Bicycle Mechanics - And the tosspot of the year award goes to...

Me.

Just did a complete overhaul of my bb. Upgraded the octalink bb, and thought I'd dump the lx front mech for an xtr. Got home, stripped the bike down, threw out the rubbish, etc. Today, I rebuild the bb, fit the xtr and route a new teflon-coated cable. Neat. Connect the cable to the xtr but for some reason no matter what I do I can't get the front mech to shift up and down. Then it dawns on me. My original lx mech was a bottom pull (cable routed under the bb). The new xtr is a top-pull. I don't have anyway of fitting a top pull on my frame. Result. Yup! Strip it down and refit the original lx. Getting the xtr back for refund/swap-out is impossible now. I travelled into London to get it, and I mentioned the rubbish, right? Rushed outside, but it had all been taken, box...and receipt which I put in the box. Now I'm running on the very lx I wanted to avoid, and am stuck with a brand new xtr I can't use. Clever, eh?

Maybe my wife's bike is a top-pull.

Sorry. Rear derailleurs can ALMOST be replaced at random. Front derailleurs have different clamp sizes, up and down pull, top swing and bottom swing and sometimes even cage arc sizes. The odds of just grabbing the right one out of a box are't very god. I've got a couple of front derailleurs in my basement waiting for the right frame to fit onto.

Well... the solution I see here is simple. Time to get a new frame! :)

Is it a M 960 or 961? As I see on Pricepoint that either of those models are "Dual Pull" models
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13126-105_SHIFB3-3-Parts-57-Derailleurs/Shimano-XTR-Twin-Pull-Front-Derailleur-(Non-Top-Swing)-M961.htm
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/11287-105_SHIFT3-3-Parts-57-Derailleurs/Shimano-XTR-Twin-Pull-Front-Derailleur-(Top-Swing)-M960.htm

Strictly bottom pull only. The xtr I got is one of those ones that fit onto the bottom bracket. I don't think a down tube clamp will work on my Gemini 1000 frame because of the swing arm design.

That shoots that idea.

This is what E-bay is for

I'm... umm... embarrassed to say... but I keep the box, or at least the barcode description tag from everthing I buy and keep it in a cupboard. The instruction sheets go in a ring-bind folder (unless they are doubling up, of course). Receipts go in a box, but most of my stuff is sourced from one LBS where I have an account anyway, so exchange is not such as issue. Keeping the packaging and paperwork serves as a ready reference for part numbers (and price comparisons).

I'm... umm... embarrassed to say... but I keep the box, or at least the barcode description tag from everthing I buy and keep it in a cupboard. The instruction sheets go in a ring-bind folder (unless they are doubling up, of course). Receipts go in a box, but most of my stuff is sourced from one LBS where I have an account anyway, so exchange is not such as issue. Keeping the packaging and paperwork serves as a ready reference for part numbers (and price comparisons).
Bloodyhell you're well organised ,ive usualy lost the receipt before I get out of the shop door :(

I'm... umm... embarrassed to say... but I keep the box, or at least the barcode description tag from everthing I buy and keep it in a cupboard. The instruction sheets go in a ring-bind folder (unless they are doubling up, of course). Receipts go in a box, but most of my stuff is sourced from one LBS where I have an account anyway, so exchange is not such as issue. Keeping the packaging and paperwork serves as a ready reference for part numbers (and price comparisons).


G'day,

Rowan, Rowan, Rowan..tsk tsk tsk....we really need to get a life don't we?....are you this 'anal' about everything?. I bet all your cycling jersey's are hung by colour & wearing preference in the wardrobe!.....I hate organised people!...probably cos i'm the most disorganised person in the world....it drives everyone crazy!...I couldn't find a receipt or a warranty card 10 minutes after I bought something!

cheers,

Hitchy

Uh, hang on, I'm not THAT organised (except maybe the ring binder bit). You haven't seen my unit or my filing system. Now, where did I put that piece of paper with...

Oh, if I didn't keep all the rubbish I've collected over the past four or five years, I wouldn't have been able to build up my fixie prototype at the weekend. At least I know it works, and I can enjoy riding it, so all the cr@p parts will now be replaced by new(er) stuff. There really is method to some forms of madness.