Hard to twist Shimano Nexus 7 IGH Shifter
11-18-23, 03:56 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Hard to twist Shimano Nexus 7 IGH Shifter
Hi Bikeforum! :-)
I am having a hard time rotating the Nexus 7 IGH shifter on my commuter bike. It rotates and pulls the cable but so much force is needed that it gets tiring cycling in the city centre with loads of stopping/starting.
I can see that the current shifter model sold online model uses the Shimano OT-SP41 lubricated cable (silicone grease with PTFE).
Would that solve the issue? Or might it be that the internal mechanism in the IGH needs cleaning to reduce firction. I reently lubricated it last year (not the oil bath thing but just more of the white nexus IGH grease). It is also shipping a bit in the 6th gear. I suspect sticky pawls due tu gumming up.
(please excuse my english as I am not a native english speaker)
I am having a hard time rotating the Nexus 7 IGH shifter on my commuter bike. It rotates and pulls the cable but so much force is needed that it gets tiring cycling in the city centre with loads of stopping/starting.
I can see that the current shifter model sold online model uses the Shimano OT-SP41 lubricated cable (silicone grease with PTFE).
Would that solve the issue? Or might it be that the internal mechanism in the IGH needs cleaning to reduce firction. I reently lubricated it last year (not the oil bath thing but just more of the white nexus IGH grease). It is also shipping a bit in the 6th gear. I suspect sticky pawls due tu gumming up.
(please excuse my english as I am not a native english speaker)
11-18-23, 06:14 AM
#2
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11-18-23, 07:38 AM
#3
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Thread Starter
Already tried a microshift thumb twister (with existing cable). Unfortunately it is just as hard and shifting up/down many times in city centre makes the thumb joints too sore compared to twist shifter
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11-18-23, 08:10 AM
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Most of the time this is caused cables or housing. The way I diagnose is to first detach the cable from the hub. If the shifter works well at this point (unlikely) then it's the hub. Then strip the cable from the housing so that the bare cable is hanging from the shifter, If the shifter works well, then replace the cable and housing. If the shifter is still stiff, then spray some lube in. I like Deep Creep by SeaFoam. If still stiff after, then replace the shifter.
Good luck.
Good luck.
11-18-23, 08:23 AM
#6
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The shifter mechanism at the hub should not be lubricated. Dry, dry, dry. Oils, greases, whatever will attract dirt/contaminants. We can start with that. Once that is cleaned and returned to proper condition, if a problem remains we can move on to other things like cheap galvanized cables swelling up in the cable housing or pinched housing or cable fray at the handlebar end.
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11-18-23, 01:55 PM
#7
Newbie
I prefer a trigger style shifter in any case. As an aside, I recently replaced the inner/outer cables for a bike fitted with Alfine 11 IGH, that were around 7 years old. I could not believe how much easier the shifting became afterwards, so I'd second the call to try replacing cables.
11-18-23, 03:10 PM
#8
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use light silicone grease on the inside of the twist shift tube...
verify that the plastic rings are still in between the hand grip and the twist shift...
maintain a 1-2mm clearance between the grip and twist shift tube....
replace the cable, replace the housings.
above is a list of things that will make the twist shifter easier to twist.
and instead of just adding grease to the hub, it DOES NEED flushed and re-greased every so often.
or wait a while longer than you have and buy a new one when the gears ruin themselves.
verify that the plastic rings are still in between the hand grip and the twist shift...
maintain a 1-2mm clearance between the grip and twist shift tube....
replace the cable, replace the housings.
above is a list of things that will make the twist shifter easier to twist.
and instead of just adding grease to the hub, it DOES NEED flushed and re-greased every so often.
or wait a while longer than you have and buy a new one when the gears ruin themselves.
11-26-23, 07:34 AM
#9
Newbie
Thread Starter
use light silicone grease on the inside of the twist shift tube...
verify that the plastic rings are still in between the hand grip and the twist shift...
maintain a 1-2mm clearance between the grip and twist shift tube....
replace the cable, replace the housings.
above is a list of things that will make the twist shifter easier to twist.
and instead of just adding grease to the hub, it DOES NEED flushed and re-greased every so often.
or wait a while longer than you have and buy a new one when the gears ruin themselves.
verify that the plastic rings are still in between the hand grip and the twist shift...
maintain a 1-2mm clearance between the grip and twist shift tube....
replace the cable, replace the housings.
above is a list of things that will make the twist shifter easier to twist.
and instead of just adding grease to the hub, it DOES NEED flushed and re-greased every so often.
or wait a while longer than you have and buy a new one when the gears ruin themselves.
I have several bikes with IGHs and this one i have rebuild 3 times. Upond my 4th rebuild today i noticed some bending i parts of the axle and feed cam. But it also has 8k+ KM on it in raind and snow so times for new innards.
