AS Collie

Hi all. I think I need someone else's ideas on this one, because it's driving me nuts.

The front derailleur (9-speed Veloce gruppo) on my favourite bike keeps pushing the chain off when I shift from the small to the big ring. The gap is not that big (any less and the chain would rub in the highest ratio). It only happens when I change quickly (as in, one swoop on the ero shifter, rather than the two or three small clicks I'm forced to make right now), but it happens regardless of what rear gear the chain in on.

FWIW, I clean and lube the chain every 200km or so (this is a personal problem). Any suggestions anyone?

ultraman6970

Assuming you know what are u doing (like 90% of the campy users know what they are doing), have you ever considered that the FD is simply old, or that u need to re tension the FD cable?

Forgot this, FD shifter is old and the springs and carriers needs to be replaced? Never seen a FD shifter go bad but why not? Looks more like the shifting is erratic more than "out of tune," that is characteristic of shifters telling you that the internals are old. Not familiar with veloce so can't tell you if u have replacement parts or anything.

If you have a shimano FD moving around just put it in there for testing, it should shift kind'a ok. The other conclusions are home work i guess.

Good luck.

AS Collie

Thanks, Ultraman, I haven't actually tried the cable; I'll do so.

Don't think anything's old. I only recently bought the whole bike, NOS, from a shop here in Italy. It'd been laying in the warehouse since 1997. So far, I've only done about 1000km on it.

You're right in saying that it's not exactly "out of tune", in the normal sense, but it's not erratic either, because, in the right conditions, the problem happens every time, which makes me think there's something fundamentally wrong with how it's set up.

tanguy frame

front der positioned on downtube correctly?

Al1943

Is it possible that the derailleur is too high or out of alignment?
Check the high limit setting with the chain on the big ring and smallest cassette cog. It needs to be close.

ultraman6970

+ 1 with tanguy and Al1943.

As collie u have to get those bikes for forum members u know

AS Collie

Thanks all. I haven't moved the derailleur, nor has it been knocked, but I did wonder if that was the problem. I've always been told to leave that well alone.

Ultraman, I think the forum members should charter a plane or something. With the bargains (relative to what I see on US and UK fleebay/craigslist, and what I would have expected to pay back in Ireland), you guys would almost be making money! I'm going to have a look at this later, just because it's cheap and I like the paint. Lazzaretti is a famous old shop/builder here in the city. Thinking of a carbon fork and some more modern components that I have laying around. [sorry to go off topic ... ]

TheReal Houdini

Campy 10 speed front derailleurs have a plastic insert on the inside of the outboard cage plate. Same for 9 speed? Don't know, but if it's supposed to be there and it's not there it will result in the failure you mentioned, speaking from personal experience.

ultraman6970

No comments man, when i went to italy i stopped by in 1 shop they had a nice old frame but since i was with wifey no way moving the darn frame with me during the trip u know. But always u can flip them in here just for your time u know

U paint? did u paint that frame?? Nice stuff.

Drew Eckhardt 

9 speed double derailleurs lack the insert.

AS Collie

Nah, that's the chosen original scheme. God bless the 90s!