Front Derailleur
#1
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Joined: Sep 2016
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Front Derailleur
My Fuji Hybrid has a three ring crankset for the 3 x 7 gearing. I recently changed the big ring from a 48 to 52 and with a 28 small ring leaves a 24 tooth difference. The stock derailleur is a Shimano Tourney that handles a recommended 20 tooth difference. The derailleur does work but I'm interested in upgrading the unit using the Shimano components. I've also changed to Shimano ST EF51 click shifters from the original twist grip that seem to work well.
Please advise on a front derailleur upgrade.
Please advise on a front derailleur upgrade.
#3
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: St Peters, Missouri
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Everything on a bicycle works together. You have stretched the design capacity of the derailleur and have no trim function on your shifters. The question now is: "Does it work well enough to meet your standards?" If your answer is "No." my advice would be to switch shifters to something that provides trim capabillity rather than swapping front derailleurs.
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#4
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
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From: Upstate NY
Bikes: Bianchi San Mateo and a few others
My Fuji Hybrid has a three ring crankset for the 3 x 7 gearing. I recently changed the big ring from a 48 to 52 and with a 28 small ring leaves a 24 tooth difference. The stock derailleur is a Shimano Tourney that handles a recommended 20 tooth difference. The derailleur does work...
If your current setup is working, what are you looking to gain from a derailleur upgrade?
#5
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Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3
Another question-
What would you up"upgrade" to?
Most of the "upgrade" FD's are for more speeds, thus will have a narrower cage, thus will be fussier to get adjusted properly without chain rub.
You are more likely to induce new problems.
This is a Tourney on my 3X9 with 22-32-36 rings.
It was a PAIN to get adjusted to work well, but it works. I went through an extra cable, because of all the adjusting (clamp, unclamp, clamp...)
IF it works OK, count your blessings.
What would you up"upgrade" to?
Most of the "upgrade" FD's are for more speeds, thus will have a narrower cage, thus will be fussier to get adjusted properly without chain rub.
You are more likely to induce new problems.
This is a Tourney on my 3X9 with 22-32-36 rings.
It was a PAIN to get adjusted to work well, but it works. I went through an extra cable, because of all the adjusting (clamp, unclamp, clamp...)
IF it works OK, count your blessings.
Last edited by Bill Kapaun; 09-01-16 at 11:37 AM.
#6
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,327
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From: Roswell, GA
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
What do you hope to accomplish with such an upgrade? If you have a front derailleur which shifts satisfactorily there is little else to wish for.
"Never Fix A Running Piece" would seem to apply here.
"Never Fix A Running Piece" would seem to apply here.
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 109
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From: Turku, Finland
Bikes: Trek Allant 7.2, Trek Soho S
I don't have anything clever to say about upgrades, but I just spent an 'exciting' thirty minutes adjusting the Altus front derailer on my new-ish Trek Allant 7.2 (same as FX 7.2, but with disc brakes). I had an odd noise on the middle chainring, almost as if there was a ticking freewheel on the crank axle. The chain was not rubbing, and the noise didn't occur on the small or big chainring. I couldn't figure it out for a long time and kept adjusting the cable tension until the shifting was perfect and rubbing absolutely minimal. Still a weird noise on the middle chainring and middle cog, right at the best chain line. I thought maybe this is the best you can get with these cheap derailers.
Then I finally got my ears and eyes close enough to the derailer and realized that there was a partly clear plastic sticker hanging from the derailer cage and it rubbed on the chain when the derailer was positioned just so, on the middle chainring. The sticker was apparently part of Shimano's packaging/installation instruction, and would have been ok if it hadn't torn halfway off. Took out the sticker and the noise was no more.
Moral of the story: whatever you do, remove Shimano's stickers.
I find the shifting actually good enough, once you get the cable tension right. I had trim on a previous bike (Shimano bar-ends), but I don't really miss it. You can't avoid rubbing entirely on the Altus shifters, but I can get rid of it on the gears I actually use.
Then I finally got my ears and eyes close enough to the derailer and realized that there was a partly clear plastic sticker hanging from the derailer cage and it rubbed on the chain when the derailer was positioned just so, on the middle chainring. The sticker was apparently part of Shimano's packaging/installation instruction, and would have been ok if it hadn't torn halfway off. Took out the sticker and the noise was no more.
Moral of the story: whatever you do, remove Shimano's stickers.
I find the shifting actually good enough, once you get the cable tension right. I had trim on a previous bike (Shimano bar-ends), but I don't really miss it. You can't avoid rubbing entirely on the Altus shifters, but I can get rid of it on the gears I actually use.
Last edited by gemini; 09-01-16 at 05:38 PM.
#8
Really Old Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,658
Likes: 1,898
From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3
Everything on a bicycle works together. You have stretched the design capacity of the derailleur and have no trim function on your shifters. The question now is: "Does it work well enough to meet your standards?" If your answer is "No." my advice would be to switch shifters to something that provides trim capabillity rather than swapping front derailleurs.
My advice to leave well enough alone still holds.
#12
Really Old Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,658
Likes: 1,898
From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun
Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3





