Anyone else enjoy fine tuning their drive train?
02-17-15, 07:44 PM
#1
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Anyone else enjoy fine tuning their drive train?
I like mine dialed and enjoy making it as best it can be.
Whole bike for that matter.
Whole bike for that matter.
02-17-15, 08:14 PM
#2
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I prefer letting my worthless bike shop attend to such banal matters. Once in a while when shifting is sluggish I'll give the rear adjuster barrel a quarter turn, but that's about it.
I'll admit it was fun when I first learned of the trick though.
I'll admit it was fun when I first learned of the trick though.
02-17-15, 08:21 PM
#3
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I do enjoy cleaning it up and making it all nice and shiny though 
02-17-15, 08:51 PM
#4
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I spent almost all of Valentine's Day fixing up an old Trek 2120, and I can say I did not enjoy indexing my gears from scratch. I was piss drunk the whole time, so I guess that part was fun.
02-17-15, 08:53 PM
#5
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My di2 has been flawlees for 15 months since i bought the bike, must be the auto trim? I did have to recharge the battery once or twice though..
02-17-15, 08:54 PM
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Don't ever get an electronic groupset if you like to fine tune. It never needs it unless you swap out wheels with slightly different spacing.
Actually, you can tweak the speed of shifting and make different buttons do different things, but the adjustment is always perfect.
Actually, you can tweak the speed of shifting and make different buttons do different things, but the adjustment is always perfect.
02-17-15, 08:56 PM
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02-17-15, 09:01 PM
#8
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I leave that for my worthless bike shop while trying to decide what to watch on the trainer, all while asking for the (soon to be unwanted opinions) of what carbon wheels or titanium dream bike build to spec out next.
02-17-15, 09:19 PM
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02-17-15, 11:58 PM
#10
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Nothing like the satisfaction of a finely tuned and squeaky clean drive train slopped up with a few drops of white lightning to make it smoooooth and selthy.
02-18-15, 06:34 AM
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02-18-15, 10:13 AM
#12
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I used up all my "adjusting fun" constantly adjusting a Simplex drive train in the 1970's.
02-18-15, 11:47 AM
#13
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It's not enjoyable, but I do fine tune it. These days it is about as complicated as turning a barrel adjuster one way or the other a quarter turn in the middle of a ride.
02-18-15, 11:51 AM
#14
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I enjoy it. It's a time - besides training - that I get some 'one on one' with my steed. Almost zen like :-)
02-18-15, 12:15 PM
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I am looking forward to my next bike having Di2 so I don't have to do that anymore.
My touring bike is the worst. That triple is a huge PITA to keep properly tuned.
My touring bike is the worst. That triple is a huge PITA to keep properly tuned.
02-18-15, 12:24 PM
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Yes.
I like just knowing that I can get my bike to shift flawlessly. I consider it cheating to use the barrel adjusters.
It must have taken me an hour to adjust the triple on my first road bike when I first got it and assembled it. It wasn't long before I could adjust a triple perfectly in a matter of seconds. Very satisfying- as one you can do that, it gives you confidence that you can pretty much do anything to a bike.
The FD can be a little fussy on my Klein. After changing out the crankset recently, it must have taken me 20-25 minutes to get it shifting perfectly- but it was well worth it, as that bike shifts like butter now!- quick, silent; smooth; and perfect!
It's a skill every bike rider should know- as it is a very simple task- two screws to mess with...hard to go wrong, once you understand the very simple premise- and you will forever have a great-shifting bike, without the inconvenience of having to rely on someone else; or the embarrassment of having to admit that you can't figure out such a simple task.
I like just knowing that I can get my bike to shift flawlessly. I consider it cheating to use the barrel adjusters.
It must have taken me an hour to adjust the triple on my first road bike when I first got it and assembled it. It wasn't long before I could adjust a triple perfectly in a matter of seconds. Very satisfying- as one you can do that, it gives you confidence that you can pretty much do anything to a bike.
The FD can be a little fussy on my Klein. After changing out the crankset recently, it must have taken me 20-25 minutes to get it shifting perfectly- but it was well worth it, as that bike shifts like butter now!- quick, silent; smooth; and perfect!
It's a skill every bike rider should know- as it is a very simple task- two screws to mess with...hard to go wrong, once you understand the very simple premise- and you will forever have a great-shifting bike, without the inconvenience of having to rely on someone else; or the embarrassment of having to admit that you can't figure out such a simple task.
02-18-15, 01:02 PM
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02-18-15, 02:11 PM
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02-18-15, 02:15 PM
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02-18-15, 10:26 PM
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I like it, but I must admit that success is all but assured with 7-speed. Even if things aren't perfectly aligned, it's not hard to get every gear combination to shift and stay in gear, thanks to the generous tolerances. 
02-20-15, 10:17 PM
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Yes indeed. I like it to shift on demand, smooth as butter and quiet as a mouse. Can't remember the last time I dropped a chain..........
02-20-15, 11:04 PM
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When the weather sucks Id much rather be wrenching than riding. Quite the opposite in the summer.
the only thing i really miss about Boston. that and Jaffe's Pic-a-chic day old bagels.
02-20-15, 11:17 PM
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Yeah. If shifting isn't predictable and clean, I'm-a-tweaking.
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Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.