and remove it to check tomorrow and rule this out.

Thanks - I'll also check this tomorrow, any idea what size and where to get a replacement if this is the case?

I was lucky enough to find a suitable replacement in a compartment in my tool box, so rummaging in tool boxes etc is all I can suggest I'm afraid.

I was running 5700 for a bit and had the same issue with the front shifter, I sent it back to Merlin and respect to them they sorted it out ASAP giving me a new shifter simply stating there was a internal fault, I then had the rear shifter go pop and jam on me after about 1500miles, and the replacement went the same way as the front about 4 days before I was heading abroad to ride. Again this was sorted by the dealer, never did get any real answer to the problem. My gut is saying that a spring becomes weak? that is the only thing I can think of..

Hmmm, it's not great is it from Shimano?! Well I've put around maybe 5000miles on the groupset and not had any issues with the right shifter to date, although I was struggling to get the indexing sorted and it doesn't always shift first time anymore to the point where you can vary the amount you move the lever to get it to shift almost like a friction shifter. Shouldn't be like this with new cables and I've set up enough geared bikes to know this doesn't feel right overall.

Does anyone know of any issues with the new 11 SPD 5800 groupset? Is Ultegra fundamentally different or the same but more expensive?

Must admit it's got me looking at SRAM...

Must admit it's got me looking at CAMPAGNOLO...

Never! The dark side!

I have a DA 7700 left STI unit that you can have. It's 9 speed, so not compatible with your 10 speed set-up, and also it seems to have lost the ability to pull the front mech far enough to get the chain onto the big ring with a single swipe. Oh, and it's got that classic Shimano wiggly worm corrosion effect on the little paddle bit.

My solution is a heretical one - I'm going to fit some nice tiagra shifters on my Klein. Don't tell anyone.

I would make the leap full time to Campag if I did not have so many Shimano wheels, and sadly getting replacement freehubs would be troublesome. The other reason is that with Campag I am a nervous wreck when I head abroad to the far flung corner of the globe as Campag parts are non existent. I also understand? that the newer Campag stuff is lower quality than the older stuff (they say), I currently have a 2007 Shim-ergo setup on my "cough" "cough" Gravel bike and they fell so much more bomb proof than anything I have ever used before.

You saying that the front 5700 lever is sloppy I can sinpathis with that, my replacement I got went like that after 2k, It still works but not anywhere near as crisp as it should be..

You know what my best levers are? and these feckers would survive a small nuclear warhead hitting the high beech tea hut.. Retro shift levers with DA frictions mounted see pic of the surly, the carbon gear wankers slatted these levers yet they flat out do the job when you really must make that shift...

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Great joy. I looked up some things on the internets and the majority vote was for giving the lever a thorough blasting with wd40. I found the gt85 first, so went ahead and filled the house with the glorious scent of the world's finest aerosol. Several hours later it is all moving more freely and so I have reinstated the lovely 7700 levers on the Klein.

have you tried this, matt?

Yeah, I run 7700 levers on my old Bianchi Rekord 748. They are lovely.

^^^i agree. most of the time brifters are gummed up with dried out grease which stops them working. blow it out with loads of degreaser and work it lots, they will eventually start to shift nice and sharply. i usually then blow the degreaser out with gt85 and follow up with some aerosol grease. thats the first thing i ever do with these before taking them apart. im yet to have to dismantle any.

I have not, its about the only thing left in my arsenal of non-acceptance that it's broken. I shall attempt this tonight!

In other news EON sent me my annual bill and I'm £145 in credit, which is half of a new 11-speed 5800 groupset so I might make do for now, try the WD40 trick and when the money lands in my account upgrade to 5800 given the money I need to add is about the cost of a new pair of 5700 shifters give or take.

You should be able to pick up a pair of used Dura Ace 7700 shifter/levers on eBay for around £60 ... just sayin'.

Well some good news - I can't normally be bothered with this sort of thing but I contacted Ribble who I originally ordered off explaining the issue. They put me in contact with Madison (UK Shimano distributor) who have confirmed that the warranty is actually 2 years and I should arrange return of the defective shifter to Ribble who can start the warranty process.

This does however mean that I am left without a shifter on my road bike. I could use the touring bike in the meantime but have no idea how long these things tend to take?

I had a dura ace shifter go back to Madison under the 3 yr warranty last year - a great thing considering I'd bought it second hand (just goes to show, make friends with your LBS). Think I was riding my other bike 2-3 weeks whilst it got replaced.

Good to hear - thanks. So you return it to the original place you bought it from and then they must send it to Madison by the look of it? Bit convoluted but guess it makes sense, plus if I get another back under warranty then happy days and I don't mind the wait.

Aye thats how it works unfortunately. Same for SRAM they do the same round about dance through an LBS. It does help keep it cleaner from their end, and weeds out a lot of chancers who bought in grey import stuff, beyond the 2 year point anyways then try and claim.

TBF to them they are quite quick, SRAM are epic slow and unable to bleed their own brakes properly which is always amusing.

105 5600 levers used to have a big reputation for just bursting randomly, 5700 seem to sort that but the same old STI issues that affect every brand and every model, grit ingress, grease drying out and crash damage prevails.

Have you checked that your little shift lever isn't bent into, or catching in any other way on the big lever? This is a common 5700/6700 problem as they sit very close and are easily pushed into each other. Just bend the little lever back out a touch

After you've flushed your sticky levers with whatever strippy chemical you want, gt85 will not lube them back up sufficiently, they need something closer to motorbike chain wax, it is £15 a can but its utterly perfect for the task. sprays in as a very thin penetrating liquid, then hardens up to a waxy consistency. Great for chains, great for car door hinges, amazing for STI levers ;)
Decathlons spray grease in a can (for bikes) is about £2-3 a can and is very close in performance to the castrol wax ;)

^^ noted #rep

Looks like I am not alone, My right 5700 shifter went to crap after approx 2k. LBS said it is fairly common :-?