replacing a front derailer... help and suggestions needed

[mdbrown]

i bought a 2005 trek 1000 almost 2 months ago now and i've been riding around 120 miles a week. the only upgrade i've done is replace the stock pedals with look clipless pedals. one good thing trek did for the new 2005 1000 was upgrade the rear derailleur from sora to tiagra but they downgraded the front derailleur to a shimano 2203. that thing is a piece of ****. it's got a sora triple crankset and the 2203 is pretty much useless if i ever want to move up or down in gears. the rear derailleurs works like a charm but i just don't see why shimano even makes a front derailleur this bad. now maybe it's just difficult to change gears on all front derailleurs but i find that hard to believe. so i've decided to take the 2203 off and replace it with something much better. i can get a 105 triple braze on for around $20 and an ultegra triple braze on for around $30. first of all i'm new to cycling so i've not done any mechanical work on a bike before and i'm also wondering if it's worth the extra $10 to go with the ultegra over the 105. if anyone has guides on how to replace a front derailleur and suggestions on the 105 or ultegra i'd be quite grateful for the info. thanks for all the help.

 

[boudreaux]

i bought a 2005 trek 1000 almost 2 months ago now and i've been riding around 120 miles a week. the only upgrade i've done is replace the stock pedals with look clipless pedals. one good thing trek did for the new 2005 1000 was upgrade the rear derailleur from sora to tiagra but they downgraded the front derailleur to a shimano 2203. that thing is a piece of ****. it's got a sora triple crankset and the 2203 is pretty much useless if i ever want to move up or down in gears. the rear derailleurs works like a charm but i just don't see why shimano even makes a front derailleur this bad. now maybe it's just difficult to change gears on all front derailleurs but i find that hard to believe. so i've decided to take the 2203 off and replace it with something much better. i can get a 105 triple braze on for around $20 and an ultegra triple braze on for around $30. first of all i'm new to cycling so i've not done any mechanical work on a bike before and i'm also wondering if it's worth the extra $10 to go with the ultegra over the 105. if anyone has guides on how to replace a front derailleur and suggestions on the 105 or ultegra i'd be quite grateful for the info. thanks for all the help.

A poorly adjusted 105 or ultegra will shift just as crappily as a poorly adjusted 2203.

 

[mdbrown]

A poorly adjusted 105 or ultegra will shift just as crappily as a poorly adjusted 2203.

well yeah, but that's why i need a guide to help me through the installation process. i think my problem is just because the 2203 is a cheap part trek puts on because people usually stick with the middle ring and don't go up or down as often as they would when using the rear deraileur. but back to the original issue, is the ultegra worth the extra $10?

 

[boudreaux]

well yeah, but that's why i need a guide to help me through the installation process. i think my problem is just because the 2203 is a cheap part trek puts on because people usually stick with the middle ring and don't go up or down as often as they would when using the rear deraileur. but back to the original issue, is the ultegra worth the extra $10?

Trek doesn't use 'no good derailers'. It may simply need proper adjustment. Repair section at www.parktool.com

 

[zewol]

ROFl, I have seen bike mounted with all ****ed up parts, but this is the best i've heard, nice job trek, another customer who's been had! I don't the point to break a groupo to put crappy parts and put a rear derailleur for the appeal of it.
Sorry if you bought the bike because you thought it would shift better with a tiagra but it don't think its the case..... its like having a front der. tiagra., rear ultegra (so people would think the bike is ALL in ultegra) and 105 or tiagra shifters..... if shimanos designes groupos, its not for them to be broken and mixed together!

sorry if anybody's hurt by these comments, i had to get it out, i am so ******!

 

[boudreaux]

ROFl, .... if shimanos designes groupos, its not for them to be broken and mixed together!

That's just BS!

 

[zewol]

(that's just BS)

wath does that mean???

 

[boudreaux]

(that's just BS)

wath does that mean???

Well durn, I've never had anyone need a translation of BS. I'm so dumfounded I don't know where to begin.

 

[zewol]

oh , its ok , I got it, no need to explain. Désolé, nous ne sommes pas tous des anglophones ici!

 

[mdbrown]

the guide looks good boudreaux, thanks. regardless of whether the the 2203 is poorly adjusted or not i still want to get a new front derailleur so the 105 for $20 or the ultegra for $30?

 

[bhawkdrvr]

If you want to upgrade, you might as well "upgrade" to something better so you don't find yourself upgrading again. I went from Tiagra front derailleur to a Dura Ace.

 

[boudreaux]

If you want to upgrade, you might as well "upgrade" to something better so you don't find yourself upgrading again. I went from Tiagra front derailleur to a Dura Ace.

That's just nonsense, and throwing money away.. A FD has about the easiest job on the bike. A 105 works every time. Besides, a DA triple is designed to work with the DA triple 30/39/53 rings, not the 30/42/52 of all other shimano triples like his.

 

[meehs]

That's just nonsense, and throwing money away.. A FD has about the easiest job on the bike. A 105 works every time. Besides, a DA triple is designed to work with the DA triple 30/39/53 rings, not the 30/42/52 of all other shimano triples like his.

I totally agree with Boudreaux on this one. There's really no discernable improvement in performance between a 105 and a DA FD (I've got a 105 on my cross bike and a DA on my road bike). The FD is definitely a component you can save a little money on without sacrificing performance. If you feel that you need to upgrade, go with the 105, it'll perform just as well as an Ultegra or DA and you'll save some cash.

 

[RC2]

I have to agree, a front derailleur is one piece of metal pushing another left and right. OK, it's not quite that simple but almost. How can a ultegra or DA front do a better job at that than any other? If you're spending money for the 'bling' more power to ya. If you're spending money for weight savings...you could probably save more weight getting a haircut.

 

[mdbrown]

so it looks like i'll just go ahead and get the 105. thanks for the opinions.