Front derailleur options for triple

[srob]

45mm chainline, Sugino XD2 crank, TA  chainrings.

Without buying and trying multiple options, does anyone have a similar setup where they know a particular FD will work?

[Jay Lonner]

I just went through something similar changing the gearing around on my wife’s 2012 Salsa Casseroll in advance of an upcoming tour. She was looking for lower gears, so I changed her chainrings (also on an XD2) from 46/36/26 to 44/34/24, and the rear cassette from 11-32 to 12-36 (9 speed). The Skeleton Key front derailleur from Riv worked really well, but I did have to change the bottom bracket from a 110 to a 113.

Jay Lonner

Bellingham, WA

Sent from my Atari 400

On Aug 19, 2025, at 6:34 PM, srob <robst...@gmail.com> wrote:

45mm chainline, Sugino XD2 crank, TA  chainrings.

Without buying and trying multiple options, does anyone have a similar setup where they know a particular FD will work?

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[Nick A.]

Hello, 

Not sure if this helps but I'm running one o' them newish New Albion 46-26 triples (which i believe is the XD2 cast?). OP didn't mention whether or not they're running friction. I'm running Silver shifters and using a mid-90s Shimano STX 3x front derailleur, and it shifts very smoothly.

Nick in Falls Church VA

[John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ]

Sorb

I used a Shimano Sora FD-R3030b FD  on a 45mmm front chainline with a Sugino XD-2 with Sugino rings.   $34.88 from Amazon 18 months ago.

  It had enough inward motion to shift to & trim the inner ring.   The outward motion was adequate to shift to and trim the Outer ring.  

John Hawrylak

Woodstown NJ

[Mathias Steiner]

Just yesterday I set up a Microshift R9 triple -- had to look at pictures to remind myself whether I'd bought a double or triple back when I first got it -- and it shifts like buttah. Chainline is 45 mm and I'm running one of the Clipper 48/36/26 triples that Velo Orange was blowing out late last year [I think] at 65% off. I'm happy.

cheers -mathias

[exliontamer]

I've had great luck with the Shimano Claris triple on two bikes in a row. My Atlantis, in particular, was always hard to get dialed in (older model with curved stays) and the Claris works perfect on it with a compact triple. Also, it's affordable.

[JohnS]

I'm using a vintage Suntour Cyclone FD with a New Albion (XD2 stamped) triple on my '82 Stumpy with a vintage Suntour friction shifter, all work fine together.

JohnS

[chrisd]

I'm running a triple on a Rambouillet with a 42T big ring using a Shimano CX70 FD. Able to get it lower enough for crisp shifting and not touching the stay.

Chris

[Eric Douglas]

Chris--

Would you mind sharing the tooth count on the other two chainrings  on crankset with a 42T big ring?

I'm going to set up a bike with ideally 42/34/26 chainrings and would like to know what your experience was like.

Thanks!

Eric

Brooklyn

[Richard True]

I have a shimano 7 speed deore from the early 90's that works very well for this range.  maybe fd-m550

plentiful on ebay

[Brent Eastman]

Both my bikes have XD2 triples 

Sam Hillborne has a CX70 FD 

Leo Roadini has an Ultegra 6603 

both work flawlessly but the ultegra inner plate is pretty low and therefore I have to sit it a little higher than I'd like (aesthetics)

[R. Alexis]

Looks like the Merry Sales Soma or IRD/Rivendell Silver front derailleur should be available soon. Russ at Path Less Pedaled shows it on his MADE show podcast on hot accessories.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp19IGyL_HM

As for what I am using, Most of my fleet is using a Suntour something or another front derailleur with a couple Shimano mixed in. Most are the Suntour XC-Pro. Last couple builds were SRAM X5 and X9. All work well. I am using most with friction or rachet front shifting. 

Thanks,

Reginald Alexis

On Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 8:34:35 PM UTC-5 srob wrote: