Sam Hillborne Front Derailleur setup problems

[Peter Stock]

I am having trouble making a triple setup work on my Rivendell Sam Hillborne.
I am trying to use a Specialized "Flag" triple crankset and a Deore XT FD and Shimano barend shifters (set on friction.) 

I have I think followed the standard FD setup steps.
- in Small Front/Big Rear set the limit screw to just allow the chain to clear.
- set the FD cages basically parallel to the chain rings
- allow a coin's thickness height clearance of the cages over the big ring.
- while the Specialized "Flag" triple crank is not in Sheldon Brown's database of compatible Cranksets and BB I think I used a 117mm axle BB and the small ring seems to just be clearing the chainstay reasonably.

But I cannot seem to get enough "throw" to both shift into the big chainring AND to drop down into the small ring.

As I wasn't even sure the XL SH would fit or work for me, I was basically just trying to set it up quickly to see if it fit.
it seems it does.
But having quickly grabbed a few parts that I thought might work maybe just dipping into my parts bin for parts I think should work has left me again with incompatible components.

and know my setup problems have nothing to do with the frame but, here's the real quesion - AM I NOT CORRECT  that a Deore XT FD and Shimano (or other) barend shifters are one of the setups of choice of Rivendell riders?
should these not play together well. should a shimano LH barend shifter  have enough range to cover a triple shift.?

[Joe Bernard]

You're correct that this combination should work. Two things I would look at first: 

1. Is the cable routed OVER that little nub at the top of the derailleur? It's easy to miss that and have the cable pass between the nub and fixing bolt, you'll lose leverage that way and the derailleur won't move far enough. 

2. Is the High Limit screw backed out enough? 

After that there could be a shifter or cable drag problem, but let's make sure the fd settings are good first. 

Joe Bernard

[Bill Lindsay]

That's an M735 front der.  I think you may have better luck with an M737.  

The M735 has a really long lever arm, which requires a lot of cable to pull it.  The M735 was pretty much only used with thumb shifters, which had a comparatively large barrel, and thus pulled a bunch of cable.  

The M737 has a shorter lever arm, and does not require as much cable pull to move it around.  Those were intended to work with rapidfire shifters, but worked well with barcons.  

Here's one:  New Shimano Deore XT FD-M737 Front Derailleur Bottom Pull 28.6mm Clamp 8 Speed | eBay

It's possible you can get your M735 to work.  Two minutes in my workstand and I could tell you.  Your setup method as described sounds good.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 7:17:46 PM UTC-7 lug...@gmail.com wrote:

[Joe Bernard]

Did you solve it?

Joe Bernard

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 7:17:46 PM UTC-7 lug...@gmail.com wrote:

[Peter Stock]

Finally, I think Yes.
The trick seems to have been looping the cable UNDER the pinch bolt instead of over it as one would normally do.
This UNDER routing was suggested elsewhere but Bill LIndsey put his finger on the Why  - this FD must have a longer arm above the pivot and so logically that would require more cable travel to move the FD body X units. but lowering the attachment point just that little bit shortened the length above the pivot and so required just that little bit less cable that I could cover all the rings.
Was out for a test ride today and everything worked very very well. nice smooth shifts. (though I probably still do not have enough cable to push the FD out far enough to avoid cage rub on the highest rear cogs when in the big ring. But I'll live with that until I can find that alternate FD Bill suggested.

all in all today was my happiest ride on this SH. (swapping a slightly longer stem on helped too.)

thanks all for your help.

Peter

[Joe Bernard]

Well there ya go! I've been fiddling with derailleurs a long time and I never would have thought of that cable routing solution. New thing learned! 

Joe "HUH!" Bernard

[Brian Campbell]

Not sure. That seems like it should work.