Excuse newly registered me digging up old topic of it’s not the done thing!!
I’ve a couple of rx-rd5 bikes - pashley roadster - got this used with fair low use, and tuberider same again used but pretty much unused- new tyres, factory lubed etc.
Both hubs have the same issues/personality: riding in 3rd gear will eventually pull the shifter cable in / pull the shifter round to fifth gear.
I suspect the big sweep of shifter cable going from handlebar to clip on the down tube is somehow overcoming the detents inside the shifter, could this be right?
Given both bikes are quite new but actually have now been washed I might now be thinking they can be rusted up inside the shifter especially if they are dry and not stainless innards - Brucey your pic above was enlightening!! The shifters both feel the same on each bike, vague, backlash, stiff. Awful really for such a pretty looking shifter.
Mostly I’ve persevered with the roadster as I’ve had that a while- I’ve had people suggest fit chain tugs, check the cables are lubed and generously long, tighten the axle nuts. Tugs I got didn’t fit, I used the harder serrated cast anti rotation washers instead, bike keeps the chain tight now. Cable I actually shortened to cut out a damaged section of outer but the shifter (occurred while carrying the bike home in the car!) and lubed it.
Since I’ve now got the tuberider and the hub feels and behaves exactly the same, I’m at a loss and ready for more advice!!!
(Tuberider has traditional hook style dropouts - not vertical or horizontal. The hub spirant doesn’t seem to have yellow dot adjustment markings for this orientation, not helpful!)