jppe

I really am mechanically inclined. I really am. I'm an engineer by training. My Dad did a terrific job in teaching me how to work with various tools, learn how things work, troubleshoot and fix things. I really am mechanically inclined.

If that is true, why do I still do really dumb stuff???

Okay, I spent a number of hours moving the shifters around on the bikes, installing new cables, installing new brakes, reworking cable housing, moving brakes around, etc.

After doing that, the front derailleurs on both bikes just would not shift as well as they did before. I didn't change the positions of the derailleurs. All I did was change the shifters and they were both Dura Ace. But they just didn't shift right afterwards.

I continued to fiddle with the adjustments on the derailleurs but I kept coming back to essentially the same settings and the same results. Finally, I looked to see if I had threaded the cable through the right spots on the bottom of the bottom bracket. When I flipped the bike over I immediately saw the problem.

I have sensor cable that runs from the rear sensors for both speed and cadence for my cyclometer that also runs along under the bottom bracket and up the down tube. I had threaded the derailleur cable over top of the sensor cable so the sensor cable was between the derailleur cable and the bottom bracket. Thus, the derailleur cable was tightly "sawing" across the sensor cable every time I shifted. I had already worn off a lot of the insulation off the sensor cable and had not even taken it out for a long ride!!!

I looked at the other bike and I had done exactly the same thing!! I made the change and in less than 5 mins the shifting was back perfect again!!

Now I don't know how long the damaged sensor cable is going to hold up. Time will tell.

I really am mechanically inclined. I just tend to omit a few steps here and there.

Please tell me I'm not the only one that always has to learn the hard way!!!!