Help with FD issue--new cable housing split
08-07-20, 10:43 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Help with FD issue--new cable housing split
I am building up a budget/parts frame for my younger brother--one of the Nashbar blue NOS frames that were floating around a few years ago. Anyhoo. I am using a newer shimano claris 3-speed front derailleur mated to a 2005ish SLX trigger shifter. The problem is that the lever was insanely difficult to upshift, often having to really lean on it and press it through to get up to the big ring. Then, after I tightened the barrel adjusters, the brand new cable housing running from the shifter split open and the housing cables splayed out.
To address some obvious points: 1) yes, its a bottom pull FD and I have it set-up as a bottom pull; 2) yes, I routed the cable correctly to to the retention bolt per the manual; 3) yes, I made sure that the ferrules were seated properly and that the cable was pulled all the way through the shifter before attaching it; and 4) yes, I set the limit screws.
Any other ideas as to what I did wrong? Its been a while since I set up a FD, but I can't think of anything else I missed.
To address some obvious points: 1) yes, its a bottom pull FD and I have it set-up as a bottom pull; 2) yes, I routed the cable correctly to to the retention bolt per the manual; 3) yes, I made sure that the ferrules were seated properly and that the cable was pulled all the way through the shifter before attaching it; and 4) yes, I set the limit screws.
Any other ideas as to what I did wrong? Its been a while since I set up a FD, but I can't think of anything else I missed.
08-07-20, 12:24 PM
#2
Really Old Senior Member
Is an SLX a "mountain" shifter which is incompatible with a "road" FDER?
Is it mounted high enough to clear ALL rings? Not just the outer.
Is it mounted high enough to clear ALL rings? Not just the outer.
08-07-20, 12:54 PM
#3
Banned
Lose the left shifter in favor of a friction thumb or bar end shifter ?
One advantage: trimming the FD so as to not have chain dragging on the cage,,
new shift housing .. don't forget the end caps
with friction shifters, even the old reliable coiled square wire housing is still adequate..
...
One advantage: trimming the FD so as to not have chain dragging on the cage,,
new shift housing .. don't forget the end caps
with friction shifters, even the old reliable coiled square wire housing is still adequate..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-07-20 at 12:58 PM.
08-07-20, 01:28 PM
#4
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Sounds like your FD is either seriously gummed-up of jamming on something, and you're essentially rupturing the housing (which isn't designed to take serious cable tension, like spiral-wound brake housing) trying to get it to move. First-off, I would disconnect the cable from the FD and see if the FD moves smoothly through its complete range of motion without snagging on anything.
Last edited by Litespud; 08-07-20 at 02:04 PM.
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08-07-20, 03:41 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The FD clears all the rings. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Claris was usually spec'd for hybrid bikes with trigger shifters. Also, I was under the impression that 8 speed shimano road and MTB components are interchangeable.
08-07-20, 04:09 PM
#7
Really Old Senior Member
A flat bar road bike will have flat bar road shifters, & "road crank/FDER.
That was why my first sentence was a QUESTION,
REAR shifters/RDER;s work together (usually) between either. At least up to 10 speed I think.
08-07-20, 04:32 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Most hybrids have "mountain" parts, including cranks, FDER's & shifters
A flat bar road bike will have flat bar road shifters, & "road crank/FDER.
That was why my first sentence was a QUESTION,
REAR shifters/RDER;s work together (usually) between either. At least up to 10 speed I think.
A flat bar road bike will have flat bar road shifters, & "road crank/FDER.
That was why my first sentence was a QUESTION,
REAR shifters/RDER;s work together (usually) between either. At least up to 10 speed I think.
08-07-20, 05:03 PM
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08-07-20, 05:24 PM
#10
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08-07-20, 07:36 PM
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Shimano road and mountain specs have had both cable pull ratios and ring spacing differences (with the front of the drivetrain) for years. This is why the smart bike brands (and home guys) who mix and match road and MtB stuff will spec a friction ft shift lever (as is done via bar end levers on touring bikes). Shimano has made various flat bar indexed shifters that work with road cranks and ders but these are less common and are sources for confusion many times when the person deciding all this hasn't done their homework well. Andy
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08-08-20, 05:51 AM
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In general Shimano road and mountain front derailleurs have different cable pulls.
08-08-20, 07:09 AM
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One thing we can't see is the routing of the housing. An extra bend from excessive length can add a lot of friction.
08-08-20, 09:53 AM
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Sorry in advance if I'm wrong, but I've got to ask. Many Shimano front derailleurs have a little finger in the shift cable path where it anchors to the derailleur arm. The cable has to route over that finger which is counter intuitive. That changes the leverage. Could that have caused the shift cable housing to split out?
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