Stob Coire na Ceannain

I broke the gear shifter on my bike last night. This is the handlebar mounted unit with levers which in this case shifts ratios on the front sprcoket. I couldn't tell, till this morning upon examination, what the problem was. I had hoped just a cable but no a wee bit which grasps the cable inside had broken off.

I went of to the bike shop in Inverlochy. I showed the broken component to guy in the shop and as I suspected it couldn't be bought on its own. I had to buy a complete assembly which includes the brake lever as well. He was very helpful, up beat and full of good advice.

I returned home knowing I had a path to full working order again. I bolted the new part on fine but the sheathing of the old brake cable did not fit the new handle arrangement. I returned to the bike shop this time to buy a new brake cable too. In order to not make it too simple this is routed through the top tube of the frame.

Its obviously a fashion dictate but the new brake lever is much shorter than the original and I feel that I am having to take a real hard (knuckles white) squeeze of the lever to get any slowing down affect from the rear caliper. Also the precise setting of derailleurs is incredibly awkward and fickle and I have upset it on dismantling of the front gear cable. I have it all back together but cannot easily select the big sprocket.

I have had mucky hands most of the afternoon and not many blip options so this is the evening light on Stob Coire na Ceannain.