Moto_GT Front Derailleur hot swap

For about an hour today the Moto_GT supplanted the Trek 420 in the work-stand.

When I was at bike works last weekend looking for a better rear skewer for the 420 I picked up a Suntour AR FD for about $5.  I still plan to fix the original but this was a cheaper and quicker way to get the Moto_GT back on the road.

So on to hot swapping, STEP ONE, lose the chain, which is pretty easy with a quick link and a Park tool quick link tool.  I just let the chain dangle after I got it clear of the FD.

STEP TWO, remove the non working FD after you move the gear cable.

I like to put the smaller parts in a zip lock so A) I won't lose them, B) I can still see them and C) I can write a note in sharpie to remind me what it is and what needs doing.

STEP THREE, deal with the fact that the cable guide has slipped and the RD cable is way too far above the BB.  first I loosened the cable pinch bolt on the RD to give some slack and then loosened the down tube cable stop so I could move it back in place closer to the bb.

I made sure to get the bolt securing the cable stop very snug this time so I would not have a repeat.

The scrape the cable stop left when it slipped hurts my heart but that is risk you run with clamp on cable stops, sigh.

The last part of this step is to snug the RD cable back up.

STEP FOUR, reconnect chain, that you Mr. quick link!

STEP FIVE, connect the FD cable up to the new FD and do some quick tests.

STEP SIX, test ride your work, I both dropped the chain to the inside up front and it went between the large cog and dork disk in back so I will have some limit screw work to do back at the shop.

Fortunately I found the perfect tool just laying around to get the chain back on with a minimum of dirty hands, yes a stick.

I had noticed when I was going up the slight incline between my house and the junction that although I was in a easy gear going up a 2% grade at most it felt like I was in a high gear going up a 7% grade with a bear, ok at least a large dog, on my back!  I am really that out of shape?  No as it turns out I had removed my rear wheel to make the FD install easier and didn't get it fully centered and snug when I put it back.  My tire was rubbing on the chain stay making pedaling much harder than it needed to be.  As you can see from the above the down side of throwing the largest rubber that will fit on a bike is your margin for error is very slim.  In retrospect some 1 1/8 tires might have been a better idea than the 1 1/4 panaracers I selected.  Anyway it was much easier sailing once I got the rear wheel sorted.

I made it to the junction, had a nice lunch and got to ride my bike in the sun on a decently warm September day.  And it appears with a few tweaks the Moto_GT will be back in the rotation.

Ride, center your wheel to eliminate tire rub, smile,  repeat.