FSA Compact drawback?

psycholist said:

I've been riding an FSA carbon compact crankset for about 3 months now.
Yesterday I did a really fast century ... more like a race, actually ... in
some VERY hilly terrain. There were plenty of hills that were long enough
and steep enought that I needed the small ring. Twice, when shifting down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd just
shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. Wouldn't work with
the compacts. I'm wondering if the jump between ring sizes creates an angle
where the teeth just can't grab a chain peg. Anyway, I had to dismount, fix
the chain, then chase back.

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to "save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

Bob C.

have you tryed itghtening the tension screw on the front mech, so it doesn't drop off! but,i guess you are using a band on opposed to a braze on! my mtb is a band on, and when its not quite alighned properly it does something similar.

if it is a band on, like i think it might be then try dropping your gear on the small ring, slacken off all your tension screws on the front mech so it drops appropriately, then whilst in the smallest (eg 21tooth) twist the front mech (left to right) enough not to scrape, but enough to shift the chain from top to bottom, then re adjust your tension screws adequately..

once you have it alligned it properly it should shift between the 2 with ease. doesn't work with me on my double, however on my mtb i can pick up the chain with the crank arm and pull it onto the bottom ring with ease.

I have the same problem with the chain dropping off and initially with getting it back on. I found that I had to be very quick pushing the shifter immediatly after the chain came off. If I hesitate it is almost impossible to get the chain back on.

If you feel the chain has jumped, push the shifter on to the big ring as fast as you can (don't even look down to see if the chain has really come off) and keep pedaling.

psycholist said:

I've been riding an FSA carbon compact crankset for about 3 months now.
Yesterday I did a really fast century ... more like a race, actually ... in
some VERY hilly terrain. There were plenty of hills that were long enough
and steep enought that I needed the small ring. Twice, when shifting down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd just
shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. Wouldn't work with
the compacts. I'm wondering if the jump between ring sizes creates an angle
where the teeth just can't grab a chain peg. Anyway, I had to dismount, fix
the chain, then chase back.

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to "save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

Clamp on FD? Probably want to tweak the angle of it a tad to keep it
from dropping off on the inside. Check out Sheldon's article on
adjustment. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html .

--
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news:kqZ7d.289274$4o.205648@fed1read01...

Quoted message said:

psycholist said:

I've been riding an FSA carbon compact crankset for about 3 months now.
Yesterday I did a really fast century ... more like a race, actually ...
in
some VERY hilly terrain. There were plenty of hills that were long
enough
and steep enought that I needed the small ring. Twice, when shifting
down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd
just
shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. Wouldn't work
with
the compacts. I'm wondering if the jump between ring sizes creates an
angle
where the teeth just can't grab a chain peg. Anyway, I had to dismount,
fix
the chain, then chase back.

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to
"save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

Clamp on FD? Probably want to tweak the angle of it a tad to keep it from
dropping off on the inside. Check out Sheldon's article on adjustment.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html .

Or look for this item in your neighbourhood

http://www.roseversand.de/rose_main.cfm?KAT_ID=1597&PRD_ID=17164&spr_id=3&MID=0&CID=175

Taeke

Quoted message said:

I've been riding an FSA carbon compact crankset for about 3 months now.
Yesterday I did a really fast century ... more like a race, actually ...
in
some VERY hilly terrain. There were plenty of hills that were long enough
and steep enought that I needed the small ring. Twice, when shifting
down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd just
shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. Wouldn't work with
the compacts. I'm wondering if the jump between ring sizes creates an
angle
where the teeth just can't grab a chain peg. Anyway, I had to dismount,
fix
the chain, then chase back.

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to
"save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

A couple things you can do. First, if your frame will take one, install a
3rd-eye chainwatcher. Sure, they look a bit dorky, but even some racers are
using them these days. They absolutely eliminate the chain from dropping
off the inside. Second, if you can't use a 3rd-eye chainwatcher, you can
get a chainkeeper ring such as used on TREK OCLVs. This little gadget is
nothing more than a very thin steel washer that fits between the fixed cup
and the frame, and extends above it a fair amount. When the chain falls off
the inside, it dumps onto the ring (instead of falling to the inside of the
crank) and you can simply shift it back on.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Fixed said:

Or look for this item in your neighbourhood

http://www.roseversand.de/rose_main.cfm?KAT_ID=1597&PRD_ID=17164&spr_id=3&MID=0&CID=175

Taeke

Or this one: http://www.gvtc.com/~ngear/whatis.html

I got one a few weeks ago and I wish someone had told me about it sooner.

Pam

Fixed said:

Quoted message said:

Clamp on FD? Probably want to tweak the angle of it a tad to keep it from
dropping off on the inside. Check out Sheldon's article on adjustment.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html .

Quoted message said:

Or look for this item in your neighbourhood

http://www.roseversand.de/rose_main.cfm?KAT_ID=1597&PRD_ID=17164&spr_id=3&MID=0&CID=175

A properly adjusted front derailleur is cheaper, beside an anti suck
device just adds weight. 🙂 Heck, that weighs at least as much as 1
bite out of an animal style In-n-Out. 🙂 I've never had an issue with
dropping a chain.

--
Mark Wolfe Lakeside, ca http://www.wolfenet.org
gpg fingerprint = 42B6 EFEB 5414 AA18 01B7 64AC EF46 F7E6 82F6 8C71
$_=$!++until/z/;($n,$a,$c,$e,$o,$z)=(split)[-1]=~/(.)..(.)..(.)(.).(.)(.)/;
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"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've been riding an FSA carbon compact crankset for about 3 months now.
Yesterday I did a really fast century ... more like a race, actually ...
in
some VERY hilly terrain. There were plenty of hills that were long

enough

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and steep enought that I needed the small ring. Twice, when shifting
down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd

just

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. Wouldn't work

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the compacts. I'm wondering if the jump between ring sizes creates an
angle
where the teeth just can't grab a chain peg. Anyway, I had to dismount,
fix
the chain, then chase back.

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to
"save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

A couple things you can do. First, if your frame will take one, install a
3rd-eye chainwatcher. Sure, they look a bit dorky, but even some racers

are

Quoted message said:

using them these days. They absolutely eliminate the chain from dropping
off the inside. Second, if you can't use a 3rd-eye chainwatcher, you can
get a chainkeeper ring such as used on TREK OCLVs. This little gadget is
nothing more than a very thin steel washer that fits between the fixed cup
and the frame, and extends above it a fair amount. When the chain falls

off

Quoted message said:

the inside, it dumps onto the ring (instead of falling to the inside of

the

Quoted message said:

crank) and you can simply shift it back on.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike,

Thanks for the info. My FSA compact is on my Trek 5500 ... with a
chainkeeper ring. Unfortunately, it won't shift right back on. It's also
strange that it fell off in the first place since, when in the biggest cog
on the rear and the small ring in front, I was getting a good bit of rub on
the front derailleur. (Dang, those really were some serious hills
yesterday, or my legs were seriously trashed, if I was using the 34x23!)

Open to more suggestions.

Bob C.

psycholist said:

Thanks for the info. My FSA compact is on my Trek 5500 ... with a
chainkeeper ring. Unfortunately, it won't shift right back on.

So, I don't think you can mount a chain watcher. A pity, since it works
flawlessly for me, with either the double or a triple.

Quoted message said:

It's also
strange that it fell off in the first place since, when in the biggest
cog on the rear and the small ring in front, I was getting a good bit of
rub on the front derailleur.

I presume you have Shimano shifters. With Campy it's probably better.
But, if you have trim adjustment, can you set the gear jump to not drop it
off, and then adjust the trim when you are in the small ring and one
of the bigger sprockets in back?

Quoted message said:

(Dang, those really were some serious
hills yesterday, or my legs were seriously trashed, if I was using the
34x23!)

Maybe there is a way to mount a chainwatcher?

Before you give up on the compact cranks, think how you would feel had you
been stuck in the 39x23.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Become MicroSoft-free forever. Ask me how.
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |

On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 17:07:10 -0700, Mark Wolfe <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

A properly adjusted front derailleur is cheaper, beside an anti suck
device just adds weight. 🙂 Heck, that weighs at least as much as 1
bite out of an animal style In-n-Out. 🙂 I've never had an issue with
dropping a chain.

I don't think a chain watcher, like the N-gear Jump Stop, Deda Dog
Fang, or 3rd Eye is considered an anti suck device. That is a
different problem.

Life is Good!
Jeff

psycholist said:

Thanks for the info. My FSA compact is on my Trek 5500 ... with a
chainkeeper ring. Unfortunately, it won't shift right back on. It's also
strange that it fell off in the first place since, when in the biggest cog
on the rear and the small ring in front, I was getting a good bit of rub on
the front derailleur. (Dang, those really were some serious hills
yesterday, or my legs were seriously trashed, if I was using the 34x23!)

Open to more suggestions.

Get the 12-27 or one of Sheldon's Century specials with the 30. After
all, you're going to wear down faster than the hills. 🙂 Went from a
12-23 to a 12-27, and my uphill speed increased.

--
Mark Wolfe Lakeside, ca http://www.wolfenet.org
gpg fingerprint = 42B6 EFEB 5414 AA18 01B7 64AC EF46 F7E6 82F6 8C71
The steady state of disks is full.
-- Ken Thompson

"psycholist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to "save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

I have not dropped the chain on my FSA compact while riding. It has
dropped a couple of times, however, from putting down the bike, and
each time I was able to shift it back on by saving it with a shift to
the big ring.

My wife has dropped hers a couple of times while riding and also able
to save it. I figure her fder needs to be adjusted better. Not sure
if it's relevant but mine is a DA 9sp and hers is Record 10s.

A Deda Dog Fang looks to be a good solution.

psycholist.<< Twice, when shifting down,
the chain came off on the inside. Normally, on my old DA cranks, I'd just
shift to the big ring and the chain would hop back on. >><BR><BR>

Really a problem with front der adjust...or install a third eye chain watcher.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

A couple things you can do. First, if your frame will take one,
install a 3rd-eye chainwatcher. Sure, they look a bit dorky, but
even some racers are using them these days. They absolutely
eliminate the chain from dropping off the inside. Second, if you
can't use a 3rd-eye chainwatcher, you can get a chainkeeper ring such
as used on TREK OCLVs. This little gadget is nothing more than a
very thin steel washer that fits between the fixed cup and the frame,
and extends above it a fair amount. When the chain falls off the
inside, it dumps onto the ring (instead of falling to the inside of
the crank) and you can simply shift it back on.

I'll put in another vote for these devices. On my old MTB, I was always
fiddling with chainring sizes, etc. This meant a lot of derailer fiddling too.
But once I put one of these on, I hardly ever touched the derailer again. All
bikes should probably have 'em.

Matt O.

On Sun, 3 Oct 2004 15:31:16 -0400, "psycholist" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Anyone else notice this with compact cranks or have you been able to "save"
a dropped chain with a shift to the large ring?

I had the same problem with my FSA cranks. I had to be especailly
careful when shifting to the small ring when in the 3 innermost cogs.
It happens most when you are at slow rpm.

I got tired of worrying about it and installed a Jump Stop.

I theorize that it has something to do with the design of the 50t
ring. My Stronglight 110 bolt cranks doesn't seem to have the same
problem. Both of my frames are the same and the front derailleurs are
the same.

psycholist said:

Open to more suggestions.

Bob,

I sometimes use a 110 crank with a rather extreme ring difference. I sometimes
use a 53x33 in the front. That's a wide 20t jump. I have, like you, noted the
same problem. This problem is, however, simply solved.

When the chain is pushed off the big ring, it does not fall "straight down," it
falls at an angle towards the "inside" of the bike. This is especially true for
the combination you noted: when the chain is on the biggest cog in the back.
The chain can fall off.

What I have done on my combo, and what seems to work reliably, is to add thin
spacers (0.5 to 1.0 mm) between the crank arms and the little ring. That way
the chain makes a "more accurate drop" onto the little ring. My problem seems
to have evaporated for the 53x33 chainring set, with 1.0 mm spacers. A little
bit of extra spacing seems to go a long way.

I should note that I am using a 9sp setup and the associated narrower chain.
Despite the fact that "normal" 130 9sp rings were moved slightly closer together
(by manufacturers such as Shimano) due to the narrower chain, I would recommend
"going the other way" when using a wider spread between rings. I also believe
chainline is important for drop angle too, and I tend to bias towards a "lower"
chainline.

Perhaps Sheldon can comment too, as he has a wide-spaced Hetchins (or something
like that) double.

Note that running a so-called half-step poses exactly the opposite problem -- it
is sometimes difficult to find chainrings that will allow very close ring
spacing, and without close spacing the chain will sometimes get "caught" (not
jammed) in between and takes a bit to get seated. By noting the two extremes,
we get a feel for how a chain drops onto a smaller ring. So my tact is not to
get it "back on," but to avoid it coming off in the first place.

Matt O'Toole said:

I'll put in another vote for these devices. On my old MTB, I was always
fiddling with chainring sizes, etc. This meant a lot of derailer fiddling too.
But once I put one of these on, I hardly ever touched the derailer again. All
bikes should probably have 'em.

That's at least 20 grams of dead weight to carry up every hill.
Sheesh... 🙂

--
Mark Wolfe Lakeside, ca http://www.wolfenet.org
gpg fingerprint = 42B6 EFEB 5414 AA18 01B7 64AC EF46 F7E6 82F6 8C71
Simon: `hello kitty' douche. If you are getting some and you know what
hello kitty is... Well, you're an exceptionally lucky man.
-- Megahal, trained on IRC.

Mark Wolfe said:

Matt O'Toole said:

I'll put in another vote for these devices. On my old MTB, I was always
fiddling with chainring sizes, etc. This meant a lot of derailer fiddling too.
But once I put one of these on, I hardly ever touched the derailer again. All
bikes should probably have 'em.

Quoted message said:

That's at least 20 grams of dead weight to carry up every hill.
Sheesh... 🙂

So save your money and take a leak at the bottom of the hill. :-)

--

-John ([email hidden])