timo888 

In response to a request for info, Xootr sent me these pics of the front-derailer prototype. They're in-house but the website hasn't been set up yet for selling them nor have the installation instructions been finalized.

Regards
T

P.S. Posted here with Xootr's permission.

itsmoot

I guess SRAM doesn't make a top-pull deraillaur?

jur

Even with top pull you'd still need a cable housing stop. This solution is self-contained.

itsmoot

Don't get me wrong, I'd prefer bottom-pull over top for the wider selection of front ders. I'd just figured from earlier discussions they were going to use top-pull.

It would look classy if the (guide?) wheel stays brass in the production version.

invisiblehand

Nice. I always envisions something with avid rollamajig. Although, from appearances, it will suffer from the same problem as the Bike Friday front derailer setup since the pull angle is sort of from the side.

fmattheus

What problem does the bike friday front derailleur setup have?

invisiblehand

I guess problem is the wrong word. But if the derailer mount gets bent -- not too hard with a folding bike -- then you have to bend it back to within a very narrow tolerance. Essentially, because the cable pulls to the side, the typical mount cannot maintain appropriate derailer alignment through multiple shifts to the big ring. This is after I increased the size of the "lock" washer -- not too sure what to call it ... but it is the washer on the opposite side of the derailer mount that creates a bigger surface area for the screw to hold the derailer in place -- and put sandpaper between the derailer and the braze on mount. Long story short, you have to bend the mount -- it is designed for this -- until it is (almost) perfectly faced such that the derailer is centered within the mount and parallel with the chainring. You have nowhere near the lateral tolerance experienced with a standard down pull front derailer.

Now that I think about it more, I suppose that much of this issue is corrected by having a bracket on the Swift since you can simply rotate the bracket around the seat tube. Although it might create a problem since you rather have the mount bend than the seat tube.

Speedo

That looks pretty nice. Was there any word on how much they'd be charging for it?

Speedo

timo888 

I don't know. Whatever the market will bear

Regards
T

P.S. I'm considering a SRAM iMotion 9 freewheel-version internal hub and the SRAM DualDrive. This front-derailer would be a good adjunct should I go for the iMotion and end up riding more frequently on steeper terrain.

datako

Seems an awful lot of faff when a hub gear can do the job, but you can't argue with market demand.

jur

The hub gear option is more expensive, is heavier, there is less competitive choice, it is sold in fewer places, it is more difficult to remove a rear wheel, LBSs are often not competent to carry out repair and even adjustment jobs... I could go on.

The drawback is the huge chainwheels needed.

kb5ql

Or capreo hub.

Thanks for the solution ... NOW (1 year too late). Oh well.

timo888 

Comments interspersed.

Regards
T

jur

The hub gear option datako (I think) and I were referring to is not the plain hub gear but the dualdrive option.

timo888 

The two of you must be communicating telepathically. I missed that completely. Unless you've had that debate elsewhere and now it takes only a few code words to summon up the argument, like the lifers in prison?

Jonesy, a new guy on the cell-block hears on his first night in prison:

216 (followed by laughter) ... a little later, 1753 (more laughter) .... 26 (uproarious laughter)... and then 155 (which is met by almost complete silence, just a few groans and hisses).

He has no clue what's going on and asks his cell-mate.

--Oh, we've been here so long, we don't bother to tell the entire joke; we just refer to them by number.
-- I see. But what was all that with 155?
--That's Smith. He's really bad at telling jokes.

Regards
T

itsmoot

And often they require custom prep.