# Would my Shimano 2203 shifters be compatable with



## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

I currently have a Deore rear and Sora Front, I'm thinking about just going with full Tiagra front and rear matching derailleurs, will my shifters be compatable?

They are cheap shimano 2203's, they aren't great BUT they occasionally sling the chain, I need the bike to be more reliable.

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/con...s/road/2200/product.-code-ST-2203.-type-.html

Here are my specs...

Crankset TruVativ Triple Road 52/42/30T
- Cassette Freewheel-Shimano HG 8-speed, 11-30T
Brake Levers Shimano STI


My current Derailleurs are
Front Derailleur Shimano Sora 3304, clamp-on, 28.6mm
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore M530

I'm just looking for very reliable shifting and a Tiagra setup would run me well under 100 dollars and my LBS told me that they would install and tune for free when I go in next month for my tune up.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

My question has been refined, my shifters and cassette are 8 speed, would a Tiagra 9 speed rear Derailleur work with the 8 speed system?

Thanks in advance


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

As long as you stay with 8 cogs, yes it will work fine... All Shimano road rear derailleurs( except Dura Ace 7400 series), have the same geometry...


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

It'll work fine, but just as the cost to upgrade is fairly small, so will the difference in performance. IMO wait until you've got some wear on the drivetrain, then think about a more substantial upgrade - say to 9 or 10 spd.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

You're not really upgrading.

Deore and Tiagra have pretty much the same place in the Shimano hierarchy. Deore is Tiagra for MTBs. The Deore derailleur is actually likely to last longer than the Tiagra "upgrade", since it IS a MTB derailleur.

I agree that you should probably wait until you can do a real upgrade. Like 105 or Rival 10 speed.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Since I am already replacing my front derailleur, my LBS told me that the Sora just isn't very reliable, I would be able to do a comple Ultegra upgrade for about 150, plus 15 to get installed and tuned by the LBS, would that be a nice upgrade.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> It'll work fine, but just as the cost to upgrade is fairly small, so will the difference in performance. IMO wait until you've got some wear on the drivetrain, then think about a more substantial upgrade - say to 9 or 10 spd.



Since my bike is new, I would like to wrap up these upgrades, this summer I will be purchasing a full carbon bike so that I can have the best of both worlds.

I want the most reliable fron and rear derailleurs that are within reasonable cost, say under 150 for both.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Dave Hickey said:


> As long as you stay with 8 cogs, yes it will work fine... All Shimano road rear derailleurs( except Dura Ace 7400 series), have the same geometry...



Now i'm stumped, I called Nashbar's tech support and the tech told me that my Deore rear is for a Mountain bike and that Tiagra or Ultegra will not work with my setup. He said that I would have to stick with Mountain bike front and rears...


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

thomasward00 said:


> Now i'm stumped,* I called Nashbar's tech support and the tech told me that my Deore rear is for a Mountain bike and that Tiagra or Ultegra will not work with my setup.* He said that I would have to stick with Mountain bike front and rears...


He's a moron.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Go for it, but will the derailleurs make a difference in your shifting? In the long run it will. Also, if you decide to go with 10 speed later, you'll just have to buy shifters, cassette and chain,


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

a full ultegra upgrade for 150?

meaning what?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

I think an important bit of info we're missing here is: What is your bike? Brand and model. Road bike, hybrid, flat-bar road bike, touring bike?


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Can anyone recommend a front and rear derailleur that would work with my shifters and cassette, that would be say under 150 dollars for both?

I am not worried about weight just smooth shifting and reliabliltiy.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Is there something wrong with what you've got now? If they're working, you're paying a lot for an 'upgrade' that you just might not notice any improvement in. Save that $150 for a better bike.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> I think an important bit of info we're missing here is: What is your bike? Brand and model. Road bike, hybrid, flat-bar road bike, touring bike?



Sorry about that, it is a road bike, here is a link to my bike, it is brand new and 100% stock.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

California L33 said:


> Is there something wrong with what you've got now? If they're working, you're paying a lot for an 'upgrade' that you just might not notice any improvement in. Save that $150 for a better bike.



I plan to purchase a full carbon road bike this summer, the bike is brand new and working fine, but why not upgrade to bomb proof bits that will enhance reliablility for under 150?

It will be less that I have to deal with in the future.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks for all of the help, I just spoke with my bike mechanic that assembled and tuned my bike, I'll be buying 105 for both front and rear and he will install and tune.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

While I agree that 105 is "better" than what you have (make sure you get the old parts back...the Deore derailleur is worth putting on eBay), the weak link in all of it is your shifters. The derailleurs are not going to explode on you. The Deore especially would likely last you longer than most other parts on the bike. The Sora front, yes, is kinda cheesy. It's "only" good for maybe 10,000 miles.

Derailleurs are pretty much the most useless upgrade you can make. Shifters are #1 for drivetrain and wheels are #1 overall.
Yes, 105 derailleurs are cooler than what you have. But you'll still be shifting them with crappy shifters and rolling along on cheap, heavy wheels.


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

good luck with that, what shop is gonna do a 105 upgrade for a buck and a half? you know how much a new 105 costs? we're talking SHIFTERS, man..price em out, even used they are not cheap. that's before you get to the chain, cassette, front derailleurs, etc. 


not sure that frame is worth the time and money. i mean, if you can get the bits that cheap, cool...but otherwise might be more trouble than it's worth..


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> I plan to purchase a full carbon road bike this summer, the bike is brand new and working fine, but why not upgrade to bomb proof bits that will enhance reliablility for under 150?
> 
> It will be less that I have to deal with in the future.


Because you're got Shimano on it now. Even low end is bomb proof. I'll admit I've never used 2203, but I have used Sora and Tiagra. Shifting quality of those is very similar to Ultegra, which I also have. 

Now, when I bought my Sora/Tiagra bike, the guru's told me it wouldn't last 500 miles before it disintegrated. That was my main ride for over 5000 miles without a missed shift. I can't promise your 2203 won't explode the next time you ride it, but I'd bet against it.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> Sorry about that, it is a road bike, here is a link to my bike, it is brand new and 100% stock.
> 
> http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/galaxy.htm


Just saw this. It's actually similar to something being discussed in another thread about bike part costs. You've got a $395 bike, which now that's it's no longer new isn't worth that, and you're thinking about investing almost half that on an upgrade. I just can't see it being worth it unless the bike is un-rideable because of a breakdown.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

California L33 said:


> Because *you're got Shimano on it now. Even low end is bomb proof.* I'll admit I've never used 2203, but I have used Sora and Tiagra. Shifting quality of those is very similar to Ultegra, which I also have.
> 
> Now, when I bought my Sora/Tiagra bike, the guru's told me it wouldn't last 500 miles before it disintegrated. That was my main ride for over 5000 miles without a missed shift. I can't promise your 2203 won't explode the next time you ride it, but I'd bet against it.


Mirrors my experiences as well. I've ridden everything from DA down to Sora and the keys to a smooth, quiet, quick shifting drivetrain are set up, tuning and maintenance. Once the parts get a few hundred miles of wear on them they run better than new. 5k miles is nothing.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> I plan to purchase a full carbon road bike this summer, the bike is brand new and working fine, but why not upgrade to bomb proof bits that will enhance reliablility for under 150?
> 
> It will be less that I have to deal with in the future.



First
THanks for your purchase

Second
You need a new local dealer - you are getting lots of bad info from your current shop

Thrid
Your der are great and will last for thousands [if not tens of thousands] of miles
You will gain close to zero by upgrading [thus another reason to consider a new bike shop]

Last
If you need exact help with this PM me here or email Cory at [email protected]
and we can almost always offer customers better deals on components than shops

BTW - I have seen customers with that exact bike goes for years of daily commuting with only routine maintenance


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> Thanks for all of the help, I just spoke with my bike mechanic that assembled and tuned my bike, I'll be buying 105 for both front and rear and he will install and tune.



Thanks again

PLEASE re-think this
I think your LBS is just trying to take your money

Your bike is spec'd with a 52/42/30 crank and a 11-30 cassette
the reason is thaty this bike was designed as a longer distance bike for light touring or commuting. [the setup is really very good for intended use]

Note - many touring bikes use Deore or LX or XT rear der in order to cover lots of chain for wide gearing

Likely your dealer can not make the 105 rear der work anyway; as it is way out of spec
and next he will tell you that you need a new cassette [he maybe a bad guy or a moron as suggested above] Either way, you are not well served by chaging your ders

Please PM me; if you need help


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

easyridernyc said:


> good luck with that, what shop is gonna do a 105 upgrade for a buck and a half? you know how much a new 105 costs? we're talking SHIFTERS, man..price em out, even used they are not cheap. that's before you get to the chain, cassette, front derailleurs, etc.
> 
> 
> not sure that frame is worth the time and money. i mean, if you can get the bits that cheap, cool...but otherwise might be more trouble than it's worth..



I'm just trying to get this bike ultra reliable because I'm deploying back to Iraq in 3 weeks and I will need it to last for a year and a half, there are no Bike Shops over there that I would take my bike to.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

thomasward00 said:


> I'm just trying to get this bike ultra reliable


That's a good idea, but what people are saying is that the derailleurs _you have now _are already very reliable. Spend the money to upgrade something that might break on you, not to needlessly replace stuff that won't break in 10,000 miles.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

bikesdirect said:


> Thanks again
> 
> PLEASE re-think this
> I think your LBS is just trying to take your money
> ...


I have to agree with everything Mike has said.

Especially with the new information (Iraq), I would definitely leave the Deore rear derailleur on there. It's a MTB derailleur. It's going to handle heat, sand, and hard use better than any road derailleur. 
More money does not equal less likely to break. More money = lighter, more RACE ready components. For where you're going, I'd leave the Deore RD or maybe upgrade to an SLX or XT. The FD is unlikely to cause you any problems. I would *maybe* go to a Tiagra if you really want to upgrade. I wouldn't upgrade to any higher-end road components.

Again I'll say: Wheels. The one thing that will leave you bike-less is wheels. Considering the price of the bike, those are not super-nice or super-sturdy wheels. I'd put your upgrade money into a good pair of wheels - Mavic rims with Tiagra hubs (I assume the spacing is 130? If it's 135, I'd do with Deore or SLX hubs)

I'm guessing Mike could set you up with some good wheels for your conditions for a good price.

I know it's the slow season and all, but I don't understand why your shop is pushing for upgrades so much. Especially on derailleurs, which as I've mentioned, is a useless upgrade if you're concerned with durability.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

bikesdirect said:


> Thanks again
> 
> *PLEASE re-think this*
> I think your LBS is just trying to take your money
> ...


I agree with you that the 105 RD (I'm assuming GS) isn't ideal given the gearing of the OP's bike. Total capacity is 41T and specs on the 105 GS max out at 37T. Shimano is normally conservative with these specs so it _may_ work, but I agree that the OEM RD with a total capacity of 45T is a better choice.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

wim said:


> That's a good idea, but what people are saying is that the derailleurs _you have now _are already very reliable. Spend the money to upgrade something that might break on you, not on stuff that won't break in 10,000 miles.



I understand what you are saying, it's just that I just purchased this new bike then paid 60 dollars to have it assembled and tuned at a LBS, then paid another 50 dollars to have another LBS to try and get this bike shifting correctly. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have paid a little extra to get the next model up from the Galaxy, the Mercier Corvus, but that wasn't in my current budget. I had to pay up my mortgage for a year and a half to cover my deployment time, to make things better on the wife. If worse comes to worse and I can't get this bike reliable, I'll have her ship me a new bike to me in June. I just didn't want to have to wait 3 or 4 months without a means to exercise over there, riding clears the head over there.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> I understand what you are saying, it's just that I just purchased this new bike then paid 60 dollars to have it assembled and tuned at a LBS, then paid another 50 dollars to have another LBS to try and get this bike shifting correctly. Hindsight being 20/20, * I should have paid a little extra to get the next model up *from the Galaxy, the Mercier Corvus, but that wasn't in my current budget. I had to pay up my mortgage for a year and a half to cover my deployment time, to make things better on the wife. If worse comes to worse and I can't get this bike reliable, I'll have her ship me a new bike to me in June. I just didn't want to have to wait 3 or 4 months without a means to exercise over there, riding clears the head over there.


I think you're drawing the wrong conclusions in that there's nothing inherently wrong with the drivetrain on your bike, rather the initial setup and tuning hasn't been properly done. You can buy _any_ high end group and if it's improperly adjusted it won't shift reliably. 

Seriously, this is a classic case of throwing money at a problem (as in, 'upgrades') isn't going to solve the problem. A good mechanic, will.

Keep the $$ in your pocket until the problem is diagnosed.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I think you're drawing the wrong conclusions in that there's nothing inherently wrong with the drivetrain on your bike, rather the initial setup and tuning hasn't been properly done. You can buy _any_ high end group and if it's improperly adjusted it won't shift reliably.
> 
> Seriously, this is a classic case of throwing money at a problem (as in, 'upgrades') isn't going to solve the problem. A good mechanic, will.
> 
> Keep the $$ in your pocket until the problem is diagnosed.


I initially paid to have the Bike assembled and tuned at a major LBS, then I have taken the bike to another major LBS and paid to have the drivetrain adjusted, yet the problem persists. These are both major LBS's in my area and are authorized Trek, Cannondale, Fuji, Scott etc.. I didn't bring this bike to any joe blow on the street, I am out over 100 dollars to have this bike assembled and setup, yet there are still shifting problems. I love the way this bike handles and rides, it's just the shifting that is a problem.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

What is the shifting problem?
(Whatever it is, new derailleurs ain't gonna fix it.)


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> I initially paid to have the Bike assembled and tuned at a major LBS, then I have taken the bike to another major LBS and paid to have the drivetrain adjusted, yet the problem persists. These are both major LBS's in my area and are authorized Trek, Cannondale, Fuji, Scott etc.. * I didn't bring this bike to any joe blow on the street, * I am out over 100 dollars to have this bike assembled and setup, yet there are still shifting problems. I love the way this bike handles and rides, it's just the shifting that is a problem.


I'm not trying to be argumentative, but what you're offering only affirms what I and some others are saying. New hardware isn't going to fix this yet to be specified problem. And if you keep bringing the bike to the same mechanics that pretty much seals the deal that the problem won't go away.

What exactly are the symptoms of this shifting issue??

EDIT: Just a shot n the dark here, but have the LBS check RD hanger alignment.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> I'm not trying to be argumentative, but what you're offering only affirms what I and some others are saying. New hardware isn't going to fix this yet to be specified problem. And if you keep bringing the bike to the same mechanics that pretty much seals the deal that the problem won't go away.
> 
> What exactly are the symptoms of this shifting issue??
> 
> EDIT: Just a shot n the dark here, but have the LBS check RD hanger alignment.



It is happening up front, the LBS told me that the front derailleur is the issue, it doesn't correctly move the chain over the chainrings. Even on their test rides it will sling the chain off the chainring when shifting, they suggested to me that the front derailleur seems to be defective, to their credit they did not try to push equipment on me, the idea of replacing the rear derailleur was my idea. In a few weeks I won't have the luxury to bring this bike back into the shop for adjustments, I'm out the price of the bike plus over 100 to local bike shops, I posted this thread to get advice on upgrading the equipment to fix this issue once and for all. Both of these LBS's are majors, high end shops that have been around for years in this area. The shop understands that I won't have months to keep bringing this bike back for tweaks, if it breaks while deployed, it will stay broken until I get back home at the end of 2011.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> What is the shifting problem?
> (Whatever it is, new derailleurs ain't gonna fix it.)



The front derailleur doesn't correctly move the chain between chainrings, sometimes it will sling the chain, the LBS checked the chainrings, shifter and chain, there was no problem with those items, they suspect a bad front derailleur.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Put a Tiagra front derailleur on it. Leave the rear alone. If the derailleur is defective, then I'd contact Mike at BD and see if he can get something sent to you ASAP before you leave. ie: warranty.

For the record though, I've never seen a defective front derailleur that would work somewhat - it's almost always "good" or "broken".


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> It is happening up front, the LBS told me that the front derailleur is the issue, it doesn't correctly move the chain over the chainrings. Even on their test rides it will sling the chain off the chainring when shifting, they suggested to me that the front derailleur seems to be defective, to their credit they did not try to push equipment on me, the idea of replacing the rear derailleur was my idea. In a few weeks I won't have the luxury to bring this bike back into the shop for adjustments, I'm out the price of the bike plus over 100 to local bike shops, I posted this thread to get advice on upgrading the equipment to fix this issue once and for all. Both of these LBS's are majors, high end shops that have been around for years in this area. The shop understands that I won't have months to keep bringing this bike back for tweaks, if it breaks while deployed, it will stay broken until I get back home at the end of 2011.


Throwing a chain might not be the fault of the FD. I wouldn't rule it out, but it could also be a bent chainring or BB play, so have the LBS check for those as well. Stating the obvious, the limit screw may need to be adjusted because the FD may be moving too far beyond the outer ring, causing the over shift, but a good LBS would recognize that and adjust accordingly.

At this point I agree that the RD and remainder of the drivetrain should be left as is until this problem is resolved. The problem needs to be identified before it can be fixed. Considering that you're $100 into this, I think I'd have the LBS reinstall the FD from scratch just to make sure it's set up properly.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Put a Tiagra front derailleur on it. Leave the rear alone. If the derailleur is defective, then I'd contact Mike at BD and see if he can get something sent to you ASAP before you leave. ie: warranty.
> 
> For the record though, I've never seen a defective front derailleur that would work somewhat - it's almost always "good" or "broken".



The bike came with a Sora front derailleur, the LBS's in the area quoted me between 1 to 1 1/2 hours labor to install and tune the new part, even at 1 hour labor I'll be into this bike for a over 560 bucks, the funny thing is that the local shop has a Cannondale CAAD 8 S8 for 650 dollars. I've never really had any issues with bikes that i've purchased in the past and I didn't anticipate the cost of bike shop labor in case there was a problem within a short period of ownership. My last bike was a GF mountain bike from a LBS, I never needed anything, no problems so I figured what could go wrong. I'm either paying for possible parts and future install and tune labor cost OR expensive shipping entire bike back to place of purchase, I've learned an expensive and hassle ridden lesson, and I really need to invest in some tools to begin working on my own bikes.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> Throwing a chain might not be the fault of the FD. I wouldn't rule it out, but it could also be a bent chainring or BB play, so have the LBS check for those as well. Stating the obvious, the limit screw may need to be adjusted because the FD may be moving too far beyond the outer ring, causing the over shift, but a good LBS would recognize that and adjust accordingly.
> 
> At this point I agree that the RD and remainder of the drivetrain should be left as is until this problem is resolved. The problem needs to be identified before it can be fixed. Considering that you're $100 into this, I think I'd have the LBS reinstall the FD from scratch just to make sure it's set up properly.



Actually I take the full blame for this issue, I didn't anticipate nor really budget for possible bike shop labor beyond the initial setup and tune. I should have saved up a bit longer to buy one step up to the Mercier Corvus that comes with a better equip package. I've just never experienced issues with any bike that i've purchased in the past and I thought "What could go wrong" heck a couple of LBS's wouldn't even assemble an internet bike so these guys aren't exactly cutting me any slack now that i'm having problems, remember that I went to all of the LBS's to price and size check, they get a nice kick when I bing in the internet bike that i'm having issues with, the salesman at the latest shop gave me a good "I told you so" and went on to explain had I purchased my bike from Them, that if there were any issues, they would be dealing with the problems not me. Not to mention that now my schedule is slammed until I deploy so I won't have much time to run around town getting this bike fixed.

P.S. I really appreciate all of the help and advice from you guys, thanks for talking some sense into me to not dump even more money on different equipment to try and quickly get this problem resolved.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

PlatyPius said:


> Put a Tiagra front derailleur on it. Leave the rear alone. If the derailleur is defective, then I'd contact Mike at BD and see if he can get something sent to you ASAP before you leave. ie: warranty.
> 
> For the record though, I've never seen a defective front derailleur that would work somewhat - it's almost always "good" or "broken".



Exactly

My guess is the der height is wrong; sometimes people do not think to adjust a frt der you are dealing with more than limiting screws; you have height and angle of der

of course, I can send him a new deore der; which would work great as long as installed properly; but I agree with you -- this is not due to a defective sora frt der [really can not ever remember seeing a defective sora frt der ever]

Sad thing here is: this issue is to me clearly adjustment
after he has paid two dealers to do an adjustment
makes me sick


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> The bike came with a Sora front derailleur, the LBS's in the area quoted me between 1 to 1 1/2 hours labor to install and tune the new part, even at 1 hour labor I'll be into this bike for a over 560 bucks, the funny thing is that the local shop has a Cannondale CAAD 8 S8 for 650 dollars. I've never really had any issues with bikes that i've purchased in the past and I didn't anticipate the cost of bike shop labor in case there was a problem within a short period of ownership. My last bike was a GF mountain bike from a LBS, I never needed anything, no problems so I figured what could go wrong. I'm either paying for possible parts and future install and tune labor cost OR expensive shipping entire bike back to place of purchase, I've learned an expensive and hassle ridden lesson, and I really need to invest in some tools to begin working on my own bikes.



As I said in my PM
I will call you today

But your issue is adjustment
and it makes me sick that the first dealer did not do it correctly; and now they want to up-sale you parts you do not need and then charge you to put them on

I think everyone sees what is going on here; and it is sickening
A good mechanic would adjust this shifting issue in 2 minutes and you would be on your way -- not try to sell you a frt der that will not fix the issue

I have serveral ideas on how to get this straighten out for you


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> I'm just trying to get this bike ultra reliable because I'm deploying back to Iraq in 3 weeks and I will need it to last for a year and a half, there are no Bike Shops over there that I would take my bike to.


If you need ultra reliable and won't have bike shops available, buy a second complete set of exactly what you've got on there now. You'll probably come home with them in the box.

More important, buy a derailleur hanger, a bunch of tubes, a shop pump, a portable pump, a chain (and chain tool), and a set of tires. You're more likely to need these. If you want to be ultra anal you can take some spokes with you, too. 

Sorry, didn't notice your first post mentioning slinging the chain. That's just an adjustment. If you're patient, have a good eye, and can follow instructions (from the Shimano site), it's a DIY job. If not, your LBS should be able to do it for you while you wait for $20 or less.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

bikesdirect said:


> As I said in my PM
> I will call you today
> 
> But your issue is adjustment
> ...



I would like to thank you for all of the responses and PM's, I certainly do understand if a product is defective or one that needs to be adjusted properly, as I said before that I love the feel of the frame, it is very soft in comparison to my old aluminum GF Mountain Bike..

Hindsight being 20/20 I was, am a bit ignorant to be able to look at specs to be able to determine a "Road" bike from a "Touring" bike, I was looking for a Road Bike and not a touring bike, but wanted-want steel, I should have asked around and or researched a bit more to figure out that the Mercier Corvus would have been a better fit for me, when purchasing this bike I actually compared the Galaxy to the Tommaso Tiempo, I chose the Galaxy because of the Reynolds steel frame, but in looking back the Tommaso was prob the better pick in my price range because of the more sporty geometry. I should have budgeted more for possible issues with the new bike that would require taking it to the shop after assembly and tune. When I brought the bike in for assembly the salesmen were pointing out components that "Needed" to be upgraded..LOL, but I had spoken to them a bit more in depth about the reasoning behind me getting a bike "workouts" and "excercise" There won't be many areas in the green zone for touring, I will be sticking to the running and biking workout path.

Problem #1 I have gone overbudget and am running short on time before deployment, I leave out on Sat 12th, I only budgeted for the bike, rack, hydration pack and riding shorts and shirts, it will be getting very, very hot there in the summer and everyone requires ample liquid and light clothing when working out.

Problem #2 looking realistically at the situation, am over budget to pay for either more bike shop labor or to pack up the bike and do an exchange, not to mention the smart LBS that did the assembly threw away the shipping container, I would have to pay to have it shipped UPS and due to the time involved with an RMA I doubt that it would be back in time. I guess i'll just keep saving my money and have the wife order me a Mercier Corvus in June for my B'Day, I could receive it by mid to late July which would be cool. I will stash away the Galaxy while i'm gone and have it repaired and sell when I come back from deployment, I'll chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned.

I would like to thank everyone here that offered their advice and help to a newb, I'd also like to that Mike from Bikesdirect for answering my questions and for your sales team rushing my initial order because of my time constraints.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> I would like to thank you for all of the responses and PM's, I certainly do understand if a product is defective or one that needs to be adjusted properly, as I said before that I love the feel of the frame, it is very soft in comparison to my old aluminum GF Mountain Bike..
> 
> Hindsight being 20/20 I was, am a bit ignorant to be able to look at specs to be able to determine a "Road" bike from a "Touring" bike, I was looking for a Road Bike and not a touring bike, but wanted-want steel, I should have asked around and or researched a bit more to figure out that the Mercier Corvus would have been a better fit for me, when purchasing this bike I actually compared the Galaxy to the Tommaso Tiempo, I chose the Galaxy because of the Reynolds steel frame, but in looking back the Tommaso was prob the better pick in my price range because of the more sporty geometry. I should have budgeted more for possible issues with the new bike that would require taking it to the shop after assembly and tune. When I brought the bike in for assembly the salesmen were pointing out components that "Needed" to be upgraded..LOL, but I had spoken to them a bit more in depth about the reasoning behind me getting a bike "workouts" and "excercise" There won't be many areas in the green zone for touring, I will be sticking to the running and biking workout path.
> 
> ...


You've put a lot in this message. 

First, there are differences between a road and a touring bike, but not much, certainly not enough to keep you from riding if there's a place to ride.

Second, you've gone from wanting to invest $150 in new components to not wanting to spend $20 for adjustments. That seems strange, but it's your call.

Third, the bike shop that threw away your box should have another box readily available if that's what you need to ship it.

Forth, though I suggested taking a number of things with you, they were to guarantee your ability to keep riding in worst case scenarios, not to discourage you from riding. (Things like a spare derailleur hanger? It's nice to have because it would probably be difficult to source one locally, but in 10,000 plus miles of riding I've only broken one.)

Fifth, do you have a contact in Iraq? Whenever my friends in the military are deployed they get a contact at the new base. If you have one call and see if there are any biking opportunities, maybe somebody there who uses a bike for PT who will let you ride it, or maybe someone going home who's got a bike there they'll rent or loan you for the length of your deployment. 

There should be a way for you to ride if you want to, and the base allows it.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

thomasward00 said:


> The bike came with a Sora front derailleur, *the LBS's in the area quoted me between 1 to 1 1/2 hours labor to install and tune the new part, even at 1 hour labor I'll be into this bike for a over 560 bucks,* the funny thing is that the local shop has a Cannondale CAAD 8 S8 for 650 dollars. I've never really had any issues with bikes that i've purchased in the past and I didn't anticipate the cost of bike shop labor in case there was a problem within a short period of ownership. My last bike was a GF mountain bike from a LBS, I never needed anything, no problems so I figured what could go wrong. I'm either paying for possible parts and future install and tune labor cost OR expensive shipping entire bike back to place of purchase, I've learned an expensive and hassle ridden lesson, and I really need to invest in some tools to begin working on my own bikes.


Where the hell do you live?
Front derailleur install takes about 10 minutes, including breaking the chain.
I charge $10.
BD bike assembly is $40 (tune-up, basically). 
But, of course, I wouldn't have let the bike leave with a FD that wasn't working properly. If I had somehow missed that, I would have fixed it for free when you brought it back. If I had to install a new front derailleur to fix it, I would. You paid for a service. I quoted a price for that service. It's my job (within reason) to live up to that quote, and provide a ridable bicycle. It's a new bike. If there really is something wrong with the front derailleur, I can always get it replaced as a defect myself. 

Sounds to me like you're being jerked around by shops that hold a grudge about internet purchases.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

PlatyPius said:


> Where the hell do you live?
> Front derailleur install takes about 10 minutes, including breaking the chain.
> I charge $10.
> BD bike assembly is $40 (tune-up, basically).
> ...



I agree with you 100% - THIS REALLY MAKES ME MAD
I am proud to be a bike dealer and have been for 30 years
In one of our shops I would demand the exact service you would give in your shop
{but my employees would not even need me to demand it - this is our standard service procedure}

Sometimes you run in shops like this and it is really sickening

It amazes me that a shop would try to sell this guy frt & rear der that he does not need

These shops in New Orleans in my opinion need to think about how they can best help cyclists instead of how they can empty the pockets of cyclists. Business flows to those that provide customers with a true benefit.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> I would like to thank you for all of the responses and PM's, I certainly do understand if a product is defective or one that needs to be adjusted properly, as I said before that I love the feel of the frame, it is very soft in comparison to my old aluminum GF Mountain Bike..
> 
> Hindsight being 20/20 I was, am a bit ignorant to be able to look at specs to be able to determine a "Road" bike from a "Touring" bike, I was looking for a Road Bike and not a touring bike, but wanted-want steel, I should have asked around and or researched a bit more to figure out that the Mercier Corvus would have been a better fit for me, when purchasing this bike I actually compared the Galaxy to the Tommaso Tiempo, I chose the Galaxy because of the Reynolds steel frame, but in looking back the Tommaso was prob the better pick in my price range because of the more sporty geometry. I should have budgeted more for possible issues with the new bike that would require taking it to the shop after assembly and tune. When I brought the bike in for assembly the salesmen were pointing out components that "Needed" to be upgraded..LOL, but I had spoken to them a bit more in depth about the reasoning behind me getting a bike "workouts" and "excercise" There won't be many areas in the green zone for touring, I will be sticking to the running and biking workout path.
> 
> ...



Thanks for being so understanding

But do not give up yet; I think we still have time to fix the mess that I feel has been created by your local bike shops.

I will be calling you today


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

California L33 said:


> You've put a lot in this message.
> 
> First, there are differences between a road and a touring bike, but not much, certainly not enough to keep you from riding if there's a place to ride.
> 
> ...



You are very nice to help this guy; if you can

BTW - this bike does need a spare der hanger; it is an old-school 4130 frame with built in hanger

I am going to do everything within reason to try and get this bike working before he leaves


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

California L33 said:


> You've put a lot in this message.
> 
> First, there are differences between a road and a touring bike, but not much, certainly not enough to keep you from riding if there's a place to ride.
> 
> ...



It's not strange, it's my ignorance and frustration, I was going by what the LBS told me would make this bike reliable. I had my heart set on bringing my shiny new bike with me, it's been a disapointment to me.

I do have contact information for the base to which i'll be deployed, I was stationed there on my last tour, thats how I know that they have provided a running/biking path.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

bikesdirect said:


> I agree with you 100% - THIS REALLY MAKES ME MAD
> I am proud to be a bike dealer and have been for 30 years
> In one of our shops I would demand the exact service you would give in your shop
> {but my employees would not even need me to demand it - this is our standard service procedure}
> ...



The shops in NOLA don't want to deal with assembling or working on "Internet Bikes", there is in general a very poor attitude towards non "Brand Named" Bikes.


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## bikesdirect (Sep 9, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> The shops in NOLA don't want to deal with assembling or working on "Internet Bikes", there is in general a very poor attitude towards non "Brand Named" Bikes.



It is kind of silly
Every shop in america loses about 22 bike sales a year to all internet sellers
Every shop in american loses about 2400 bike sales a year to WalMart

hmmm; wonder who my shop guys should be mad at? performance, walmart, schwinn, dicks sporting goods? My feeling is: no use in being mad at anyone and least of all mad a cyclist who is supporting the sport we love by being a member of the cycling community

When I see someone on a Schwinn from WalMart; I am glad they are having fun and riding and I hope they stay safe and maybe become more excited about cycling and want to move up later on

And I certainly will not allow my employees to Abuse a cyclist because they are on a Schwinn or Next or Mongoose or whatever from WalMart -- no way does that help cycling


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> The shops in NOLA don't want to deal with assembling or working on "Internet Bikes", there is in general a very poor attitude towards non "Brand Named" Bikes.


Something to keep in mind here. That being, if you bought your bike from a LBS and asked BD or another online retailer to assist with diagnosis/ repairs, you'd be met with a similar attitude that you're getting from your LBS. In fact, BD recommends buyers bring their bikes to LBS's for final assembly.

Mike makes his feelings known re: LBS's in general and their attitudes towards internet shops is about the same. As with most things, there's some truth to both BD (or similar) and LBS's. Online 'stores' aren't full service nor are all LBS's good.

Some will see this situaton as a reason to go the online route, while others will see it as a reason _not_ to - and no posts by anyone will change any minds, IMHO. 

No matter how this all gets fixed, for your sake I hope it does. And God love ya for what you're going through, both here and abroad.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

PJ352 said:


> Something to keep in mind here. That being, if you bought your bike from a LBS and asked BD or another online retailer to assist with diagnosis/ repairs, you'd be met with a similar attitude that you're getting from your LBS. In fact, BD recommends buyers bring their bikes to LBS's for final assembly.
> 
> Mike makes his feelings known re: LBS's in general and their attitudes towards internet shops is about the same. As with most things, there's some truth to both BD (or similar) and LBS's. Online 'stores' aren't full service nor are all LBS's good.
> 
> ...


If you bring your Ford to a dealership mechanic (any dealership, even a non-Ford) to get it repaired, if they agree to repair it, that dealership should not charge you for the repair and intentionally not do a good job because they're mad you didn't buy the car there. I would be irritated if a LBS said they weren't going to assemble/tune a BD bike, but it's their right- they lost the bike sale, now they're going to loose something no internet seller can provide. But, if they agree to perform the service and take the money, they owe the customer the same level of service they'd provide to any other customer for the same price. (Edit: Many dealership's throw in free service as an incentive to buy a bike. If they want to throw in a discount, there's nothing wrong with that, but if they're charging their full fee, customers should be treated equally.)


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

thomasward00 said:


> It's not strange, it's my ignorance and frustration, I was going by what the LBS told me would make this bike reliable. I had my heart set on bringing my shiny new bike with me, it's been a disapointment to me.
> 
> I do have contact information for the base to which i'll be deployed, I was stationed there on my last tour, thats how I know that they have provided a running/biking path.


Where do you live? If we can't get a bike shop to help you, maybe we've got a member nearby who can.


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## My Own Private Idaho (Aug 14, 2007)

Delete


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

California L33 said:


> If you bring your Ford to a dealership mechanic (any dealership, even a non-Ford) to get it repaired, if they agree to repair it, that dealership should not charge you for the repair and intentionally not do a good job because they're mad you didn't buy the car there. I would be irritated if a LBS said they weren't going to assemble/tune a BD bike, but it's their right- they lost the bike sale, now they're going to loose something no internet seller can provide. But, if they agree to perform the service and take the money, they owe the customer the same level of service they'd provide to any other customer for the same price. (Edit: Many dealership's throw in free service as an incentive to buy a bike. If they want to throw in a discount, there's nothing wrong with that, but if they're charging their full fee, customers should be treated equally.)


Points taken and I agree. I wasn't justifying what these specific LBS's have done (and would put them in a category of 'not good'), but I was responding to the OP's post describing his LBS's attitudes towards online retailers and offering (in the interest of telling both sides) that online retailers have similar attitudes towards LBS's. As I said, there's some truth to what both sides say and they are, after all, competitors.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

I like bikes.

I'll work on whatever comes through the door, and do the same quality of work no matter where it came from.


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

sounds like the local lbs guys, for whatever reason, might have been recommending an iffy fix. should have been way done by now, maybe they have bias against bd dot com, it happens. 

good looking out to try to get the guy hooked up b4 he redeploys, sounds like it might have been a mechanical problem from the git. nbd u live u learn...if its broke, fix it..keep your butt in the saddle

keep us posted bro


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Mike gave me a call this morning, he was very nice and concerned about my situation. He told me that he would be setting up an appt for me to go into a LBS to have this issue dealt with. I will give everyone an update when I take it in to get fixed and the outcome.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Well I have dropped off the Bike at the LBS that mike arranged that I go to, I actually eyeballed everything while loading it up and the front derailleur does appear to be bent, that would explain the slight grinding sound.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

thomasward00 said:


> Well I have dropped off the Bike at the LBS that mike arranged that I go to, I actually eyeballed everything while loading it up and *the front derailleur does appear to be bent, that would explain the slight grinding sound.*


Now I'm really wondering if the two shops you've been to already were inept or arseholes... I hope that if you decide to buy a bike shop bike someday that you don't consider either of those places.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Now I'm really wondering if the two shops you've been to already were inept or arseholes... I hope that if you decide to buy a bike shop bike someday that you don't consider either of those places.



With the way that MIke has treated me during this situation, both myself and family will be bikesdirect customers for a very long time.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> With the way that MIke has treated me during this situation, both myself and family will be bikesdirect customers for a very long time.


For sure credit should be given where it's due, and in this instance BD has certainly stepped up and provided excellent support. But judging from the numerous posts relating to BD (both postitive and negative) that I've read, you're not receiving what could be described as standard service. I'm glad for your sake that you're being taken care of, but not all BD customers fare so well.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> For sure credit should be given where it's due, and in this instance BD has certainly stepped up and provided excellent support. But judging from the numerous posts relating to BD (both postitive and negative) that I've read, you're not receiving what could be described as standard service. I'm glad for your sake that you're being taken care of, but not all BD customers fare so well.



I PM'd Mike about possibly buying a Mercier Kilo Fixed gear road bike, It has become apparent that I just don't know enough about road bike drivetrains right now and a fixed gear would be bulletproof reliable, I can change a chain and keep it lubed. I'll just let my stepson ride the Galaxy until I get back from deployment.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> I PM'd Mike about possibly buying a Mercier Kilo Fixed gear road bike, It has become apparent that I just don't know enough about road bike drivetrains right now and a fixed gear would be bulletproof reliable, I can change a chain and keep it lubed. I'll just let my stepson ride the Galaxy until I get back from deployment.


Your call, but I think once this issue gets sorted out you'll be fine with your current bike. It's unfortunate for you, but these types of problems, while not uncommon, are not frequent.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> Your call, but I think once this issue gets sorted out you'll be fine with your current bike. It's unfortunate for you, but these types of problems, while not uncommon, are not frequent.



Agreed and I also blame my ignorance about Road Bikes, under normal circumstances a person would have access to LBS's for support in case anything went wrong, in my case it will be over a year until I can get home.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> Agreed and I also blame my ignorance about Road Bikes, under normal circumstances a person would have access to LBS's for support in case anything went wrong, in my case it will be over a year until I can get home.


This isn't your fault. While it's always helpful to be self sufficient, we can't all know everything and you paid a fair sum to your shops to address this issue. I agree with the others that have posted negative remarks re: these shops. Barring the unforeseen (like a frame issue) any decent mechanic could've fixed this problem. 

I'm very curious how this will all play out.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PJ352 said:


> Your call, but I think once this issue gets sorted out you'll be fine with your current bike. It's unfortunate for you, but these types of problems, while not uncommon, are not frequent.



The coolest thing happened to me this morning, I was on a local TV website forum, they had a story about the local deployment, I was on discussing my preparations before leaving and I mentioned trying to get my new bike setup and the problems that I was having, do you know that the owner of a LBS asked for my phone number, he called me and offered me a brand new cannondale caad9, for free. Of course I couldn't accept such an expensive gift, but that was a very nice gesture, there aren't many people like that around.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> The coolest thing happened to me this morning, I was on a local TV website forum, they had a story about the local deployment, I was on discussing my preparations before leaving and I mentioned trying to get my new bike setup and the problems that I was having, do you know that the owner of a LBS asked for my phone number, he called me and offered me a brand new cannondale caad9, for free. Of course I couldn't accept such an expensive gift, but that was a very nice gesture, there aren't many people like that around.


Whoa..._ very _cool, indeed. I think you'd be surprised at the number of people that would be willing to help you (and others in similar situations) out. Mike is also extending himself. And not to belabor the point, but your LBS's should have done the same.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

thomasward00 said:


> The coolest thing happened to me this morning, I was on a local TV website forum, they had a story about the local deployment, I was on discussing my preparations before leaving and I mentioned trying to get my new bike setup and the problems that I was having, do you know that the owner of a LBS asked for my phone number, he called me and offered me a brand new cannondale caad9, for free. Of course I couldn't accept such an expensive gift, but that was a very nice gesture, there aren't many people like that around.


Keep that in mind when you return. A shop that would do that is a shop worth patronizing for your other cycling needs.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Still no news from the Bike Shop, hopefully they will get to look at it soon....


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

thomasward00 said:


> Still no news from the Bike Shop, hopefully they will get to look at it soon....


Please keep us updated, Thomas.


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

Update:

The tuning on the derailleurs worked well, the bike shifts fine now, since the bike was fixed a couple of weeks ago I have ridden the same bike path in Audubon park here in NOLA. Yesterday I ran over a small bump, pavement transition and the rim taco'ed on me, well I wound up going down and bent the fork arms. I made sure to have the rims trued during assembly. Now I understand why people were telling me to invest in quality rims, I also now understand the importance of investing in high quality components.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Good grief!
I do believe that bike of yours is cursed...


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## thomasward00 (Feb 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Good grief!
> I do believe that bike of yours is cursed...



LOL.. My wife has said the same thing.


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