Originally Posted by
Bike enthusiast
Forgive me, but I'm reposting this question due to lack of specific responses about this issue.
I'm have a difficult time narrowing the gap between the front dérailleur and the largest chain ring on my compact rank to the 1mm-3mm mark(it's a braze-on, so the lowest setting drops it to around 10mm away). Any suggestions on what to do here?
I believe the problem is with the crank being a compact, therefore having a smaller diameter chain ring. If it were bigger, I would not have this issue. I know there are tons of you out there with braze-on frames, so let's settle this once and for all:
Braze-on + Compact = trouble**********
I set up a friend's bike like this once. It was an older Trek. They apparently now make a braze-on tab with a longer/deeper slot, to accommodate moving the FD closer to the large ring. If you have a Trek, you might visit a local dealer and ask if they have a replacement braze-on tab that will accommodate a Compact (they're marked with a C on the tab; the tabs are held in place with a couple of 3mm bolts).
If you can't do that and you are handy with a Dremel (and there is sufficient room on the braze-on), you could just extend it yourself.
A 10mm gap is quite a lot; on my friend's bike we were able to get within about 6mm, and we just left it at that. I would just try it; it will probably work just fine even with the big gap. You want to make sure the high limit screw on the FD is adjusted right, because if you overshift going to the outer ring, the danger with that larger gap is that the chain will get caught under there and bend your FD cage.