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

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

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