Front derailleur choices for carbons?

[jazclrint]

Hey,
Can I put ANYTHING other than a shimano front derailluer on my 5500c?
Thanks

[chainsaw]

no, it has to be a 31.8mm top swing bottom pull derailleur from Shimano

however, now shimano is making universal size derailleurs that come with shims, and are also making top/bottom pull derailleurs. just make sure you see that it is specifically 31.8 top swing, bottom pull
or
top/bottom pull and the size range includes your 31.8

[Sprucey]

This is an interesting question.

Chainsaw is right but.....SRAM are now making front mechs and we sell them. Problem is I have not had the need to offer one up to the Oz to see if it woud fit.

You need the top swing as it has the mounting band level with the mechanism so it will fit on the short mounting stub and not fould the underside of the swing arm.

When I am less busy I will have  alook at the new SRAM mechs to see if they will fit.

Sprucey

[rapiddescent]

funnily enough, I just added a bottom pull SRAM 9.0sl to my proflex 97 beast the other night and it seems to work quite well.  The problem with most front mechs is that they stick up too much and foul the swingarm - hence the need for a bottom pull.

The only problem with the sram is that the spring is a little stiff at the moment but thats probably because I've never used it.

callum rd/ scotland

[jazclrint]

I'm not familuar with the Beasts, but the problem with the carbons is that we have a short post to deal with.  I had a '02/'03? SRAM derailleur rigged on mine.  It would have fit if the cage had traveled at an upward angle.  But instead it has an almost perfectly horizontal travel path, and runs into the chain rings.  I cut up a brass pipe to use as an extention to get the SRAM high enough to work.  You can see (bad) pics of it in my gallery.  

Sprucey:  I really don't think the new X type will work, but it might.  But what I am really interested in is the new 3.0.  The clamp looks like it has been lowered.  And I wonder if the cage travels up at an angle now.  If this is the case then it should work.  Thanks,