Originally Posted by
70sSanO
I don't see a cable hooked up and it looks like the chain is in the inside chainring. Am I missing something?
If this is the case, I can't imagine being able to shift to the outside chainring.
Is the braze-on mount welded on or mechanically fastened?
If it can be removed, you may be able to use a bottom clamp/top swing derailleur. While it may not be something you want to go with, maybe an old XTR.
John
Thanks for your comment.
The cable is not hooked up at the moment - but it does clear the 23mm Schwalbe tire when it is. Not by much, though - good observation, as the rest would be pretty much moot if there were not room for the cable to run up to the FD.
Even with another RD, this probably keeps me on 23mm tires, if I'm being realistic. The exact location/configuration of the cable clamp on different FDs would induce some slight variation in the line the cable travels past (or through) the circumference of the tire, I guess, but probably not much.
The arm where the cable anchor point is located is well clear of the tire when it swings in to shift to the outer ring, BTW.
I was initially most iffy, really, about how close the part of the tricolor FD where the limit screws are located is to the tire - and am noticing other derailleurs don't seem to project back towards the tire in this fashion. Thus trying to settle on a suitable alternative to see if I can solve this, at least. Though I may still have an absurdly tight clearance with the FD cable anyways!
The braze-on FD mount is an integral part of the frame - the tab was brazed on to the frame 25 years ago by the builder, and isn't going anywhere.
So a top-swing unit, or any clamp-on FD, is a no-go.
Hoping I can *at least* get more comfortable clearance there with the 23s; I'd have been ectastic if I could, as I'd alluded to above, fit Veloflex Master 25s.
Those tires do run a bit narrow - but looking at things more closely today I'm not hopeful about that possibility.
I'll likely source a 7400 FD or a suitable Campy unit to try it out and see - though I suppose if the cable is going to leave me stuck with the 23s, maybe I shouldn't worry about the minimal clearance between the rear-protruding part of the tricolor FD and the tire. Still, making just a bit of room there would make me a little more comfortable.