Hybrid Bicycles - 2004-Trek-7700FX: I dont use front derailleur at all

I have Trek-2004/7700-FX and I don't use the front derailleur at all
Never felt a need for it so far though I have simply ridden hardly 200 miles on my bike
I commute to work on a hilly terrain and always keep my front gear in the middle cog/teeth and change only the rear ones.

Is there any way I can remove the front derailleur to keep my bike simply ?

Thanks

DD

http://www.wassco.com/prodimagefolders/03/WAS-03-29260.jpg

I don't use mine either but i suggest you leave it where it's at,never know when you will make a steep climb in the future, my 5 cents ( inflation ).

http://www.wassco.com/prodimagefolders/03/WAS-03-29260.jpg

http://anonymousradioshow.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/sledgehammer.jpg

http://www.wassco.com/prodimagefolders/03/WAS-03-29260.jpg

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions
I decided to leave it as it is as after doing some more research I came to know it is not as trivial as I was thinking

I, also use mostly the middle ring; but, there have been occasions - like going up a really steep hill, or going down a really big hill, where the others come into their own.

Good decision to keep them. With enough miles, they will get used....

Thanks for the wonderful suggestions
I decided to leave it as it is as after doing some more research I came to know it is not as trivial as I was thinking

It really is as trivial as it seems...

It is less trivial if you want to remove the extra chain rings, but only slightly.

It is also less trivial if your shifter is integrated with the brake lever.

But, as others have pointed out, the benefit of removing the FD is probably less than the benefit of having the ability to shift if you want to.

I'll be the contrarian here. Both my bike are 1X9. Usually a simple hex wrench set will take care of the brake, grip and chain ring removal and re-application. If you don't have a 11-34 cog rear cassette, that might help with any range of conditions one might encounter, once you determine your fitness level(strength on hills) and how fast you want to go in the flats. I've found that the Sheldon Brown gear calculator is an invaluable tool to help determine the chain ring size for the performance you're looking for.
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
Changing to an unramped and unpinned chainring and switching to a short cage derailleur also lessens the chance of your chain coming off.
Biking is supposed to be simple and fun. Call me dense, but having not to think about the various gear combination and cross chaining is a liberating experience, not to mention the weight savings.

If the other suggestions don't work, try this:
http://www.rentaltimeonline.com/images/stihl/310stihl20chainsaw.jpg?79,44
vvvvrrrr, vvvrrrrn

just make sure you where safety glasses

dh