The plans to replace the groupset on my commuter are going well. I took apart the “test bike” I bought on Gumtree a few weeks ago and attached the entire Shimano Tiagra groupset to the bike. The only bit that was a problem was the front mech which was restricted because the screws for the water bottle on the down tube were in the place that clip for the front mech needed to go. Not entirely sure who designed that frame, but they clearly were not thinking about making it possible to fit a standard front mech to it.

Anyway, next I took the entire groupset off the bike so that I can attach it to my commuter. I plan to do this in two sittings, and although I may end up doing both sittings in one day, I am leaving myself the option of doing one sitting one weekend and the next sitting a week later, if time runs away from me. However, to attempt to prevent that happening, I am now listing what I reckon I need to do, and therefore what I need, to do the job.

Brakes are missing from this installation because I already have Tiagra brake calipers on the bike, as the original 2300 ones pretty much died, most likely from lack of care by myself. I should apply GT85 to such things more often than “never”.

Sitting 1: Front

Encompasses:

• Left STI
• Bottom Bracket
• Crankset
• Front Mech

Kit needed: inner and outer brake and gear cables.

Steps to assemble:

1. Remove left hand bar tape
2. Remove front gear cable
3. Remove brake cable
4. Throw away inner cables, retain outers if in good nick
5. Remove chain
6. Remove front mech
7. Remove pedals
8. Remove cranks
9. Remove bottom bracket
10. Clean out threads that BB screws into
11. Remove left STI
12. Attach new left STI
13. Attach new bottom bracket
14. Attach new crankset
15. Attach new front mech
16. Attach old chain
17. Attach pedals
18. Attach gear cable, and test
19. Attach brake cable, and test
20. Wrap new bar tape

Sitting 2: Back

Encompasses:

• Right STI
• Rear mech
• Chain
• Cassette

Kit needed: inner and outer brake and gear cables.

Steps to assemble:

1. Remove right hand bar tape
2. Remove rear gear cable
3. Remove brake cable
4. Throw away inner cables, retain outers if in good nick
5. Remove chain
6. Remove rear mech
7. Remove rear wheel
8. Remove cassette from wheel
9. Remove right STI
10. Attach new right STI
11. Attach new cassette to wheel
12. Attach rear mech
13. Put wheel back in
14. Attach new chain
15. Attach gear cable, and test
16. Attach brake cable, and test
17. Wrap new bar tape