Campy Front Derailleur with Shimano STI shifter?

c...@nospam.net

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Feb 10, 2005, 4:37:07 AM2/10/05

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Will a Campy front derailleur work with a Shimano STI Shifter? The reason
that I am asking is, that I want to use 10 speed Shimano STI drivetrain with
a compact road crankset (110 bolt circle with 50/34 chainrings). Campy seems
to be the only one making a compact specific front derailleur. I main
concern is will the trim function of Shimano shifter work well with a Campy
front?

Thanks in advance.

Paul Kopit

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Feb 10, 2005, 9:10:09 AM2/10/05

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You don't need the compact specific front derailleur. Any Campy front
derailleur shifts a 50/34 fine. Shimano front derailleurs like 105 or
DA do fine as well. I'm not certain that the Campy front deralleur
will index properly with STI.

Sheldon Brown

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Feb 10, 2005, 11:22:33 AM2/10/05

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Paul Kopit quoted somebody:

>>Will a Campy front derailleur work with a Shimano STI Shifter? The reason
>>that I am asking is, that I want to use 10 speed Shimano STI drivetrain with
>>a compact road crankset (110 bolt circle with 50/34 chainrings). Campy seems
>>to be the only one making a compact specific front derailleur. I main
>>concern is will the trim function of Shimano shifter work well with a Campy
>>front?

and replied:

> You don't need the compact specific front derailleur. Any Campy front
> derailleur shifts a 50/34 fine. Shimano front derailleurs like 105 or
> DA do fine as well. I'm not certain that the Campy front deralleur
> will index properly with STI.

The front indexing issue is a problem with _triple_ cranks, because the
middle position is regulated by the indexing.

With a double, compact or full-sized, it isn't an issue, since the
"indexing" is regulated by the derailer's limit stop screws irrespective
of any indexing features of the shifter.

Sheldon "Gopher It!" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
| Always listen to the experts. |
| They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. |
| Then do it. --Robert A. Heinlein |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Nick Payne

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Feb 10, 2005, 12:24:15 PM2/10/05

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My wife's touring bike uses Ultegra STI levers with a triple chainset using
44-34-24 chainrings. When the Shimano front derailleur got bent by baggage
handlers I put on a Record triple FD (because I happened to have one lying
around) and everything continued to work fine. With only two chainrings it
should be even easier. I have another bike that uses 48-34 chainrings, also
with Ultegra STI levers, and the derailleur on that is an old Suntour
XC-4050 that I fished out of my bits box.

But anyway, "compact specific" front derailleur is a solution to a problem
that doesn't exist. It's just marketing designed to separate credulous
cyclists from their money.

Nick

<c...@nospam.net> wrote in message news:FvmdneMqzZC...@comcast.com...

edm...@comcast.net

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Feb 13, 2005, 1:26:42 AM2/13/05

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cel,

The trim function of your Shimano will work fine with the Campy front
derailleur. The compact specific front deraillure is not a marketing
gimmick. If you have a braze on, a standard front derailleur cage will
not be able to get low enough to allow the recommended 1-2 mm clearance
above the large chainring. Shifting works but not as well, with more
chain drops. I have a FSA compact 50-34. I recently replaced my
standard DurAce 9 speed front derailleur with a Campy Chorus compact
specific 10 speed front derailleur with remarkable improvement in
shifting.

Ed

c...@nospam.net

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Feb 13, 2005, 4:37:39 AM2/13/05

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Thanks for the personal experience with this type of setup. I will get the
compact crank and derailleur with confidence that it will work. I did notice
that with the standard 53 ring, the standard derailleur didn't have much
more drop on the front "braze on" to reach a 50. It makes sense to have a
lower reach on the compact version.

cel

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dianne_1234

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Feb 13, 2005, 7:39:42 AM2/13/05

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On 12 Feb 2005 22:26:42 -0800, edm...@comcast.net wrote:

>The compact specific front deraillure is not a marketing
>gimmick. If you have a braze on, a standard front derailleur cage will
>not be able to get low enough to allow the recommended 1-2 mm clearance
>above the large chainring. Shifting works but not as well, with more
>chain drops. I have a FSA compact 50-34. I recently replaced my
>standard DurAce 9 speed front derailleur with a Campy Chorus compact
>specific 10 speed front derailleur with remarkable improvement in
>shifting.
>
>Ed

Just to be sure, are you saying that the vertical distance between the
mounting bolt and the edge of the cage is greater on the compact
derailleur than a normal one? Thanks.

c...@nospam.net

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Feb 13, 2005, 2:34:36 PM2/13/05

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That's is what I think Ed said. I hope that is the case. I did notice from
the pictures of the compact derailleur that the inner cage plated seem to be
much lower than a normal deraileur. My guess is to better pick up the
smaller inner chainring.

cel

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