Look frame questions
 

Might as well kill two birds with one stone -- here goes:

1. I have an Ultegra clamp-on FD, but it's 34.9mm - this frame requires a 31.8mm. Is this just a different part?

2. Frame has internal cable routing, but being European, it's on the left (I assume since European bikes use the left brake for rear as I understand it). As long as the cable doesn't bind, it's not a problem to still use the right lever for the rear brake, is it?

Thanks in advance!

1. YES

2. I don't under stand what you are talking about. The rear cabe routing SHOULD be on the left.

Doh! Linus - You are absolutely correct on it being the left side. I had thought that the cable would run on the same side as the lever, but I notice that it in fact does cross over.

No, most Europeans rig the rear brake to the right lever, like Americans. But the cable leaves the caliper on the left side wherever you are;)

Interesting. Thanks, Lo...

One possibility is to get a Shimano adapter clamp. They are available in 31.8 mm (1-1/4") and 34.9 mm (1-3/8") and then take braze-on front derailleurs. A braze-on der is slightly cheaper so the combination costs only a little more than the derailleur alone.

The beauty of this is that if you remove the derailleur for cleaning, you don't upset it's alignment as long as you don't remove the clamp. Makes overhauls less tedious.

Is there inherently any functional advantage/disadvantage to clamp-on versus braze-on+clamp other then the point that you mention above? I can probably get either at N/C as I bought this as part of a package from my LBS.

Functionally they are identical. I started using the adapter clamp years ago when Shimano made clamp-on derailleurs only in 1-1/8" and 1-1/4" clamp diameters. My frame required a 1-3/8" clamp so the adapter with a braze-on der was the only alternative.