[hitek79]

My wife has a Specialized Pitch with a direct mount der. She had a Deore crank and bottom bracket, and on the drive side there was one 2.5mm spacer. I put on a new 3 ring SLX crankset and bottom bracket. I have installed it with the spacer and can not get the bike to shift to the middle ring. I installed it without the spacer and then it has trouble dropping back down to the granny ring. I'm lost. I take German cars apart for a living, yet I can't figure out this stupid problem. Educate me please!!!

 

[gmcttr]

Can we assume you have tried adjusting the derailleur and know how to do so?

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Have you adjusted the front derailleur? Don't know what bb shell size your wife's bike has, but here are the installation instructions to show spacer/derailleur setups http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/t...002/SI-6PZFA-002-En_v1_m56577569830647029.pdf

 

[hitek79]

Yeah, I've adjusted it. It just doesn't seem to be throwing far enough for the chain to ramp up on to the middle ring. Even if I adjust the der all the way out so that the chain rubs in the granny and big cog on the back I still can't get it to catch when she shifts to the middle ring.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Yeah, I've adjusted it. It just doesn't seem to be throwing far enough for the chain to ramp up on to the middle ring. Even if I adjust the der all the way out so that the chain rubs in the granny and big cog on the back I still can't get it to catch when she shifts to the middle ring.

More description on the fd (which specific model?) and how you setup the derailleur, detailed steps, might help point out where you might be going wrong, otherwise you might simply reinstall the derailleur from scratch using the park link (or the specific fd setup instructions) to make sure you get it right. Be sure you've got the crank setup properly for the frame first.

 

[hitek79]

It's an LX FD, but a Direct Mount, or E-Type. It bolts straight into the frame, so from what I can tell there really isn't much adjustment up or down. The only adjustment is the H and L limit screws.

 

[FBinNY]

It's an LX FD, but a Direct Mount, or E-Type. It bolts straight into the frame, so from what I can tell there really isn't much adjustment up or down. The only adjustment is the H and L limit screws.

The high and low limit screws are the only adjustments on the ft. derailleur, but they're not the only adjustments. The most important adjustment is the cable tension, or trim barrel. It usually isn't actually on FDs, but in-line someplace along the cable run, usually on the lever or at the first fulcrum (housing stop) on the frame or in-line on the housing near the lever

The limit screws do just what their name implies, set the inner and outer limits of travel, but it's the trim adjustment which determines where the FD cage is for each click of the lever. I usually adjust this to center the cage over the middle ring at the second click, then fine tune it for optimum shifting, trial and error.

The other adjustments are height and rotation. Within the range of movement afforded, make sure the cage is parallel with the chainrings and as close to 2mm above the outer chainring as possible.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

It's an LX FD, but a Direct Mount, or E-Type. It bolts straight into the frame, so from what I can tell there really isn't much adjustment up or down. The only adjustment is the H and L limit screws.

Francis beat me to it about the adjustments. E-type derailleurs don't bolt into the frame, they're held in place by the bb cup and it basically takes the place of a 2.5mm spacer. The pitch is a 68mm shell so you should be using one 2.5mm spacer on each side in addition to the derailleur bracket.

 

[davep]

Actually on many of the new spec frames, the front derailleur DOES actually bolt directly to the frame. What is used is only the upper part of an E-type derailleur....with no bb mount arm as they are typically supplied.

It is a pretty neat idea, the derailleur is mounted to the swingarm portion, so as the suspension compresses...the front derailleur tracks the angular change of the chain. Check any of the frame only options on the spec site (enduro, sx, etc) and you can see the derailleur mounts on the swingarm pivot.

 

[hitek79]

Yeah, the der most definitely mounts directly to the frame and not the BB.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Actually on many of the new spec frames, the front derailleur DOES actually bolt directly to the frame. What is used is only the upper part of an E-type derailleur....with no bb mount arm as they are typically supplied.

It is a pretty neat idea, the derailleur is mounted to the swingarm portion, so as the suspension compresses...the front derailleur tracks the angular change of the chain. Check any of the frame only options on the spec site (enduro, sx, etc) and you can see the derailleur mounts on the swingarm pivot.

Have no desire to have such a derailleur myself, nor a frame that requires one. Do believe E-type is specifically a bb mount, though. OP equated direct mount and e-type and I went with what I know about e-type...

That aside, with the correct spacers on the crank, and best positioning of this fd, what happened using the cable tension adjustment? Which means two 2.5mm spacers on the drive side, one 2.5mm spacer on the non-drive side...