How can this be with my new bike?

[Pedal Wench]

Denny, I would try the REI around the corner from PBS - ask for Alan - he's a god. Really! He can fix anything!

Your bike is a Fuji frame, and Shimano components. The problems have nothing to do with your Fuji frame. So, once you get the drivetrain (Shimano) dialed in, the bike will be the dream you want it to be!

PW

[fidlfreek]

Agreed! But you really shouldn't have to pay to have this thing in perfect working order....

[fatbottomedgurl]

I'm just curious- what size frame are you riding? My LBS highly recommended against a compact on a small frame- too many shifting issues. (Maybe just on Treks- that's what they carry.) And I totally trust their mechanical skills.

[Becky]

I'm just curious- what size frame are you riding? My LBS highly recommended against a compact on a small frame- too many shifting issues. (Maybe just on Treks- that's what they carry.) And I totally trust their mechanical skills.

I'm interested to hear more about this and learn a little more. My Bianchi is a 49cm with a compact, and I've ridden other small bikes with compacts. No problems that I could find...

There are some limitations to compacts when in the small ring, due to the 14- to 16- tooth drop between rings and chain drag across the larger ring when cross-chained (but you shouldn't do that anyway!). The shorter wheelbase of a smaller bike exacerbates this. As long as I'm careful about planning my shift to the big ring, it's not been too much of an issue for me.

What issues have they run into?

[fatbottomedgurl]

I'm interested to hear more about this and learn a little more. My Bianchi is a 49cm with a compact, and I've ridden other small bikes with compacts. No problems that I could find...

There are some limitations to compacts when in the small ring, due to the 14- to 16- tooth drop between rings and chain drag across the larger ring when cross-chained (but you shouldn't do that anyway!). The shorter wheelbase of a smaller bike exacerbates this. As long as I'm careful about planning my shift to the big ring, it's not been too much of an issue for me.

What issues have they run into?

That's pretty much it exactly.

[Jo-n-NY]

Last year my chain dropped a couple of times on a hilly organized ride and ended up saging back (a first for me). It had dropped before this but we thought the problem was taken care of.

As it turns out it is good thing I did end the ride when I did. There seemed to be a problem/defect with my FSA K-Force 2 piece carbon crankset that came on the bike. In fact, we heard that there have been problems with this crank. My bike is a 2007 Ruby Pro. I switched it to Ultegra and it is working great.

~ JoAnn

[fidlfreek]

Sorry you had trouble! The K-Force gets really lousy reviews.

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/dr...7_2491crx.aspx

So its not just you!

[denny]

I got the bike back today. The hanger had been replaced, spokes trued up and tires inflated. Went for my ride tonight and did 4 laps around the local park including a few small hills when on the 5th lap with a friend, in the same spot as usual, I couldn't drop from my big ring to the small ring. My friend kept saying "push your lever" over again. I did. Nothing happened. There was no tension in the lever. "Push harder." Still Nothing. We had to pull over where he picked up the bike, spun the pedals and shifted it back to the small ring. I did the entire last lap in my small ring.

Now supposedly, I "over or hard shifted" why my cables broke in the first few rides and applied too much pressure on the cranks causing the rear derailleur hanger to break. So which is it? Am I too rough or not rough enough. PBS told me to let them know if I still had a problem, so I'll follow up with them. I think they've been pretty decent about this.

Until the next epidsode of "The Perils of Penelope"

[denny]

I'm just curious- what size frame are you riding? My LBS highly recommended against a compact on a small frame- too many shifting issues. (Maybe just on Treks- that's what they carry.) And I totally trust their mechanical skills.

I'm riding a 53cm frame on the Silhouette. PBS is taking a look at it today and to their credit they're giving it a more detailed exam (without my asking) due to the malfunction on each ride. Sad thing though, the paint got really scratched up when the chain dropped.

Will wait to see how it turns out. A mechanic at one of the LBS told me that a lot of the manufacturers are now installing triple shifters on standard double rings, due to efficiency in installation. The manufacturers do list a warning of "overshifting" due to the difference. Hope I got his explanation correct.

[wildeny]

I'm just curious- what size frame are you riding? My LBS highly recommended against a compact on a small frame- too many shifting issues. (Maybe just on Treks- that's what they carry.) And I totally trust their mechanical skills.

I just got my Fuji Finest RC 2009 in the end of January. My bike is XS (44cm) with a compact crankset 50/34. I haven't noticed any shifting problem, but I may not ride enough to give any conclusion.

I even replaced the original Shimano 105 cassette 11-25T with SRAM Rival cassette 11-28T when getting my bike. I really need that 28T. Before buying my bike, I considered to get the bike with a triple but couldn't find one I liked. Then I encountered this article, The Rise of the Compact Crank (aka "The Death of the Triple"), so I settled down with a compact. I even made a chart of Standard (with 11-23T) vs Compact (my 11-28T) vs Triple (12-27T).
(PS: Cannot use the larger ring with 28T in my setup, but that's alright since it's cross-chained anyway).

As for danny's problem, it sounds that the components are not installed properly or they are faulty. Is this a new bike? I hope your problem can be solved soon.