[Cadent]

Gentlefolk;

I know in car and motorcycle fora, mention "break-in" and the old hands run for the exits, one sees emoticon of dead horses being beaten and generally heavy sighs heard all over the message boards. Along with rather distainful responses of "search is on the forum for a R E A S O N !!!"

I, however, knowing all this, will, in joyful ignorance, press on.

Not so much about what if any break-in procedure there may be for a bike, but rather what is considered a break-in period?

In my case, this is a Raleigh Cadent FT3 with front Shimano R453, a rear Shimano Tiagra, a Shimano R440 9-speed shifter.

The reason I am asking is that in the higher gears (large front sprocket and mid-to small rear sprockets) I am getting some rubbing in the front. I am watching for cross-chaining, and that is not happening.... THAT much I have learned at least.

Now, I just got this beast, with a massive 10 miles on it, and I am assuming that there is a loosening/settling-in period before I need to go back to my LBS for adjustment. Or is there?

And while on the newbie questions, this bike has paddle-shifters, or whatever the correct term is. My other bike had grip twist shifters, so I am seeing some differences.

I assume that to shift you apply a gentle, constant pressure until the shift occurs, rather than a more forceful, sudden push?

Ohhh..and on the topic of gearing.... WHY are the shifters ass-backward, in the sense that my left fore-finger downshifts the rear derailleur, but the thumb on the right hand downshifts the front sprocket. Why isn't it consistant? Fore-finger of either hand to up-or downshift, thumb control to up- or downshift either sprocket?

I have to come up with their wierd memnomics to keep it sorted: Pull the trigger and drop the hammer to downshift.... which I know will become second-nature in a few more miles, but vexing now.

OK, I am shutting up now.

Thanks again, folks. You are a wonderful resource!!!

Don

 

[Cadent]

Thanks, all...

I don't know what the current convention is, but the Cadent is a flat bar, with the left shifter controlling the rear deraillure and the right shifter controlling the front. I 'spose I can have them reversed, but if I have to learn how the shifters work, one orientation is the same as another for me now.

So, on shifting... when moving UP the rings, using the thumb controller, do you depress the shift lever ALL the way to the stops, or depress until there is a solid shift?

I can see why single-speed bikes are gaining popularity again...

Thx!

 

[Cadent]

Plat...

Well, now you have me questioning my rememberer, which HAS been known to get upgemixed.

Raining today, I was gonna ride, but whimped out.

Will be back with the _definitive_ info on how my bike is configured.

thanks, all!

 

[Cadent]

<sigh> Aint that the truth. I have known people to take hammer to a new car just so they can get over the initial pain, and not worry about it.

BTW: I am an idiot. The board here is correct...my front derailleur is controlled by the left paddle, and the rear by the right.

The odd thing -- or rather the useless thing -- is that the shift direction is indicated by two arrows: < on the left side and > on the right side, but neither indicating which paddle controls what direction. I guess if you have to ask, you shouldn't be using the bike...

 

[Cadent]

Well, I found the source of my earlier self-diagnosed "front derailleur rub" -- there is a plastic sticker on the front derailleur indicating "1mm" and "3mm" -- apparently indicating appropriate clearance of some type. The chain is rubbing against this sticker.

I would _ass_u_me that I can remove this sticker? NBD, just sounds kinda card-in-the-spokes-ish in some gears right now.

 

[Cadent]

Thanks, all...I will remove the sticker with the assurance the derailleur won't fall off.

In defense of my LBS, he is a startup in a small town, the bike was ordered in, delayed a bit in receving it, got it in late on a Friday and had to build it for me. It was promised by noon on a Saturday, but I suspected this would be optomistic. I did get it by 6 PM on a Saturday, but if ANYTHING is put together perfectly by 6PM on a Saturday, I have yet to find it. If one sticker is missed, I am getting off easily.

But, he promises life-time free adjustments and free installs on any toys I get for it, and simply the fact that he is starting a shop but already seems to have a following makes me want to work with this guy.

But here is the thing I have noticed about bike shops...LOTS of people hang around, FEW every buy....

I would say the hardest part of owning a bike shop is knowing you have to be attentive to the hangers-on, keep up the warm-fuzzies in the event someone actually does buy something at some point, but knowing that your time is being sucked up that could be used in more productive activities.

The flip side of this is people who, having bought a bike from a guy a year or two or three or five years ago assume they are now entitled to an eternity of premium service.

(And having operated a few small businesses in the past, none of these issues are unique to bike shops....)

Don