sram shifting

[thegunner]

heya guys, just swapped all the 105 stuff on my bike for 2009 force and 2010 red crankset... all is well and all, except... my FD is insanely firm to shift. I know i have zero loss on the front, but why does it take so much force :p no pun intended to shift to big ring and back!?

is this normal, or am i an idiot? i should note that i used to work in a bike shop and can setup campy and shimano like NO one's business... but this isn't working out too well (maybe it's supposed to be like this, i dunno). maybe my arms are just weak :crap:

[Dave]

It may be normal, but it may also be due to excessive cable friction or having the shift cable attached improperly at the FD. I'm not a SRAM user, but misrouting the shift cable certainly gave some Campy users fits when the revised '09 parts came out. If the shift cable is routed around the wrong side of the clamp bolt, the lever arm becomes very short and hard to move.

A lot of SRAM users recommend Yokazuna cables.

[CHF]

Sounds like you might have a cable issue. I've got Red installed and my only beef (a minor one) has been the length of shifter throw to move to the large ring.

FWIW, I use regular braided steel cables. Tried Gore Ride On for a while and wasn't impressed.

[Ken Robb]

SRAM= Sissy Riders Aren't Missed--so cowboy up and push it Big Boy!

[Pete Serotta]

SRAM= Sissy Riders Aren't Missed--so cowboy up and push it Big Boy!
:D :argue: :D that is good......

[John H.]

What kind of bars? How are the shifter cables routed?
I have noticed that my SRAM stuff shifts way better when I route the shifter cables on the back of the bars. This is especially true on bars that are really squared off so they make a tight housing bend if you run it in front.
Was it like this from day 1? I say this because dried drink mix on cables/cable guide under the frame will make a bike shift like the cables are bad- not always the cable- just gook. Might also be a good idea to make sure that guide is in good condition.

[bssjackson]

When I built up my specialized I was fine tuning the FD and it was very hard to shift to the big ring and when shifting to the small ring the lever would move slowly back into position after pushing it. The problem was that my shifter hood wasn't in the correct place putting tension on the cable. This probably isn't your problem but doesn't hurt to check it out. BTW. SRAM is awesome.

[Peter P.]

Did you route the front derailleur to the correct side of the clamp bolt? Clamping it on the wrong side will create a shorter lever arm, thus requiring more force to effect a shift.

[John H.]

This is also a good point- make sure the hoods are all the way pulled back so they are out of the way of the shifting mechanism and that all the tabs on the hoods fit in the holes on the shifter body.

When I built up my specialized I was fine tuning the FD and it was very hard to shift to the big ring and when shifting to the small ring the lever would move slowly back into position after pushing it. The problem was that my shifter hood wasn't in the correct place putting tension on the cable. This probably isn't your problem but doesn't hurt to check it out. BTW. SRAM is awesome.

[thegunner]

Did you route the front derailleur to the correct side of the clamp bolt? Clamping it on the wrong side will create a shorter lever arm, thus requiring more force to effect a shift.

DING DING DING, i'm an idiot :crap:

[Charles M]

Nah. I did that on the first install too and My mom says I'm brilliant!

[stephenmarklay]

Can you guys explain which is the correct side of the clamping bolt?? I just put a 2010 force group on and front shifting is very hard and shifting to the big ring is hit and miss. Rear is seems fine. I routed the cables in the back of the bars to keep the bend radius larger but man this can't be right.

I have reduced the tension and that makes is less difficult but I do not get consistent shifts to the big ring. I am thinking about moving the tail of the derailleur in so that the plates are parallel to the chainline when the chain is in the biggest cog and small ring. That way I can move the limit screw closer in to start moving the chain faster.

Thoughts?

[bike22]

sram front shifting blows.

[thegunner]

Can you guys explain which is the correct side of the clamping bolt?? I just put a 2010 force group on and front shifting is very hard and shifting to the big ring is hit and miss. Rear is seems fine. I routed the cables in the back of the bars to keep the bend radius larger but man this can't be right.

it should be outside the little lip thing (it should bend over top of it) on the FD. sram front shifting is fine if you tune it properly, i seriously believe most of the complaints are coming from improperly installed FD's.

[tkbike]

Cable should be clamped on the non drive side of the bolt. I have 2010 force on two bikes one with Gore cables and one without and can tell no difference in front derailleur shifting. Front derailleur shifting may be a little stiffer than Shimano or Campy but for overall performance I wouldn't switch back.

[stephenmarklay]

it should be outside the little lip thing (it should bend over top of it) on the FD. sram front shifting is fine if you tune it properly, i seriously believe most of the complaints are coming from improperly installed FD's.

Strange but this seems to help. Not perfect yet but that detail did make difference. I see how it helps thinking about it but is seems like they could have formed the "cam" differently if for nothing else to make it more obvious.

[allegretto]

New SRAM Force here

not nearly as smooth and requires more force than Campy SR. Also less reliable

[FlashUNC]

Got SRAM Rival on my cross bike. Sounds like you have a cable issue. Mine shifts just as smoothly as anything else.

[TAW]

SRAM also requires a cable end in the shifter housing as well as at the cable stop. If you don't put one on, the shifting is poor as well.

[oliver1850]

.

[stephenmarklay]

Poo, my front shifting is really horrible right now. I have done my own mechanic work for a long time, while not a pro has always been passable.

I can't get the shifting to work worth beans in the front. The rear on the other hand seems just fine. Easy set up and smooth operation (not as swiss watch like as my past 8 speed Campy Chorus mind you)

One other thing I am dealing with is the rear derailluer pulley's squealing like a pig. Fine for 10 miles and now blah.