Bike: Trek 1500

alright...105 STI, Tiagra FD...all brand new. i was riding around after tweaking the bars, saddle, etc. and noticed that i was having problems cleanly shifting from the middle ring to the big ring. i haven't ridden a bike with a FD in a while, but something tells me it should be smoother. often times the chain will drop to the little ring. i'll push the lever in a little more and it'll go up. but i'm having to push it rather far. like, uncomfortably far. is this a limit screw issue? possibly a cable tension issue? anything i should check to better diagnose the problem? i kept the chain in the middle of the cassette.

also, is there any way to adjust lever reach?

now the brakes...ugh. am i materialistic, or are they super spongey?

Bike: Trek 1500

alright...105 STI, Tiagra FD...all brand new. i was riding around after tweaking the bars, saddle, etc. and noticed that i was having problems cleanly shifting from the middle ring to the big ring. i haven't ridden a bike with a FD in a while, but something tells me it should be smoother. often times the chain will drop to the little ring. i'll push the lever in a little more and it'll go up. but i'm having to push it rather far. like, uncomfortably far. is this a limit screw issue? possibly a cable tension issue? anything i should check to better diagnose the problem? i kept the chain in the middle of the cassette.

also, is there any way to adjust lever reach?

now the brakes...ugh. am i materialistic, or are they super spongey?

It sounds like the bike shop that built them must really suck, I wouldn't trust them and I'd never go back....Wait a minute I work there. Never mind.

Inbred you must have been right under my nose as I was working all day. I handed out a couple of Texas 4000 bikes today. You guys are gonna have fun, Livingston is a blast, he's got some great stories.

Bring it by the shop and we'll have the service boys take a look. I am guessing cable tension. There is no lever reach adjust but crafty use of some shims Shimano makes for womens shifters could yield some results.

who are you? i'm in there quite a bit...almost once a week. i like that place so much i tried to get a job there but got denied. ouch. i hope it was because i said i had little retail experience, rather than not knowing the angles of a Quintana Roo Tri-bike. which i now will never forget. i don't think i can touch any of my bikes now without thinking "man, i should be working at Sport Shop

anywho, i'm not in Austin right now, won't get back till sunday. i plan on riding tomorrow, so i'll probably screw with the cable tension during the ride and see what i can do.

who are you? i'm in there quite a bit...almost once a week. i like that place so much i tried to get a job there but got denied. ouch. i hope it was because i said i had little retail experience, rather than not knowing the angles of a Quintana Roo Tri-bike. which i now will never forget. i don't think i can touch any of my bikes now without thinking "man, i should be working at Sport Shop

anywho, i'm not in Austin right now, won't get back till sunday. i plan on riding tomorrow, so i'll probably screw with the cable tension during the ride and see what i can do.

Link below will have my pic if it helps. Jobs are a tough one. I have a lot of side activities so I work sales and have been here off and on for 5 years. The shop lets me take off for events like the tour. I'll also be blasting off to cover the Tour de Georgia in a week or so.

http://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/online2.nsf/htmltdf03/ta4

ah, yeah you look familiar. i think i was standing near you at Waco, during the Pro Short Track. the Veloechappe gig looks to be a mighty tough one.