My shifters suck

[forestbiker]

The whole bike is only two years old. I'm going to have to go to the LBS when taxes come in and tell them do what it takes. Go over the whole thing tire-to-tire and find out what the problem is, derailler, shifter, or cables.
It's so bad I feel like I'm going to be stranded in the woods because my bike won't shift.

[Chicken Little]

You could throw some grease in there for free and see if it improves. Gunk is a problem...

[OakLeaf]

Grease won't help remove gunk (actually, it will attract more). I second a trial of solvent. What you might could do at home if you don't want to try disassembling anything, is to hang a pan underneath the shifter and flush it with WD-40. (As always when working with solvents, wear nitrile gloves and make sure there's plenty of ventilation.) Possibly worth a try anyway.

[Seajay]

I'm thinking cables/housing. Two years of mountain biking...makes sense this would be the issue. I would wager on the 8"-10" of housing right by the rear deraileur as the culprit.
+1 Melalvai on the kinked cable too.

[forestbiker]

Well, the bike is shifting fine now, but I'm going to take it in to the bike shop next weekend. I just want to upgrade the shifters and deraillers, I'll tell them throw in some new cables too.
Then, the drivetrain will be upgraded, and I shouldn't have any more problems. *touch wood*

[ridebikeme]

If you are going to replace your shifters, then they will come with new cables and housing. I would definitely ask that the LBS installs BOTH!


http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

[moderncyclista]

I'm thinking cables/housing. Two years of mountain biking...makes sense this would be the issue. I would wager on the 8"-10" of housing right by the rear deraileur as the culprit.
+1 Melalvai on the kinked cable too.

+1 on this and the other suggestion by Melavai!

My Jamis had this very problem. I thought it was the STI shifters but it just needed new cables. Whoever had originally installed them, sucked at it. (I had picked that bike up cheap off eBay.)

So, check the cables out first. It wasn't something I noticed with my naked-eye. Let the pros have a look at it.