The problem was, by this time the only shifter system that would work with my gearing had a front deraileur that wasn't "big" enough to handle the difference between my smallest and largest chainring. So I took my chances and hooked it up to the derailleur I already had.

As you may expect, this caused a mismatch resulting in less than favorable performance. I guess I could have taken the shifters back and returned to my old bar-ends, but I thought I'd fool around with these and see if I could "MacGyver" them into working.

The problem was that the shifter wasn't pulling enough cable to move the derailleur cage far enough to shift the chain properly. If I set the derailleur so the chain wouldn't rub on the cage in the large chainring, it wouldn't shift the chain back onto the middle one. It would fall between the large and middle rings. Sort of like a "neutral". Needless to say, I didn't need that.

So first I disassembled the shifter to see if I could get it to pull more cable, but the design wouldn't let me do this. So I went to the other end, to see if I could make the derailleur move farther.

That I could do. Here's how...

O.K. So how does this work (I hear you cry). Well you remember your high school physics? When you shorten the end of the lever that's being pulled on, then pull that end the same distance as you did before you shortened it, the other end will move further. Got it?

This MacGyverism may let you adapt derailleurs to work with shifters they normally wouldn't work with, giving you a greater choice on how you equip your machine.

Hmmm.. I wonder if I can change the amount the rear derailleur moves with this trick? Maybe I can adapt it to work with different a size or brand of cog cassette.