Front Derailleur 54-42-32 Chainring

I have a 54-42-32 triple chainring on a tandem bike and would like to find out what derailleur would be compatible with it. Any suggestions?

 

The shifters which the bike has will determine the chain (in theory) ...

• there is some wiggle-room if you are using CAMPAGNOLO indexed shifters

The chain will dictate which front derailleurs will work well ...

FOR EXAMPLE ...

Based on MY observation (and, AFAIK, others have errantly disagreed with me in the past on this because they don't know better & are simply disagreeing to disagree), if you are using Shimano STI shifters, then you must match the front derailleur to Shimano specs ...

• for example, a 9-speed Shimano Ultegra shifter should be mated to a 9-speeed Ultegra 6503 front derailleur OR equivalent-generation-105-or-Dura-Ace front derailleur.
• AND, more importantly, if you do not use a Shimano chain of the correct generation, then setting up the front derailleur could be frustrating .... whereas, if you use a 9-speed Shimano chain with a 9-speed Shimano STI shifter + 9-speed Shimano front derailleur, then the set up will be very quick & easy
• so, THAT means that you should not use a SRAM, Wipperman, Campagnolo, KMC, whatever-brand chain with any Shimano Triple!!!!

• 8-speed Shimano ... 8-speed Shimano Chain + 8-speed Shimano front derailleur
• 10-speed Shimano ... 10-speed Shimano Chain + 10-speed Shimano front derailleur
• 11-speed Shimano ... 11-speed Shimano Chain + 11-speed Shimano front derailleur

However, if you are using Campagnolo shifters, you can use almost any front derailleur ...

• typically, a Shimano front derailleur will work better than most other brands

BTW. If your Tandem has friction shifters, then I would choose an 8-speed Shimano front derailleur whose pull is from the appropriate direction (i.e., bottom pull or top pull) ...

• I would probably choose an 8-speed (presumably, bottom pull) XT front derailleur which had the appropriate clamp size ...
• ... unless you are planning on a future drivetrain upgrade.

 

As alfeng gets at, it all depends on your shifters and chain. But you've got plenty of gap (12t) from the middle to outer ring, so I'd point you toward the Shimano triple road derailleur that correlates to the number of cogs on your cassette (8, 9, 10, or 11). Well, Shimano isn't making 11-speed triples, so you'd be on your own there. And you want road because the plates for MTBs and hybrids are curved for dinky 44- and 48-t rings.

 

FWIW. I have successfully used a Shimano MTB front derailleur (XT ... 8-speed) with a 52t outer chainring without any problems ...

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In the past, when I have directly compared the outer plates of a MTB Shimano front derailleur with a Shimano Road derailleur, the lower arc was the same.

Of course, things may have changed since I made my observation ... but, I think not.

• I have never had the inclination to actually install a 53t chainring on the above bike, yet ... but, I don't see why it wouldn't fit after raising the front derailleur the appropriate amount ...

• a 54t chainring should be no more problematic, IMO ... at least, with an 8-speed Shimano XT front derailleur
• than it would be with a Shimano Road front derailleur