Broken Shifter Pod

Avery

Hi

Just a quick question. I was out yesterday when the bottom part fell out from my right hand gear shifter, seemingly a screw came loose and the 2 levers fell off. I managed to rescue the 2 levers off the road, but lost the screw that holds them in place. I can't quite seem to figure out how they would fit back together. Are shifters something you generally have to replace...I feel like I've lost some other integral part. Its a 9 speed Shimano SL-M510 shifter. Is it an easy enough job to install a new one...? or is this something to be left to the mechanic..?

blorg

Generally you would have to replace them if the internals actually fell apart (they are cheap enough) - but do you mean just the bolt that fixes it to the handlebars? That you should be able to pick up in any bike shop or indeed hardware store. By "2 levers" do you mean the brake lever and the shifter or the up+down gear shifters (they should stick together, if they have fallen apart you would probably have to replace it.)

Avery

yeah the plastic casing came off the bottom of the shifter and the up and down levers literally fell out..I am thinking it is a replacement job.

blorg

Probably a replacement then. They are not very expensive and bear in mind you don't have to replace with the exact same model (I think that is an old shifter.)