My new Trek 7.6 fx wsd . . . already problems

I have really small hands. I know I was able to change gears on the left hand side of the handlebars of the Trek 7.6 FX WSD when I test rode the bike. If I remember, I think I had difficulty with it, but thought that that was how it was supposed to be. I realize I never should have accepted that. The Ruby is so easy to change gears!

I took the bike out for its first ride this morning and I couldn't reach far enough at all to change the gear on the left hand side of the handle bars. So it's another trip to the LBS which is 35 miles away. I hope they can fix the problem; it's a pretty spendy bicycle. The LBS special ordered it for me so I felt I had to buy the bike. Fortunately, the bikes are returnable for store credit. If it can't be adjusted, I will have to find something else.

All this drama is because our bikes were stolen and we bought new bikes before our old ones were recovered.

PS: Just for laughs I will tell you the wonderful solution my SO came up with. I can get off the bike and change the sprocket when I need to!

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Originally Posted by kajero

PS: Just for laughs I will tell you the wonderful solution my SO came up with. I can get off the bike and change the sprocket when I need to!

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That's how they did it before ol' Tullio invented the derailleur. My step-grandfather used to tell about touring the Alps that way. :eek:


Hope you find a better solution...

Deep breath....most brake/shifter levers can be adjusted to accommodate a shorter reach. Did you call the shop and ask if they can walk you through the adjustment over the phone? Or have you pulled up the manual for the shifters online to see if there are instructions?

after the first 100 miles on the new trek, I had to take it in to get the brakes and gears shortened and eased for my small tired arthritic hands. My hands are much happier now. Don't know if your bike store is like mine but mine came with a 6 month free fit adjustment and two free tune ups and/or mechanical adjustments other than fit.

It can be made right.

good luck with it.

From the specs it looks like you have Deore trigger shifters? Is that correct? I don't see any adjustment in Shimano's technical documents. Would just re-positioning it help? Or turning the handlebars ... is the handlebar position otherwise comfortable, or do they feel like the angle is different from the bike you test rode?

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

From the specs it looks like you have Deore trigger shifters? Is that correct? I don't see any adjustment in Shimano's technical documents. Would just re-positioning it help? Or turning the handlebars ... is the handlebar position otherwise comfortable, or do they feel like the angle is different from the bike you test rode?

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On my mtb I was able to move my shifters closer to the grips and twist them up so it was closer to my thumb, not sure if you can do something similar.

If there is no way to adjust them and repositioning doesn't help, I would hope that the LBS would be willing to swap out the shifter for a model that works for the OP.

We took the bike to the LBS. He is changing out the shifters to Tiagra (?) not sure if this is the name. He has to do a bunch of other stuff to make it work. I don't know when I can pick it up. The LBS is really trying to make it right. This change will cost around $130. I told him after this I don't want to put any more money into the bike. I just don't want to get stuck with a bike I can't ride. :-

Tiagra instead of Deore? That doesn't make sense to me. And that price is ridiculous :|

Why didn't they just install a shorter stem so that you have no issues regarding reach?

Brigada,

Can you explain a little bit more regarding the Tiagra vs the Deore? I would really like to tell the LBS something about that if what you say is true. I am so frustrated at this time. I paid a lot for that bike. I don't feel I should have to keep paying for "upgrades" if that is not what they really are. It seems every improvement is costing me something.

The problem is I can't push the left thumb shifter far enough back to change anything. I run out of "stretch" on my hand. They did try changing the position of the shifter several times but nothing worked. I don't have any problems with the right hand. I was pretty stupid on the test ride. The gears shift the opposite of the road bike. I couldn't figure out how to change from one sprocket to the other so I let the dealer do it. DUMB! :(

The shorter stem has already been done. He had to do that because of the reach. It was just too far for me. At least he didn't charge me for that.

Thanks

Kathy

I would've thought that was a downgrade, too.

Did you try a bike with the shifters you're getting? Are you sure they will work for you? What about grip shifters, since it doesn't sound like you need a lot of precision with this bike? That would take a bit of labor, though.


Not all shops will take unused parts in trade for replacements - smaller shops will often have to eat the cost if they do this, since they may not be able to resell the parts - but I think it's a sign that the shop doesn't care much about their customers when they don't offer *some* kind of trade in credit.

If being a down grade is the choice, then how much should I expect to be charged?

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Originally Posted by brigada

Tiagra instead of Deore? That doesn't make sense to me. And that price is ridiculous :|

Why didn't they just install a shorter stem so that you have no issues regarding reach?

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There are flat-bar shifters that are also Tiagra. Weird, I know.

And yes, I think it's a downgrade. You'll pay for the labor, but I think they should at least give you something for the parts, or give you the parts so you can put them on eBay or something.

It's not so much the question of which is better in an abstract sense, if the Tiagra shifters will really work for you and the Deore ones won't. $130 seems to be a decent retail price for the SL-4603 shifter set, just from a little googling. What would get my hackles up a little bit is them not taking your OEM shifters in trade ... but only somewhat, since as I said it's not universal that shops will do that. I had to eat the cost of a crankset to get the size I needed on my new Synapse, so it does happen. (But at least I knew in advance when I ordered the bike that I was also going to order and pay for the crankset.)

More importantly, I'm not hearing you say you're sure the Tiagra shifters will work for you. Did you try a bike that has those shifters?

I second the gripshifter suggestion. No reaching, no thumb strength involved.