Front Derailleur and chain rubbing

[Rudy]

I have a 5 year old shimano 600/ultegra parts...that the fron t derailleur and chain always rub against another in a certain gear. My LBS mechanic said that every bike has this problem, especially with the 53/39 tooth crank ( I think I got the numbers right).

The thing is...my bike seems to do it more than 1 gear and during my rides I kept having to adjust around with the front deraileur so that it won't rub. That noise..annoys me!

what can I do? I'm about to build up a new bike with DA or Ultegra Shifters...

is this true?

Thanks,

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Rudy
I have a 5 year old shimano 600/ultegra parts...that the fron t derailleur and chain always rub against another in a certain gear. My LBS mechanic said that every bike has this problem, especially with the 53/39 tooth crank ( I think I got the numbers right).

The thing is...my bike seems to do it more than 1 gear and during my rides I kept having to adjust around with the front deraileur so that it won't rub. That noise..annoys me!

what can I do? I'm about to build up a new bike with DA or Ultegra Shifters...

is this true?

Thanks,

The mechanic is full of hooey. What certain gear??? The shifters have trim. Is that what you mean by 'adjust around'? If so, that may be the way it is assuming everything is setup right.

 

[Rudy]

well...I can slightly move my front deraileurs in or out just a bit so that it won't rub the chain.....again my shimano is about 5 years old and it's always been that way.

If this is not the case with today's Ultegra/DA then when I build my new bike, it'll be cool. And I may consider replacing my old bike's with a new shifter/deraileur.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Rudy
well...I can slightly move my front deraileurs in or out just a bit so that it won't rub the chain.....again my shimano is about 5 years old and it's always been that way.

If this is not the case with today's Ultegra/DA then when I build my new bike, it'll be cool. And I may consider replacing my old bike's with a new shifter/deraileur.

That's the way front shifters/derailers work. New ones are the same. Short chainstays aggrivate the problem.

 

[Rudy]

Originally posted by boudreaux
That's the way front shifters/derailers work. New ones are the same. Short chainstays aggrivate the problem.

so what are you saying Boudreaux? that this is an issue with all bikes?

Can it be rectified by choosing another crank with something other than 39/53 ?

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Rudy
so what are you saying Boudreaux? that this is an issue with all bikes?

Can it be rectified by choosing another crank with something other than 39/53 ?

It is not an issue, it's the way things work. That is why derailers have trim. It has nothing to do with a 53x39, although, on some frames with short chainstays,the chain may also rub in the big ring when in the small ring and smaller cogs. Derailer rub is frame/chainstay length dependent, and sometimes made worse by derailer misadjustment.

 

[alex001]

Its an issue with my ocr3 and my old centurion

 

[drewski]

with today's 9/10 speed drivetrains and the resulting freewheel dimensions and with the width of the front derailleur cage, it can't accomodate the entire range of the freewheel without having the chain rub at one end or the other.

the FD & shifters can be adjusted to minimize when this occurs and then accomodate it with trimming adjustments while riding.

it's a good thing you aren't using friction shifting rear derailleur or you might need to do small tweaking with every shift!

 

[Rudy]

Originally posted by drewski
with today's 9/10 speed drivetrains and the resulting freewheel dimensions and with the width of the front derailleur cage, it can't accomodate the entire range of the freewheel without having the chain rub at one end or the other.

the FD & shifters can be adjusted to minimize when this occurs and then accomodate it with trimming adjustments while riding.

it's a good thing you aren't using friction shifting rear derailleur or you might need to do small tweaking with every shift!

friction shifting? umm..come again? lol

I guess the bottom line is ....I won't be able to alter this predicament by building my new bike with certain parts ?

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Rudy
friction shifting? umm..come again? lol

I guess the bottom line is ....I won't be able to alter this predicament by building my new bike with certain parts ?

Get a frame with real long chainstays.

 

[bikerchas55]

I'm a retro grouch who refuses to go ERGO. I chuckle my grouchy chuckle as I read about all of your STI rubbing and noise problems. I shift with a graceful sweep of the hand to my frame mounted friction shifter, my C Record derailleaur responds and silently I speed past you!

 

[Saeco'ligious]

I shift with a graceful sweep of the hand to my frame mounted friction shifter, my C Record derailleaur responds and silently I speed past you!

This thread is particularly interesting. These bikes are like timepieces in that they seem to like really precise callibration.

I wonder if the rubbing is actually exacerbated by the STI shifters? The STI style are very expensive. I use Ultegra, but am building a second bike and would consider going to downtube shifters if that helped with any rubbing issues.


I like the ergo-shift convenience though.

Any other thoughts on this?


Or insights into the rubbing (on the 2 low or 'easy' gears)?

I like to hearing nothing while I ride, but the occassional sound of my own flatulence slowly passing from my spandex.

 

[drewski]

Originally posted by Saeco'ligious
This thread is particularly interesting. These bikes are like timepieces in that they seem to like really precise callibration.

I wonder if the rubbing is actually exacerbated by the STI shifters? The STI style are very expensive. I use Ultegra, but am building a second bike and would consider going to downtube shifters if that helped with any rubbing issues.


I like the ergo-shift convenience though.

Any other thoughts on this?


Or insights into the rubbing (on the 2 low or 'easy' gears)?

I like to hearing nothing while I ride, but the occassional sound of my own flatulence slowly passing from my spandex.

sti front-shifting is much improved from it's first generation around 1990. back then about 1/2 of my shifts to the lower chainring were launched off of the ring and the trimming adjustments were inadequate/non-existent. until i just upgraded to 9-speed, i used the right/rear sti shifter and a down-tube mounted front shifter. i find the trimming to be adequate so it only needs to be used for a couple of cogs.

when you say rubbing on the two easy gears, do you mean 2 largest cogs and the small front chain-ring? if so, sounds like you may need to adjust the inner limit screw on the FD. for me, at least, it's getting towards the little/little or big/big combos where the rubbing/trimming is needed.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by Saeco'ligious
This thread is particularly interesting. These bikes are like timepieces in that they seem to like really precise callibration.

I wonder if the rubbing is actually exacerbated by the STI shifters? The STI style are very expensive. I use Ultegra, but am building a second bike and would consider going to downtube shifters if that helped with any rubbing issues.


I like the ergo-shift convenience though.

Any other thoughts on this?


Or insights into the rubbing (on the 2 low or 'easy' gears)?

I like to hearing nothing while I ride, but the occassional sound of my own flatulence slowly passing from my spandex.

There is really no particular issue here. Haven't you picked up on the underlying theme that the original poster neither understadns trimming, nor feels inclined to use it. Even downtube or barend frictions shifting FDs require trimming,often more so than the ergo/STI types.

 

[Saeco'ligious]

Originally posted by boudreaux
There is really no particular issue here. Haven't you picked up on the underlying theme that the original poster neither understadns trimming, nor feels inclined to use it. Even downtube or barend frictions shifting FDs require trimming,often more so than the ergo/STI types.

Gotcha! you guys are alright. I am moving to a new frame with a braze on FD Ultegra. My current set-up has the very same FD, but the screw seems to be at it's 'limit'...turned as far as humanly possible. Maybe miles have taken their toll. Either way. She's a good bike, but I am on my way to a better boike.