Originally Posted by
PDLandis
If you tried everything, and the FD just doesn’t ever seem to be right, you may be where I was about 2 years ago with my Rockhopper. The FD was junk from Day 1. They are entry level, so maybe this is just what you get.
I had so many problems with it that I finally junked it and replaced it with a Shimano out of desperation. It works fine with the factory SRAM shifters, and all the nagging chain dropping problems went away. It’s on the bike to this day, and every time I shift smoothly up and down on it I think about that old SRAM and how I used to cringe thinking about how the dropped chains were tearing up my bike.
I eventually upgraded the RD to a higher grade SRAM model. The X5 RD starting getting to be impossible to adjust properly.
I suppose I do have the old 9sp FD that the bike came with, I can check the cage width and see if it's plausible. Good to know that a Shimano FD will work also. I've been hesitant to go any buy a higher grade SRAM FD since the cage shape looks the same.
It just bugs me that this is the only FD I've had this sort of issue with. 5 other bikes with a FD and setup has only ever been turn or two on the limit screws!