I have a few questions about SRAM braze on front derailleurs that I am hoping the guru's around here can help me with. To back up a bit I should describe my problem. I bought a used custom frame that has really flared seat stays. Very similar to the old Kelly Knobby X. I tried a couple of cranks I have that use outboard bottom brackets, both triple and double, to no avail as the arms would not clear the stays. I posted here a month or so ago and with the help of folks here and searching on the internet I thought I found the solution. I used a XTR crankset and road Octalink V1 bottom bracket. The arms cleared and the chainline looked great. However, much to my dismay, the braze on for the front derailleur would not allow adjustment low enough for the 46t big ring. A buddy sent me a bottom bracket from a triple 6500 crank and I set it up with a double 7700 crank I have. The arms are fine. I tried a 48t chainring that I have and as I suspected I will need to use at least a 50t, which I don't have and prefer not to go that big. I've been scouring the internet trying to find a solution to my problem that I highly suspected did not exist. Then I saw a possible solution. SRAM braze on FDers have two braze on attachment holes. So finally my first question; how much, if any, lower can I expect to get out of using the top attachment hole? Secondly; do SRAM FDers have a wider throw adjustment to the outside than a Shimano FDer? Lastly; which SRAM FDers are compatible with Shimano STIs? I know the newer ones with the yaw thing are not, but thought I read somewhere that some models are. If you are still here and awake thanks for your patience.

"the braze on for the front derailleur would not allow adjustment low enough for the 46t big ring."

Why don't you try it and see how it shifts? Although the height may not be "perfect" or optimal it may be good enough.

It is not that close at about 14mm between the derailleur and chainring with a 46t.

Bring it by and I'll have a look ..



Guess you want something the designer was not anticipating. this come with a road crankset? 53t?

I'm not really sure what the designer was intending. It has a number of braze ons for a sport/tourer, 43cm chain stays, flared stays to accept really wide tires, canti brakes, and rear spacing of 132.5mm. Yet the braze on for the FD will only go low enough for a 50t big chain. I think it was built around 2000 so I would think it was built for 9 speed components. I'm pretty sure it was made for a road triple crank, but I was hoping to use a double. Here are some pics that show what I mean.

When I got the frame it was just frame/fork/headset. The guy I bought it from really only had misinformation about it.

Road frames with braze ons for the FD aren't made with the contemplation of anything smaller than a 50 tooth big ring. Perhaps an extender could be fashioned by a machine shop. Bolt the extender on the brazed on fixture and then the FD onto the lower portion of the extender. Basically a slotted piece of aluminum curved along the long axis to match the curve of the braze on type derailleur mounting stud. All you would then need would a SS steel machine screw and nut to attach the extender to the brazed on fixture.

Sport more than Touring

Yea they may have had a 53-39-30 triple in mind and you have to go that way Ultegra stuff , perhaps .

52-42-26 may be close enough .. wont need smaller than a 12 in back ..