Touring - Front Derailleur for 46-36-26 Crank

Im putting together a parts list to build a Tour bike and have decided on the Sugino XD600 crankset with barend shifters. I cannot seem to find the right derailleur that will work. It either does not have the range or is not designed for a 46 T large chain wheel.

What are you all using out there that would work for me with barend shifters and this crank?

Thanks!

Forget about the 46T thing and go for something like a Shimano XT, a 105 triple, or an IRD
Alpina, they'll work.

+1 on the 105 Triple

I put that crank 46,36,26 with brifters on my Trek 520. Bought the frame and purchased the components. Used a Shimano FD and it works fine. Not sure of the part number, I'll check it when I get home after work and post it.

Al

Im putting together a parts list to build a Tour bike and have decided on the Sugino XD600 crankset with barend shifters. I cannot seem to find the right derailleur that will work. It either does not have the range or is not designed for a 46 T large chain wheel.

What are you all using out there that would work for me with barend shifters and this crank?

Thanks!

I'm using a Tiagra FD with a Sugino XD600 26/36/48 and barcons. It's all stock on the Surly LHT complete, and seems to work fine.

From the reports I've seen, the Tiagra FD does much better with the odd chainring sizes than the higher end FDs.

Im putting together a parts list to build a Tour bike and have decided on the Sugino XD600 crankset with barend shifters. I cannot seem to find the right derailleur that will work. It either does not have the range or is not designed for a 46 T large chain wheel.

What are you all using out there that would work for me with barend shifters and this crank?

Thanks!

An Ultegra front derailleur works fine, seems I also hear that the 105 FD works too. I really like the 46-36-26 (or 24, can't remember). Really, I never leave the middle ring, get's me up a Really Big Hill every mourning of my commute.

I use Sugino 46-36-26 and my triple 105 fd works well.

I have an LX 48T trekking crankset and use an LX FD that I picked up from cambria bike for $15 2 months ago. Works fine.

The FD I use is the Shimano 105 FD-5504L with the Sugino XD600 46,36,26 crank with the 13-34 cassette from Harris Cyclery. It was recommended on some sites I saw and works fine. Using the Shimano 105 brifters.

Al

The FD I use is the Shimano 105 FD-5504L with the Sugino XD600 46,36,26 crank with the 13-34 cassette from Harris Cyclery. It was recommended on some sites I saw and works fine. Using the Shimano 105 brifters.

Al

The Tiagra is probably a better choice for a wide front derailer paired with STI. I happened to have measure one the other day and compared it to an Ultegra and 105. It's wider between the plates and the outer plate is thinner than the more sculpted 105's. This means that it's less prone to rub when in some gear combinations. I'd go with it over anything higher up the line.

XT and mountain bike derailers probably won't work with STI...if that's the way you are going.

I'm using a Sora derailer with my Sugino crank (46-36-26). It works fine.

Old Suntour FDs work great....mostly because many of them were designed to work with the 110 BCD cranksets (the cage has the right bend). You might save a little cash if you can find one. The IRD Alpina seems to be pretty close if you want a new one.

The new 105 and Ultegra FDs are made for 10 speed chains. They'll work with 9 speed or 8 speed, but not any better than a Tiagra FD. As posted above, the Sora units work fine as well. As long as you're using friction shifting.....almost any FD will work fine. I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm using a Campy "Racing T" frnt.with my Sugino XD, 48/36/26 and love it.

Richard

Old Suntour FDs work great....mostly because many of them were designed to work with the 110 BCD cranksets (the cage has the right bend). You might save a little cash if you can find one. The IRD Alpina seems to be pretty close if you want a new one.

The new 105 and Ultegra FDs are made for 10 speed chains. They'll work with 9 speed or 8 speed, but not any better than a Tiagra FD. As posted above, the Sora units work fine as well. As long as you're using friction shifting.....almost any FD will work fine. I wouldn't worry about it.

Agreed, I assumed that the FD was in friction mode, I carn't really imaging using a FD indexed as its always useful to be able to trim the FD.

I can also confirm that the 105 triple works well with a Sugino XD2 crank (46-36-26) and bar end shifters.

Make that the old 9 speed 105 triple, actually.

I have Sugino 46-36-26 crank and found that most any front dérailleur (FD) works with it despite various claims. Currently I use a standard Shimano LX (FD) designed for smaller cranks, but it works fine for the 46 and 26.

I use the LX fd too and it's grand. some rubbing on the lowerest gear combination but i can live with that for the moment.

QUESTION: I use a shim to fit the fd to the seat tube, so i assume this is the reason why there is rubbing in the lowest gear combo because the fd might be further away from the seat tube because of the shim???
am i correct???

Collie

Note that many of the new Shimano front derailleurs (2007 models) have problems when used with chainrings that are not stock Shimano chainring sizes. The cages are much more profiled than before. I wrote up an article about it on my blog here (http://tullios.blogspot.com/2007/04/touring-front-derailleur-update.html).

For what it's worth, the Campagnolo triple front derailleurs still work great with the XD600 crank.

It's true that Shimano is making it hard to mix MTB and road bike parts...9 speed mountian vs. 10 speed road, narrow derailer cages, bigger pins and ramps on chainrings for quicker STI shifting.

None of this stuff helps touring bikes.

Thank goodness there's still lots of cheap 8 speed stuff out there....a great choice for touring bikes!

For those of you using LX or XT FDs with 26-36-46 cranks, how old is your derailleur? I've not been able to get recent ones to work without either the inner cage rubbing the middle ring or having to mount them way too high on the seat tube. Shimano recommends a 12T difference between the middle and big ring and this is consistent with my experience. I'm trying to track down 1) how serious this issue is and 2) when it started.

For those of you using LX or XT FDs with 26-36-46 cranks, how old is your derailleur? I've not been able to get recent ones to work without either the inner cage rubbing the middle ring or having to mount them way too high on the seat tube. Shimano recommends a 12T difference between the middle and big ring and this is consistent with my experience. I'm trying to track down 1) how serious this issue is and 2) when it started.

It might have started a couple of years ago, but the 2007 models are even worse. You cannot use a 2007 LX FD with that crank. To avoid hitting the middle chainring with the inner cage, you need to mount the FD *very* high. In the past, you could mount the derailleur like this and still get OK shifting with friction shifters. However, the new derailleurs are more profiled. So, the ramps built into the cage will rub the chain in many gear combinations when the derailleur is mounted high. There is really no good work around. Hence, the need for either the less-profiled Campy derailleurs or old models.

To avoid hitting the middle chainring with the inner cage, you need to mount the FD *very* high. In the past, you could mount the derailleur like this and still get OK shifting with friction shifters. However, the new derailleurs are more profiled.

I've always use friction shifting for FDs to allow for trimming as the chain angle changes across the cassette, I'm
a bit lazy and tend to use the rear cassette at some less than optimal angles.

I carn't comment on the 2007 Shimano stuff, but I've never had an issue with mounting FDs high. I use a 105
double with a 42/26 front ring double. To get the FD to clear the chainstay there has to be a big gap between
the 42t ring and the cage, but its smaller than it would with the middle ring of a triple...so what's the issue.

I use the LX fd too and it's grand. some rubbing on the lowerest gear combination but i can live with that for the moment.

QUESTION: I use a shim to fit the fd to the seat tube, so i assume this is the reason why there is rubbing in the lowest gear combo because the fd might be further away from the seat tube because of the shim???
am i correct???

Collie

Collie --

The shim may be the reason. I'd look for a FD that fits the tube correctly. By rub, I assume you mean the chain rubs against the cage side and not the cage bottom. If the bottom is where the rub occurs, then lower the dérailleur a millimeter or two. If the chain rubs against the side, there are at least three things to explore.

First, check the adjustments on the dérailleur to ensure the limit stop is not preventing the dérailleur from retracting completely.

Second, it is possible the bottom bracket you have is not placing the crank set far enough away from your frame. However, if that were the case, the inner chain ring may rub against the frame itself, so this is unlikely to be the cause.

A third possibility may lie with the alignment of the dérailleur; you may need to tilt the cage at a different angle to the chain to allow for clearance.

i use a nos deore dx, it was between xt and lx in the early 90's. i have the xd 600 crank and this combonation is perfect. can be found on line for like 5 or 6 bucks plus shipping

Collie --

The shim may be the reason. I'd look for a FD that fits the tube correctly. By rub, I assume you mean the chain rubs against the cage side and not the cage bottom. If the bottom is where the rub occurs, then lower the dérailleur a millimeter or two. If the chain rubs against the side, there are at least three things to explore.

Many of the 2007 Shimano front derailleurs are intended to be used with integrated shims that come with the derailleur. Lowering the derailleur is not always an option with these since the inner cage will hit the middle chainring when shifting to the big chainring.

The chain rubs on the side in certain gear combinations because when you mount the derailleur high to clear the middle 'ring, the ramps in the sides of the cage are in the incorrect position. Instead of pushing the chain during a shift, it pushes the chain when *not* shifting.

Todd,

Have you tried any of the Shimano trekking style front derailers with the Sugino 110 BCD cranksets? Like the FD-M581-3 or FD-M761-3? (the -3 is the important number here) Shimano still makes nice trekking cranksets--- so the chainring size (26-36-46) can't be the problem. Is it possible the Sugino super-shift pins are getting in the way?

Todd,

Have you tried any of the Shimano trekking style front derailers with the Sugino 110 BCD cranksets? Like the FD-M581-3 or FD-M761-3? (the -3 is the important number here) Shimano still makes nice trekking cranksets--- so the chainring size (26-36-46) can't be the problem. Is it possible the Sugino super-shift pins are getting in the way?

Both of those derailleurs specify a 12T difference between the middle and the big ring. They also suggest a 48T top gear for "trekking". Shimano's "trekking" cranksets also have a 12T difference between middle and big rings.

Sugino's pins aren't getting in the way, the =teeth= on the middle ring rub the inner cage plate. The only way to make a Sugino crankset work well with a new Shimano FD is to use a road FD, or change a chainring. There may even be problems with road FDs. I haven't closely investigated that.

The bottom line is that Shimano seems =not= to support a 10T difference between the middle and big rings with MTB components any more.

Collie --

The shim may be the reason. I'd look for a FD that fits the tube correctly. By rub, I assume you mean the chain rubs against the cage side and not the cage bottom. If the bottom is where the rub occurs, then lower the dérailleur a millimeter or two. If the chain rubs against the side, there are at least three things to explore.

First, check the adjustments on the dérailleur to ensure the limit stop is not preventing the dérailleur from retracting completely.

Second, it is possible the bottom bracket you have is not placing the crank set far enough away from your frame. However, if that were the case, the inner chain ring may rub against the frame itself, so this is unlikely to be the cause.

A third possibility may lie with the alignment of the dérailleur; you may need to tilt the cage at a different angle to the chain to allow for clearance.

Thanks for the info. Yeah I think I'll bear it for the moment and see how it goes. if it really bugs me i'll change it out!