How To Service Bike Shifters
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How to Service Road Bike Shifters
Start with a good cleaning
A major factor that will affect your bikes shifting performance is the cleanliness and lubrication of your bikes shifters. Assuming there is nothing wrong with your derailleur and cables most shifting issues can be solved with a simple cleaning.
Road bike shifters
Start by pulling back the rubber housing on the shifter to reveal the shifter mechanism underneath. Some shifters have additional screwed on covers that you may need to remove however this isn't always necessary, first try cleaning without removing and screwed on parts. It is also unnecessary to completely take your shifter apart as it is a complex piece of equipment and putting it back together can be difficult.
Use your aerosol degreaser and liberally spray the inside of the shifter removing all grease and dirt that has built up. While spraying shift through your gears to insure that the entire interior of the shifter has been cleaned. After the bike shifter has been entirely degreased switch to your aerosol lubrication and preform the same steps, shifting through your gears so insure all areas have been lubricated.
Before you cover the shifter with the rubber hood take a small amount of grease and apply it to any internal moving parts that you can reach. This will insure longer lasting smoother shifting and protection from a buildup of excess dirt.
If your shifters still are not working properly you can disconnect your shifter cable from your derailleur to isolate the shifter. Shifting through the gears without your cable attached will release pressure of the shifter if you have a derailleur issue and allow your shifter to shift smoothly. If you find that your shifter is still stiff after preforming all of these steps and you can't hear the clicking of new gears being selected it's a good idea to bring it into your local bike shop for a further look.
How to Service Mountain Bike Shifters
Start with a good cleaning
Like road shifters, a major factor that will affect your mountain bikes shifting performance is the cleanliness and lubrication of your shifters. Assuming there is nothing wrong with your derailleur and cables most shifting issues can be solved with a simple cleaning.
Rapid Fire Mountain Bike Shifters
Mountain bikes get dirty, really dirty. Your mountain bike shifter will trap and collect dirt and grime which will clog up moving parts and dry out any lubrication.
Start by loosening your bikes shifters and flipping them over on your handle bars so the bottom is facing up. You can loosen the shifters with the hex wrench on your multi tool. On most shifters there is a bottom plate that can be taken off with a screw driver that will reveal the shifters internal mechanisms. Once the plate is off take your shifter use your aerosole degreaser to clean your shifter of any dirty or grease. At this point you can take a brush and clean the shifter while shifting up through the gears in insure that all areas have been degreased and cleaned.
Once you have finished degreasing the shifter take your aerosole lubrication and apply it to the inside mechanism. Follow the lubrication with a small amount of grease on any moving parts and then reattach the shifter plate. If the cause of your shifter problems was a buildup of dirt or ceased internal parts due to lack of lubrication this should solve the problem.