top pull derailleur on bottom pull frame??
 

i bought a raleigh mtb with stx/alivio parts...mid 90's stuff....for the parts only. i did so with the intention of replacing the altus stuff on my mongoose crossways. i wasn't paying enough attention to notice the FD on the raleigh was a top pull. so, now i'm curious to know if anyone has managed a way to use a top pull as the title suggests

i already know the standard answer; get a bottom pull derailleur. but, being a tinkering kinda guy, i'd like to explore the possibility a work around and just use what i have.

i have a symmetric shifter clamp that would fit on the seat tube. is there a pulley wheel i could install on it? or, maybe is there a gadget to buy (cheaper than a new derailleur of the same vintage) that would make the conversion?

Problem Solvers sells "Cross Clamps", which are a clamp-on pulley that will, well, solve that problem :thumb:

You just need to know what size seat tube you have, and you might have to shim.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e925d0a973.jpg

using different search terms, i've now found there is a problem solvers adapter, but it's as much as new derailleur. as well, there are pulleys specifically for adapting, but those are even more. maybe i'll just try and find a pulley at the hardware store

ha!! yeah, i just discovered that. and, yeah...that would solve the problem.

Recently I saw a thread from someone who had mounted a standard downtube shifter lever on seat tube .
Apparently it worked fine ?
I guess the big issue will be if it has enough travel ?

i've seen that post/thread. it gave me the idea, really. however, i'm not looking to do something like that. my idea is to use the clamp with it's mounting bolt to hold a pulley thereby using the shifters i already have. no way i'm going bouncing down gravel roads with seat tube mounted friction shifter....haha! i like to keep my hands on the bars for those rides :)

problem solved!! i have an old alpine stars mtb and discovered it has just the pulley i need. now just gotta figured a way to attach it to the mongoose as it's threaded onto a boss as is. cheap...easy. awesome :)