Brant C

I bought my bike, still in the box, from a guy about 5 months ago, and being an amateur, struggled some with putting everything together. (I should have had a bike shop do it for me, but I thought I could save money....oh the irony).

http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?...

Within the first week, my front shifter broke. It felt like it had built up too much tension, so when I went to upshift, something popped internally and it wouldn't grab anymore, although the brakes still worked fine. The bike shop owner said one of the gears was broken and the entire thing needed to be replaced, which could easily run $250-$300. Needless to say, I was not happy to hear this. There's no warranty since the bike sat in the box for a year and a half AND I bought it second hand.

What I'm hoping is that I can shop for a used shifter to replace the one I broke.

It has standard Shimano Tiagra shifters, and the derailer is still in perfect condition, which means, in theory, only the shifter would need replaced. I've been able to ride using the 9 gears in the rear, but I really need to be able to use the front three gears if I'm going to be doing Tri's with this bike. Basically what I need to know is whether or not I can simply replace the shifter with a used part, or is this going to be a bigger, badder, more expensive fix. If so, will any Tiagra shifter work to on my bike, or do I need the exact same model that came off my bike in order for the brakes and derailer to work with my crankset?

Any other info you have regarding this fix would be appreciated as well. Thanks guys.

I'm looking for a good book on epigenetics. Preferably one that isn't a text book costing $250.

I planted it about 2 months ago in a large indoor pot. I want to force it to germinate and grow earlier than spring, but the all the warmth and water I give it haven't seemed to do any good. Is there any way to stimulate growth before spring?