Ok, never mind

The cable didn't snap, it just slipped from its bolt on the front derailleur. Guess I should have figured, since it's a new cable (it's still strong and not likely to snap) and a new bike (the bolt wasn't properly tightened).

(I realize that bike mechanicking isn't all that interesting for the world at large, but this blog is also an account for myself, so bear with me. I'm trying to learn this as I go along so I don't have to go running to friends for help every time my bike makes suspicious sounds. Also because I refuse to go along with the stereotype that girls need guys to fix things for them.)

Now the chain keeps skipping. I've had this problem before, and I've been playing with limit screws and cable tension, but the skipping simply won't go away. Did the derailleur hanger get bent while it was shipping ??!?! Is the chain too long? I'm not used to seeing what Shimano 110 is supposed to look like, since I had Shimano Tiagra before this. (110 shifters are so much shinier :D)

At this point, I think I'm beginning to see how bike maintenance can become somewhat addictive. It makes me want to figure out what's wrong, and fix it! It's like a puzzle, or a geometry problem, or architectural design.

At least the front derailleur's working again.