bwilli88 

I have a Fuji Stratos, a made for Japan bike. it has a Shimano 2300FD. The problem is I want to put a larger tire on the rear and the clamp is HUGE and it has short chain stays. I would like to put some 700cx35s on it and they would fit if it was not for a fat clamp for the FD. Is there a Front derailleur that has a thinner clamp or one that rides lower on the seat post that I could swap out to. I would have no problem going to a triple even.

10 Wheels

Looking at your photo, it seems that you have no room for a larger tire on the rear.

What size is the rear tire in the pic?

dsbrantjr

It looks to me like you would not have room for a larger tire if the FD was removed altogether. The tire looks equally close to the clamp and the seat tube.

fietsbob

You might consider tearing the whole bike down and adding a Braze-on FD cleat , then repainting it .

New 29ers have those scant clearance issues too.

what you want might be a frame with Longer Chainstays..

Builders have used S bend Seat-tubes,m pressed in clearance Dents,
, and even, like Rigi, splitting up the seat tubes into 2 smaller diameter tubes ,
and having the tire edge pass between them..
Or Kestral just eliminating the seat tube entirely..

Or live with what you have.. I have a actual CX frame , and stick with 32 tires on it.

rebuild the rear wheel around a Hybrid hub Like SRAM Dual Drive,
a combo IGH and cassette
then the FD and 2 other chainrings can Go. (& still have a 'triple crank')

Bezalel

There are top-swing deraileurs that mount lower but AFAIK they are only available for MTB, If your front shifter is friction and you're willing to replace your crankset you could make it work.

FBinNY 

Based on the photo, there's not much difference between where the tire would hit the clamp or the frame. If you only need 1 or 2 millimeters, you can carefully file some material away from the back of the clamp.

Don't get carried away, but done right this might solve your problem without overly weakening the band.

bradtx

bwilli88, The 2-3 mm you maybe able to eek out isn't going to change the tire's footprint much at all.

Brad

bwilli88 

I have 28mm tires on it now and can go to a 38 without the FD, I just want to put something like a 700c x 32 small block 8 pro or similar cyclecross type tire to handle the nasty roads here in Cambodia.

bwilli88 

I took off the FD and it had a 1.5 mm shim around the whole seat tube. I cut the rear shim and fit a piece of it between the front half of the shim and the seat tube and filed off 1 mm of the rear of the FD clamp. It looks a bit of Cambodian engineering but it works. Here how it fits, front of FD clamp, full shim, part shim, down tube, rear of FD clamp that have had 1 mm filed off the back side. This gave me enough space to fit a 700x35 that just clears the rear of the FD clamp.




It looks like it is rubbing but it does not.


Now to find some interrupter brake levers to fit the handle bars.

ksisler

OP; Appears somewhat clear that the bike you have and the bike you desire/need are not one and the same and that you will be unable to easily bridge the gap. Hopefully your budget allows for a replacement bike to meet the fatter tire requirement...

/K

bwilli88 

Sure, I would love to have a Carbon road bike, a vintage Steel 27" wheeled single speed/3 speed with coaster brakes, an Aluminum hard tail 29r, My Raleigh Gran Sport that is in the states, my old 20 BMXr and n+1 but I have limited funds so I ride these.

I have been having a great time building what I want out of these.

FBinNY 

Don't let folks get you down. Adapting bikes to your needs is an old respected practice. Anybody can spend dough, but what you're doing makes it yours.

BTW- I was wondering where it's safe to leave 2 nice bikes, and related stuff outside leaning on cyclone fence, so I looked up your town. They didn't have street views so I couldn't find your house, but if you commute to work by bike, you need to add photos to the "photo's of your ride" thread on the commuter forum.

bwilli88 

I live in Kampong Cham Cambodia and that is part of a cage shed in my back yard.

Erwin8r

Decent engineering born of necessity, but I would look at replacing that fd as soon as possible. Seems like one with the proper diameter clamp, and filed a bit the way FB mentions is the way to go. Nice bikes, by the way--I agree that making what one has work has a base appeal.

jyl

No room for fenders, though.

Maybe a conversion to 26" rims? Using long reach brakes?

Phil_gretz

I like the way your bike looks.

FBinNY 

It seems like an interesting place. Do you use the bamboo bridge?

fietsbob

seeking out another FD made for the size of seat tube you actually have , is practical.

You can get a band to braze on adapter and a Braze on FD ..

the adapter band will be similar to having the band fitted FD in the clearance it has behind it.

you do realize a stone can jam in the gap and lock up your rear wheel in an instant
with such a limited clearance , don't you?