I loves me some good trim! :-p

[Mr. Beanz]

Riding with a buddy on Saturday. He started hearing noises in his drive train. He couldn't figure it out so I got behind and saw that his front derailleur cage was dragging on his chain.

I told him to use the trim. He was like, "what?!". The TRIM THE TRIM!!

He was like what do you mean?!" I was like, "tap the lever slightly toward the inside, it will move your cage slightly so that it doesn't drag on the chain.

He had no idea what I was talking about!

Really strange! He started cycling before I did and I have been riding for 22 years consistently.

When we reached our rest stop, I had to give him a little lesson on how to use the trim. He had no idea.

I'm really surprised at how many cyclists I have met that don't know much at all about their bikes even after YEARS of cycling.

 

[Corzhens]

Include me in that list of ignorant riders. I have to admit that I don't know my bike well and when there is a mechanical problem or even a flat tire, I just ask someone to have it repaired for me. It's not really being lazy or what but I don't have the aptitude for those things particularly the parts of the bike. And I have to admit that I am not good in using the gears because I just learned the proper way to use it when I was already riding for 5 years.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

And I have to admit that I am not good in using the gears because I just learned the proper way to use it when I was already riding for 5 years.

I can see some things like fixing flat tires. I have fixed many for many riders who really have some idea but are not good at it. At times it can mean the difference between riding and waiting around 90 minutes for someone who doesn't have the skill.

But the trim? DO you mean to tell me, you will ride your bike for an hour with the chain dragging on the derailleur cage making God awful noises because you don't know how to work the shifter? EEEEEK!!!

 

[Corzhens]

I can see some things like fixing flat tires. I have fixed many for many riders who really have some idea but are not good at it. At times it can mean the difference between riding and waiting around 90 minutes for someone who doesn't have the skill.

But the trim? DO you mean to tell me, you will ride your bike for an hour with the chain dragging on the derailleur cage making God awful noises because you don't know how to work the shifter? EEEEEK!!!

When there is a strange sound, I would definitely stop to check. That's the orientation I learned not for the bike but for the car. I studied in a driving school and that made me realize that when something is wrong with the car and maybe the bike, it will emit a sound that you don't usually hear. I really don't know what a trim is but with the dragging of the chain, that would probably stupid to continue riding.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

When there is a strange sound, I would definitely stop to check. That's the orientation I learned not for the bike but for the car. I studied in a driving school and that made me realize that when something is wrong with the car and maybe the bike, it will emit a sound that you don't usually hear. I really don't know what a trim is but with the dragging of the chain, that would probably stupid to continue riding.

Trim is a function/method/feature used with the road bike type shifters. Once you are in gear in the front gear (crank/pedal gearing), if the chain is slightly dragging on the cage of the front derailleur, there is a small click that moves the cage over by only a small bit to stop the dragging and get the chain more centered in cage to eliminate dragging.

So it is like a "half click" and not a full click of the shifters to eliiminate chain drag.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Probably due to never having used a friction shift system. EVERY shift required trimming one or both derailleurs by both ear and feel.

And I agree that it does take a special type of person that blissfully ride along mile after mile and not notice the chain rub...or a half engaged, skipping rear gear that takes 10 seconds to cure.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

I've been on rides with partners that have their rear derailleurs out of of adjustment creating a terrible sound. Hey, you need to adjust your cable a bit.

Oh yeah, I'm going to take it to the shop after the ride!

After 20 minutes of riding, I can't take this gawd awful freaking noise rattling my brain, pull the F over!

10, 20 , 30 seconds and it's done! Not to mention saved them 10 or 20 bucks. I'm amazed at how so little so many know.