I'm a bike noob who just tore down and completely rebuilt a homebrew hybrid on a Cannondale M300 CAAD2 frame and fork that were given to me a couple of years ago.

The drivetrain I deployed consists of:

Race Face BB (ISIS)
Bontrager Race Lite Crank with 52/42/39 rings
Shimano 105 Triple Front Derailleur
Shimano 105 ten-speed chain
Shimano Hyperglide AC 11-23 7 speed rear cassette
Shimano Alivio 7 speed rear derailleur (the only part I haven't replaced in the drivetrain)
Shimano Dura Ace Nine Speed Bar-end shifters with the rear in friction mode

My problem is with the front derailleur more than the rear. The rear works in friction mode very well. However, I can only get the front to shift either the bottom and middle or the top and middle. It doesn't seem to matter how much I adjust or move the front derailleur, this is what I get. I've wrestled with it for a week or so.

I researched each part before purchase and thought I was buying components that would work together so I'm a bit confused, but being a noob, odds are I've made mistakes - So here I am asking for assistance.

Any ideas other than "take it to your LBS"? I'd like to try to do this on my own 'cause that's how I am...Can't learn unless you do.

Thanks in advance!

how about the length of the bb axle ? if chain line not right you can have this problem . why are you using a 10 speed chain on 7 speed set up ? try a wider chain for a 6/7 drive train . The chain can be your problem.

I'll check the chain line again when I get home just to be sure.

Originally I put a "wally world" chain on it for testing and it rubbed badly on the FD, that's why I went to the narrower chain.

Thanks for the help!

Get Sram 8 sp chain with the replacable link.

yes the sram 8 sp or a shimano hg 8 sp will too.

Sweet, I'll try the SRAM or HG

Thanks!

If the front derailleur is a 10-speed that may be a problem for two reasons.
It's too narrow to run with a wider chain.
It's designed to work with a 50-39-30 chainring set. I assume your smallest chainring is a 30, not a 39 as you've posted. You probably need a 9-speed or wider triple front derailleur.

Al

You're right - It's a ten speed designed for the 50/39/30 and I have a 52/39/30, not what I wrote above (my mistake).

Well, that sucks - Could have sworn that 105 would do 52 teeth... Told you I was a noob.

Anyhow, it shifted okay on all three rings with the Wally World chain, it just rubbed on the bottom ring. I'll try the 8 speed chain tomorrow and see how it works out - it was cheap. Otherwise, I'll start searching for a 9 speed triple.

Thanks for your help as well.

Okay so...

I go measure the chain line - 45 - just as it was before...

I take out the shifter cable and run a new one, reposition the derailleur just a hair under where it was before, and slightly towards the chainrings in front...

Tighten it up and reattach the cable...

And it works - With the ten speed chain.

All three rings, no rubbing except towards the extremes, which I never get close to anyway.

Wonders never cease.

Thanks.

A 105 FD will handle a 52. I was more concerned with the size of the middle ring, in your original post you said it was a 42. Even more I was concerned with trying to run a wider chain through a 10-speed triple FD.