advice for front mech

Nigel Cliffe said:

I need to replace a front shifter on a bike as the pivots are getting very
loose on the old one.

Shifters are >6year old flat-bar (MTB) STX-RC, integrated with cantilever
brake levers. The drive is 7 speed, triple front ring with 24-36-48 rings.
Cable routing is below bottom bracket (bottom pull). Frame is normal steel
tubing (which I guess is 28.6mm dia, not measured it yet).

So, which fairly decent quality, but not stupid money front mechanism do I
need ?

I think I can rule out "top swing" as not important to me. I'm mostly
unclear on chain width for 7/8 speed chains and ring capacity.

- Nigel

I got an unused Shimano LX front mech some months ago on Ebay for not a
lot of money to replace one on my hybrid and it works very well on just
such a setup as you describe. You don't want a top swing mech if your
current one is bottom swing.

--
Brian G

Nigel Cliffe said:

I need to replace a front shifter on a bike as the pivots are getting very
loose on the old one.

Shifters are >6year old flat-bar (MTB) STX-RC, integrated with cantilever
brake levers. The drive is 7 speed, triple front ring with 24-36-48 rings.
Cable routing is below bottom bracket (bottom pull). Frame is normal steel
tubing (which I guess is 28.6mm dia, not measured it yet).

So, which fairly decent quality, but not stupid money front mechanism do I
need ?

I think I can rule out "top swing" as not important to me. I'm mostly
unclear on chain width for 7/8 speed chains and ring capacity.

- Nigel

I think I've got a new LX of that size in the bit box.

Give me a call

Pete

pete whelan said:

Nigel Cliffe said:

I need to replace a front shifter on a bike as the pivots are
getting very loose on the old one.

Shifters are >6year old flat-bar (MTB) STX-RC, integrated with
cantilever brake levers. The drive is 7 speed, triple front ring
with 24-36-48 rings. Cable routing is below bottom bracket (bottom
pull). Frame is normal steel tubing (which I guess is 28.6mm dia,
not measured it yet). So, which fairly decent quality, but not stupid
money front
mechanism do I need ?

Quoted message said:

I think I've got a new LX of that size in the bit box.

Give me a call

Thanks Pete,

will be in touch on Monday, unless you're out on the dawn ride tomorrow.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

in message <[email hidden]>, Nigel Cliffe

(') said:

I need to replace a front shifter on a bike as the pivots are getting
very loose on the old one.

Shifters are >6year old flat-bar (MTB) STX-RC, integrated with
cantilever
brake levers. The drive is 7 speed, triple front ring with 24-36-48
rings.
Cable routing is below bottom bracket (bottom pull). Frame is normal
steel tubing (which I guess is 28.6mm dia, not measured it yet).

So, which fairly decent quality, but not stupid money front mechanism
do I need ?

Front mechs are cheap, so you can afford a decent one. My vote would be
SRAM X-Gen at about £20, but if that's too dear the SRAM 3.0 is about a
tenner. Either way you'll need a clamp adaptor for 26.8 tubing, which
will cost another £2.

Shimano Deore is a bit more expensive than X-Gen and not as good quality;
XTR, which is as good as X-Gen, is twice the price (but the adaptor is
free).

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Nigel Cliffe

(') said:

I need to replace a front shifter on a bike as the pivots are getting
very loose on the old one.

Shifters are >6year old flat-bar (MTB) STX-RC, integrated with
cantilever
brake levers. The drive is 7 speed, triple front ring with 24-36-48
rings.
Cable routing is below bottom bracket (bottom pull). Frame is normal
steel tubing (which I guess is 28.6mm dia, not measured it yet).

So, which fairly decent quality, but not stupid money front mechanism
do I need ?

Front mechs are cheap, so you can afford a decent one. My vote would
be SRAM X-Gen at about £20,

Thanks. I agree with the sentiments; fit a decent one.
On this bike, as bits fail/wear it gets decent quality replacements.
Currently renewing the Alivio mechanisms.

Are they (SRAM X-Gen) OK with 7/8 speed chains, or are the cages narrower,
so require 9/10 speed chains ?. And which size suits the rings - most mechs
are listed for small MTB rings of 22-44 range.

I'll probably go with Pete W's spare LX example, assuming it fits, but
knowing what to purchase may be useful.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/