STI 105 levers with SLX crankset. It work! (With some mods)
 

If you want drop bar STI shifter with a super low ratio, this post here may catch your attention. I've tested it for a week by now and the shifting is as crisp as with my 105 crankset. I still can't believe it is working so well. I was expecting some lag while changing gear but no.

I'll still solder a little plate between the two fork of the derailleur just for safety, but my chain never dropped for the week I've used it.

Mountain Crankset vs STI Groupset / It?s Alive! | Cycle/Naturel

I believe that one of the posible reasons you had to cut your derailleur is because of the increased chainline whern installing the mtn crankset on the bike. Road bikes are usually set up with a 45 mm chainline and mountain cranks with a 50 mm chainline. The usual method of putting mtn cranks on a road or touring bike is to use a shorter bottom bracket to maintain a 45-46 mm chainline. That is the reason a lot of us use square taper bottom brackets; there are more choices of bottom bracket length.

However, I think the primary reason for needing to cut the derailleur is a 42/32/24 crank combination. That derailleur will not take less than an 11 tooth difference between the big and middle chainrings without the backplate rubbing on the middle ring when shifting to the big gear. If you would have gone to a 44/32/22 it would have worked well, with a 12 tooth difference, and would not require cutting the derailleur.

However, you did get it to work:)

I've put this combination, 44/32/22 with an 11-34 cassette, on several bikes and it works well with both 105 and Tiagra shifters. IMO the Tiagra 4503 front derailleur is probably the most versatile FD out there. All this may not be too relevant because I'm basing my opinions on 9 speed setups, and I believe your setup is a 10 speed. I think I'd have fallen out of love with the Hollowtech bottom bracket or see if the large chainring could have been replaced with a 44 T.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...5171e4bfc8.jpg

The Ka thunk throw of front S-T-I between shifts is what it is.. , then relies on cage shape to not drag cross chaining, if you stay within the limits set out for You.

as -T,-I, stands for total integration breaking up the package was not what they had in Mind.

Enjoy your experimentation. ;)

I did shave off some of the cage to be able to get it lower on the seat tube. It was touching the chainstay. The derailleur was to high. I'm mad they haven't thought about people like me who want to do that... Even with 44, the cage would have been about half of a inch to high to shift properly. The capacity, as the chain line wasn't that bothering to me. I adjusted the line with spacer on the crank axle and the capacity of the front wasn't that far from spec. And a poor shifting shimano is always better than a very good 10spd Sram red 2011 :P

That looks to be an AWOL. I tried to make the Tiagra 4503 work on my AWOL and eventually threw in the towel. I think the seat tube angle and chainline both combine to make the set up difficult. I'm thinking a braze on FD with a SRAM wide spacing adapter would help, see Amazon link below. I am now running a 105 triple on a 45 mm chainline and all is fine with one exception, if I run 2" 29'er tires I only have a few mm clearance between the derailleur and the sidewall of the tire when in the lowest gear, not a problem unless I have a truing issue on the road. I'm really starting to feel the bike is designed for a 47.5 mm minimum chainline and a double crankset.

Amazon.com : Sram Mountain Bicycle Front Derailleur Braze-on Wide Spacing Adaptor : Sports & Outdoors

It's definitely an Awol Comp frame. I'm pretty sure the only way to make it work well is to shave of the excess of derailleur fork in order to not interfere with the chainstay. Also, since it's the Comp, I could extend the dropout far enough to clear the front derailleur and avoid rubbing when my bike was "all 105". Now it should only be better.

I'm getting my derailleur brazed. stay tune for the update