[BruceBrown]

After nearly 2 years of riding with Monkey Nuts on my Surly Karate Monkey to account for running a geared setup and a front XT derailleur, I took heart from the Surly Blog, Spew #12 that says:

As we mentioned above, if you can avoid using Monkey Nuts to provide front derailleur clearance with the rear tire, do it. It means one less thing to fiddle with when removing/installing your rear wheel, and you'll get the geometry of the frame as it was designed when the wheel is fully forward in the dropouts.

http://www.surlybikes.com/spew12.html

So I had a few spare front derailleurs around as well as many to choose from on other bikes. None of them would work, though. I tried an old Shimano traditional from my 1989 Trek 820. Almost worked, but just wouldn't get out far enough for the largest ring on the crank for the chainline I am running. So, I headed down to the hardward store and got a metric button head screw to replace the Shimano screw.

Not much clearance, but I took it out on a muddy training ride this morning getting ready for a Sunday race. I know it sounds odd, but moving the wheel forward those final 5mm's actually makes a difference in feel and handling. Or am I dreaming? Has anyone else noticed such a difference?

Here are the photos:

It feels good to be riding without my nuts....

 

[Cloxxki]

It must your musician's sensitive touch, but I've never felt the difference between 34-16, 34-18 with the same chain, and geared with the hub all the way forward in the drops. But then, the adjustment of my bike is hardly precise science. It's easy for me to lose an inch or so in any direction of my seat adjustment, for instance. I adjust my bike per cm, some do per mm. Maybe I wouldn't notice a full inch of extra chainstay, I just ride.
Good for you though, to now be done with the nuts, clearance looks good!

 

[20.100 FR]

If someone knows an actual front derailleur that would clear a bontrager XR without nuts, i'm very interested.

The nuts are a pain in the *** when you flat and you have to remove the rear whell on the trail.

 

[BruceBrown]

If someone knows an actual front derailleur that would clear a bontrager XR without nuts, i'm very interested.

The nuts are a pain in the *** when you flat and you have to remove the rear whell on the trail.

Right here, brother. It's the Shimano LX 571 and is the only 2005 line that will work. If it is still too close for comfort for you, swap out the screw for a button head screw and you'll have plenty of room:

http://www.speedgoat.com/product.asp?part=45049&cat=130&brand=226

Read the blog as well. An XTR M953 will also work, but they were not made in 2005 so you'll have to shop around or find a used one.

http://www.surlybikes.com/spew12.html

Here's the 2005 LX 571 that is still made....

 

[Kolo]

OK, I know it' snot the prettiest thing out there, but wouldn't an e-type front derailleur give you more clearance? Or is the fixing bolt still in the same place?

 

[ssissy]

try a

If someone knows an actual front derailleur that would clear a bontrager XR without nuts, i'm very interested.

The nuts are a pain in the *** when you flat and you have to remove the rear whell on the trail.

'84 exage sport. it's made for a double so it might not work on a tripple but the clamp offers plenty of space. if your interested pm me, i have one that i'd part with.

 

[BruceBrown]

'84 exage sport. it's made for a double so it might not work on a tripple but the clamp offers plenty of space. if your interested pm me, i have one that i'd part with.

True, there might be some older traditionals out there to be had that may or may not work, but you gotta figure the guys at Surly know what is needed.

From their blog:

=====
What front derailleur you need for your geared Karate Monkey:

•Traditional swing style
•Bottom pull
•28.6mm clamp preferred (although a 31.8mm clamp with a 28.6mm reducing shim works just dandy... it just may interfere with your water bottle cage a bit more)
•Shimano models LX M571 or XTR M953 work best. The LX are still available for the 2005 model year. The XTR is no longer made in 28.6mm clamp, so a 31.8mm clamp with a shim is necessary

Other ways to add rear tire clearance are by using a button head cable pinch bolt instead of the stock cap head bolt (see photo), or by using the included Monkey Nuts on the rear hub to keep the wheel 5mm back in the dropouts. If you can avoid using Monkey Nuts, do so. They are only there for oddball situations.
=====

I'd go with the proven LX M751 since it is still available in the 2005 Shimano lineup and easily available for purchase with the correct clamp size for the KM tube. Not to mention the boys at Surly are advising in that direction and they ought to know their product.

Otherwise you could end up trying a bunch of other derailleurs and never find one that works exactly right for a triple crankset. I had an LX on a tandem that would have worked with shims, but I was able to get my 2003 XT to work simply by changing the cap head bolt to a button head. The clearance isn't "great", but it'll do and now I'm in the intended geometry. Woohoo!

BB