Mateo and Daddy

Me

Hi, I'm Mark Rios. I'm a triathlete from Northern California. I don't do triathlons to set records. I just do them to stay in shape within my domain of work and family. Before I found triathlon working out was a bit of a chore. But triathons are interesting and keep life interesting because they are simple, yet beautifully complex. In this sport your workouts are different every single day, which is great because it minimizes the chance of burnout and reduces the risk of injury. Also, in my opinion as of current triathlon is still mainly a science and in its infancy. There's still a lot we don't know. So in terms of being sport, it's still evolving (for example a female professional is on course to be just as fast as the fastest male professional triathletes). But my favorite thing about the sport is that it attracts really great people from all walks of life and of all colors. The cliche, "you can't judge a book by its cover", is so true in triathlon. Never have I ever before in my life enjoyed the company of others from so many varied backgrounds. I'm constantly amazed at who participates in this sport. From the stay at home mom to the 80 year old nun. It's just filled with people of great character, those who will amaze you, and make you question your assumptions on life, reality, and what the human body is capable of.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Adjusting the Front Derailleur, Shimano 105

You're going to want to adjust the front derailleur if the chain gets stuck or the derailleur does not move the chain consistently. Before attempting this make sure your rear derailleur works smoothly because you're going to use it here.

You're going to need a phillips screw driver and an allen wrench. You may also want to put your bike on a rack, a work stand or a trainer. Whatever your choice just make sure you can turn the pedals.



The front derailleur is shown below with two screws. The one closest to the frame is for the little ring. The screw farthest away from the frame is for the big ring. Note that the latter applies to the Shimano 105. If you're not using 105 go to the manufacture's website and download the manual for your derailleur.


Step one is to put the chain on the little ring.



Step two is to chain the big ring at the rear.




Step three is to tighten the cable at the shift lever. Turn the grey barrel at the cable clock wise.




Step four is to loosen the bolt which holds the cable




Step five is to check that there is one to three millimeters of space between the teeth and the derailleur




Step six is to adjust the little ring screw. Turn left and it will move towards the frame. Turn right it will go away from the frame. You want one to two millimeters of space.


Step seven is to go back and revisit the cable we loosened. Just pull the cable hand tight and tighten.




Step eight, chain the little ring at the rear.





Step nine, make sure there is one to two millimeters of space between the derailleur and the large ring. If needed turn the screw left and it will move away from the frame. Turn right and it will move towards the frame. Note this turning is the exactly opposite for the little ring.



Lastly chain the rear middle ring. Then test all your gears. If it's shifting smoothly you're done. If it's not shifting smooth you can increase the cable tension in step 3 by turning counter clock wise.
Questions? E-mail me at mark.rios@alumni.ls.berkeley.edu
Happy Riding!


















































































































































































































































































































































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