Poor front shifting with 9 speed chain on older FD and rings

Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

On 08/28/2011 02:17 PM, Dave wrote:
Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

Makes sense to me. I am using a 9-speed FD and new rings with a 9-speed
chain and freehub on the original crankset to the bike that originally
came w/ a 6-speed Helicomatic freewheel. If it works sub-optimally,
it's not enough to make me go out and spend more money.

That said, due to the rings that I chose, I couldn't get a Shimano FD to
work, but the Campy that I got from Rivendell works splendidly. (one of
the few items on this bike that I ended up having to spend Real Money.)

If you're using index shifting, of course (I'm assuming that you're not)
all bets are off if you follow the advice above.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Dave wrote:
Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

My experience is that triple FD are always wider than doubles and that
modern doubles are more narrow than older ones. So I suspect that the
combo of both old and triple would not be that great. I'd suspect that a
modern triple would be much better but still not as smooth and nice as a
modern double. That said, I have found that old Nuovo Record and Super
Record FD shift 9 speed doubles just fine. On all of these I am using 9
speed chains on cranks with rings originally intended for 6-7 speed. No
ramps or pins. This seems to work just fine.

On Aug 28, 7:17*pm, Dave wrote:
Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

Use a big pair of pliers to pinch the side plates together and adjust
as necessary including the cable. Also new chains never respond
correctly so there might be need of a later adjustment when the chain
has loosened up. You'll not necessarily have any better luck with a
new front derailleur, it might be limited as to the throw in
comparison to the old one.

Dave wrote:
Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

Your original front setup shifted with the seven chain which
has rivets sticking out the side, unlike a nine chain.

I'd get a ramped/pinned crank and then if needed replace the
front changer. Most of the difference is in the crank
assuming your front changer is not badly worn.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 8/28/2011 11:17 AM, Dave wrote:
Hi all,

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

I have pretty much the same thing - old tandem /had/ 54/48/32 chainrings
and a 6-speed rear. Changed to 10sp rear, and 50/40/26 rings (we're
getting old). Note *no* pins on any of either setup's rings. While my
old SunTour Cyclone II shifted the old "half-step" chainring spacing
just fine, it has difficulty sometimes with the more even spacing I have
now.

Modern triple FDs have complex cage shaping that helps, if you have the
relatively even ring spacing for which they were designed. I have them
on two singles, and while those bikes' rings are ramped and pinned, my
sense is it's the cage shape that makes most of the difference.

I've got a Campy triple FD I'm going to put on the tandem one of these
days, I think it will do the trick. As you might guess, I'm not having
severe problems with the old changer, but it does miss a shift now and then.

Mark J.

Dave wrote:

I have an older tandem originally equipped with 7 speed XT derailleurs
and a Sugino triple crank with rings that have no ramps or pins.

I switched to 9 speeds in back and my front shifting is now lousy.
The cage of the 7 speed FD is several mm wider than a 9 speed FD so
I'm thinking as a first step it makes sense to try replacing the FD
rather than the rings.

What say ye?

If you have an indexed front shifter, that's your problem.

Chalo