Recommendations for Front Der for Clem H?

[Ray]

Hi All,

I bought a used Clem H frame from the group a couple months ago and have been patiently collecting parts to set it up. I thought I was all finished and had it put together when I found that all of the front derailleurs in my parts bin are too long and rub the big chainring when shifting. In the picture attached you can see that I have it as high as I can raise it without covering the water bottle boss, but it doesn't leave enough space for the 46t chainring.

Is anyone running a triple on their Clem and can recommend a FD? I am not picky at all when it comes to the front derailleur but just want to make sure it fits.

Thanks for your help!

Ray

[Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY]

How wide is your bottom bracket? You could widen a smidge and it could solve the clearance problem, and that would increase your bottom bracket collection without adding to your front derailer collection. I have a 103 that's certainly too narrow a bottom bracket, and sorry, no obvious answer about the derailleur, but them's complicated.

-Kai

[Joe Bernard]

Ray, I'm using the same cranks with a 44t big ring on my Riv Custom and the derailleur clamp is between the bolt bosses. I'll bet yours will work fine if you clamp it just above the bottom boss. 

[lconley]

Not a Clem, but I have the same Sugino crank on my Bombadil on a 110 bottom bracket and the IRD Alpina front derailleur that Riv used to sell works perfectly. If you use the Origin 8 clamp that Riv used to sell (both still available elsewhere) - you can move the clamp relative to the derailleur - the clamp has a slot for the derailleur attachment. I currently use the IRD clamp on the Bombadil for the cleaner appearance - used to have the Origin 8 clamp.

Laing

[Ray]

@Kai thanks for the idea! I would like to avoid changing the bottom bracket because for me that's much more confusing than swapping the derailleur. And I actually think that the chainline isn't bad with the crank in it's current position. It's just the mechanics of switching between chainrings.

@Joe Wow. Your situation there is even more extreme. I do think that you're right and that's probably what I'll end up doing at least as a stopgap option. I was trying to avoid that so I could mount a bottle cage there and I was worried about the clamp interfering but it's probably already at that point the way that I have it now. Might be able to put a couple of washers behind it or something. I'll give it a try.

@Laing Very helpful--thank you! I'm going to look around for one of those and that Origin8 clamp is such a clever solution. I've never see that before.

Thanks everyone!

Ray

[Joe Bernard]

Ray, it's not an issue with the bottle cage. My clamp is bulged enough that the cage might rest on it but it would still be fine, your clamp is flat. You'll have all the clearance you need, plus it'll shift better with the fd in its proper position. No worries!

[Joe Bernard]

In my opinion, of course. That last post sounds oddly know-it-all when reading it back to myself. I only know most! 😂

[Mark Roland]

Joe is correct. You need to reposition the derailleur a bit higher. Here is my old Suntour something or other, shifting a 46t big ring on a triple on my new Susie. Note the slight bumpouts on the bottle braze ons.

I

[Mark Roland]

And if the bump outs don't provide enough clearance, many water bottle cages are offset.

[Mark Roland]

And if you should be very unlucky and the only place the derailleur will work properly--in other words, going above the boss will make it too high--you can try the setup others have suggested. That is, a braze on derailleur with a clamp.  Make sure it's one that has some adjustability where the derailleur attaches, like the one pictured--not all do.

[Mark Roland]

Final word! That Exage is one of those derailleurs with the band clamp. I have a Deore LX I think with that design, which I find to be a  pain. But the good news is, no water bottle cage clearance issues. And it handles up to a 48t ring, so you should be able to get it to work fine here.

[Ray]

Joe, don't give it a second thought. Your comment didn't read know-it-all to me in the slightest. I know you were just being helpful.

Mark, thank you for the encouragement. I am worried as you said that the best place to mound the derailleur is right where that boss is as it currently can make the shift but rubs slightly and so only needs to be a few millimeters higher. Still, I'll give it a shot after work tonight and see if that will be a good solution. Also, I fully agree about the band clamp being a pain. It took me several attempts to get it hooked and at one point the band shot across the room while I was trying to adjust tighten it...

Ray

[Fullylugged]

The Alivio derailler goes under the bottom boss but reaches up high.  I've seen it on several Hybrid "fitness" bikes.  Another option.

https://www.rei.com/product/182374/shimano-alivio-m3100-3-x-9-speed-front-derailleur