When I changed the 30T granny of the Truvativ Elita triple that came on our flat-bar tandem, the bike shop said that the Shimano 105 FD would not be able to handle it. I tried it anyway. Not only did the FD not miss a beat picking the chain up from the new granny (24T), there were times (friction mode) when I would overshift right past the 39T middle straight into the big ring (52T). It was unintentional, but it made that shift like buttah. I could have had a 52/24 double, and it shifts just fine! I deffo agree with trying it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.