Can you use a standard front mech with a compact chainset

deejay.
deejay. Posts: 665
edited August 2008 in Workshop
Hi All,

I'm buying up bits on ebay for a new bike next year, and picking up good deals on current Record as new S-R 11 and DA7900 have existing riders haemorrhaging nice bits of kit!
I bought a standard front mech (QS) and then ended up getting a slightly used Record UT CT chainset, 'cos a) it was such a good deal (£128!!!), b) I can always swap it on to my C40 and c) who am I kidding, I'll probably never ride big chainrings again! If I can I'd like to stick with the standard front mech rather than buy another CT one. Have any of you experts run CT with a standard front mech? Can it be done? It's a braze-on mech BTW...

Cheers,

deej
He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil...

Comments

  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Yes, standard front mech's will work with compact chainrings. I've been running
    a compact crank with a Dura-Ace mech for years.


    Dennis Noward
  • Meds1962
    Meds1962 Posts: 391
    I just swapped a 53/39 to a 50/34 and the existing Ultegra front mech works fine with it as long as it is re adjusted to the correct height.

    I took out 2 links from the chain.

    The other concern I had was whether a 10 sp compact would be ok with my existing 9 sp set up and again there are no problems.
    O na bawn i fel LA
  • deejay.
    deejay. Posts: 665
    Thanks for your replies.

    Any Campy riders out there care to comment? My question does involve a Campy drivetrain after all...

    Cheers,

    deej
    He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil...
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    yes, it'll be fine but the Campag compact mechs do shift a bit better.

    I run a CT mech on a Shimano drivetrain by tweaking the cable clamp to get a bit more mech movement out of the cable pull (the cable runs through the centre of the clamp bolt, not to the side).
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer