yumseyo

Hi All, has anyone run into this problem. I have a Vitesse P18 that I am building up from scratch, and am having difficulty with installing the front derailleur on the braze on that came on the bike. I am trying to install a Dura Ace 7970 Di2 front derailleur. I have already installed a DA 7900 hollowtube crankset. It has a 68mm bottom bracket. The crankset and bottom bracket mounts fine. I am just having problems lining up the front derailleur with the inside chainring, it mounts too far away from the seat tube. I've spaced out the bottom bracket on the right side by 2mm but that still is not enough. It looks to me that I need to remove the front derailleur braze on and use a clamp on front derailleur hanger, which fits fine on my Tern with a similar set up. I am trying to not have to "cut", but am running out of ideas. Thanks in advance. I've thought about slotting the braze on at 90 degrees to get the derailleur closer to the seat tube, but with the curves at the back of the braze on, I don't see how the derailleur would be stable. Thanks in advance..

Hinge

I realize this response is somewhat late, but I thought I would chime in anyway. I have a P18 and I have replaced the FD. Granted, it wasn't a 7970 FD or even close, but I had no issues at all. I am wondering if it has anything to do with the fact that it's a DI2, but that shouldn't be a problem. You have probably already checked this but, are you sure your "L" limit screw isn't preventing the derailleur from moving closer to the seat tube? What about the rotation angle screw?

On a side note, how are you going to route the DI2 power cables and how will that work when folding? Where/how are you going to mount the battery?

It sounds like this bike will be AMAZING when you're done. Please post pics!

yumseyo

I've mounted the battery on a support bar in front of the crankset. It sort of hides behind the crank and you can't see it too well. I ran the main wire thru the frame and made sure I left enough in the frame so when folded, it can pull out slightly. I am also going to try powercordz "swift" housings and also run it thru the frame to really clean it up !.. I made a small cover to hide some of the wires near the old kick stand mount. Now I am moving onto the the shifters which I am having problems with...more to come...I will try to take some pictures to post...

Hinge

Wow, sounds great. Any progress with the front derailleur issue?

jur

Unfortunately this is a problem with thick seat tubes, that the derailer is too far outboard. I have had to modify the derailer for my Xootr Swift to just work but it is not nice. The only solution is to find a thick spacer and get the crankset even further outboard. This messes up the chainline also. A triple crankset fitted with double rings is slightly better but the chainline is still as bad.

One of those compromises with foldies.

smallwheeler

edit: with certain foldies.

ultegra di2 anyone?

BruceMetras

Sure, Bike Friday would be happy to fix you up...

Hinge

whatever became of this Monster Vitesse P18?

fietsbob

I Bought a Custom made bolt a Front derailleur hanger Braze on style for My Brompton , then put the Mountain drive crank on instead.

Unused .. Bracket, Shimano Road Braze on FD and a nice Thumbshifter to pull the cable .. anyone interested ?

Hinge

Any pics of the finished product?

yumseyo

Well Hinge, I pulled out the old dremel tool, hack saw, and carbon fiber tape.....and bam.....problem solved. I was going to answer your pm but I forgot what I posted and had to go back and read the thread. I hope you enjoy some of my pictures.

yumseyo

I have lots more but here is finished bike....

yumseyo

Sorry guys, I have to learn how to put these files in a link..

Hinge

Say it isn't so!!! You permanently neutered it! Thanks for the fast update and for posting pics.

I was hoping you had found a less lethal solution, but this may be the only remedy.

By the way, your bike looks great! I'm really interested in how you did all that internal cable routing. Any chance you could post some pics of the complete bike?

Thanks

yumseyo

Internal wiring?.......patience, a drill, wire, and more patience.....

Hinge

Oh my...

That has to be one of the best folders I have ever seen! Amazing amazing amazing! Wow.

Vitesse P ██ . Nice!

The cockpit looks so clean without conventional shifter pods and cables.

Nice touches with the red derailleur pulleys and red crank fixing bolt!

I'm assuming you MUST have a pair of clipless QRD pedals as well for a bike like that!

A few questions:

Are your shifters integrated into your grips?

What handlepost is that? Is it a taobao special?

What brake levers?

Did you have to drill holes inside the hinge as well for the internal routing?

53/39? Do you ever wish you had bigger rings?

Fantastic job. You win!

smallwheeler

excellent mod.

invisiblehand

Nice job.

jur

Where does one find those stops for internal cable routing? I'm coming up blank.

yumseyo

for the Di2 cable, I used the ones available from shimano and enlarged the holes to fit the DA 7970 wires I used. For the brake cable, I asked my local bike shop if they had any laying around and got lucky and he had four, so I used it on both bikes I built..