Hi,
I’m trying to setup a 2*10 direct mount front derailleur but it won’t go low enough. There’s a huge gap between the cage and top of the chainring. I got a double front derailleur instead of the triple I’d used on my previous bike (not direct mount) as I thought this would be doing things “properly”.

Have I got the wrong type? It’s a 32t “middle” ring on the outside and I’d planned to miss the bash guard off as I thought a derailleur and clutch mech would do the job. It’s on a Giant Trance if that makes any difference.

Help and mocking gratefully received.

Stu.

Probably because most of the Direct mount derailleurs are to be used with up to 42T outer rings & your running a 32T hence the large gap!

That’s a bit rubbish. Any ideas? I’d thought about modifying the derailleur but I think it’ll weaken the mounting plate too much.

Mine’s a bit like that since I swapped from 22-32-44T to 24-38T and there’s little you can do about the yawning chasm between the top of the ring and the bottom of the mech plate, aside from buying a new mech of course but even then I think you’ll struggle to find one to fit.

I simply asked myself “does it still change gear?” if the answer is “yes” then simply go with it.

Run a single 32T upfront then you have no derailleur hanger issues
I run a 34T on both my bikes

I need the lower gears for biking in the Highlands. I looked into Narrow-Wide rings but *for me* the numbers never added up. I’ve got 1*9 on my commuter but not for proper off road.

Be gutted if i have to leave it swinging like a big gate above the chainring. If nothing else it looks rubbish!

Stu.

Thanks PJM1974. Do you get any issues with the chain bouncing off? That’s one of my main concerns, I’ve got a lightweight bashguard but was wanting to leave it off if possible.

It’s got a clutch mech so I was hoping to get away with it.

Run a 36T upfront 32 is pretty small if your going to run both, so won’t spin out on fire roads etc

No, my chain hasn’t bounced off but like you I am using a clutch mech. If I were running 2×9 then it would be a different matter I’m sure.

Hmmm, I’ve tried 36t up front before and found I needed to drop to the inner ring *a lot*. The jump between them was huge as well. I’d maybe get used to it though only ran it for a few weeks before I changed previously.

I’m currently running 32/22 and a 10 speed 11-36 on my 26 inch Anthem so I reckon the jump to 29 wheels should be good. Happy to spin out at speed but I like to be able to get up ridiculous hills! Also good for Bikepacking with lots of weight on the bike.

You are running a triple but with the outer ring removed? Then you need a triple mech. Or get a double chainset, but that’s more expensive. Or run single ring.
Personally, if I wanted to run a front mech then I’d get the right one. The things are horrible at the best of times, so trying to get something to work when it shouldn’t really doesn’t sound like much fun to me.

Yes to a triple with no outer ring – definitely need a triple mech? I’m using a SRAM grip shift to change it so I can trim it pretty easily. I’d got the 2* mech as previously running a triple mech meant it *had* to be high so the shaped cage matched the correct rings (and the non-existent outer chainring).

As I said, I’m not keen on single ring due to the loss of range.

Was hoping someone might either know if there’s another direct mount derailleur that’ll mount lower (triple or double). Or some kind of bodge/plate that’d let me mount it lower. I’m not sure how much lateral adjustment I might have to put a plate on it, was hoping I’d not be pioneering new ground :-).

I bought a SRAM one (X9 I think) which was called “low direct mount” and designed to be used with up to 38-39 tooth ring. Been using it with 24/38 XT cranks and is spot on. Could be worth a look but may still leave a gap with 32T?

You are running a triple but with the outer ring removed? Then you need a triple mech.

I got a triple mech (as I was using a triple crankset without the outer ring) and yes I have that yawning chasm. It also doesn’t like the 22/36 ring combo. SLX used to have a band clamp “small” double mech (for 22/32/bash setups, smaller radius curve on the cage) which works really well on another bike, couldn’t find a direct mount one tho.
Direct mount = shite*.

Run a single 32T upfront then you have no derailleur hanger issues

🙄

I bought a SRAM one (X9 I think) which was called “low direct mount”

afaik sram low mount is a completely different 2 bolt setup and won’t work on this “high” direct mount 1 bolt frame

*might work really well for this week’s “standard” setup but isn’t versatile enough to work on last week or next week’s so yeah, shit.

“low direct mount”

Thanks wans74 but I think this is a different attachment. This article seems to suggest that I’ve got the “high direct mount” and the low direct attachment is different. I’ve had quite a search to see if there are different types of “high direct mount” but not found anything.

Thanks D0NK, having faffed getting a triple derailleur to work well with my previously modified “double” I thought direct mount may solve all my problems. Appears not!

I think it’d work ok if I could just mount it a cm or so lower it looks like the arc of the derailleur is correct. Frustrating!

No probs, worth a shout, stupid of me to expect there would be any remote chance of standardisation of the fitting kits!!

this is the slx one, m667, for “compact all mountain” max ring size 36t, now if only you could get a direct mount version…

I think it’d work ok if I could just mount it a cm or so lower

I had considered taking a file to it, remove the enclosing top loop so I could mount it a couple of mm lower, haven’t yet. The triple works OKish but you can’t set it up so it doesn’t rub the chain at both ends of the cassette in middle ring. Can’t even blame my front mech setup technique as height is the only variable, may work better with 22/32 but on my last frame with normal mech 22/36 worked fine. And that big gap means losing the chain “over the top” is a real possibility.

The problem is in the meaning of ‘a double’

You mean it as 2 rings on a crank, in this case a bastardised triple.
The ‘industry’ in 2014 mean it as a 42/28 or 38/24 or something like that, basically a dedicated double.

So you buy a double front mech and its not designed for your setup, which is a modified triple. A triple front mech wont work as it expects a 44t ring on the outside, so will never go low enough.

A few years ago, back when the industry ‘double’ was a triple with a bash guard, you could get front mechs that went low enough. I have an SLX like that, max 36t ring. Sadly i think those were before direct mount (high direct mount in your case) so prob wont work either.

My suggestion would be to fit a bash guard of some sort in 36t ring size, might fill the gap and prevent chain ever coming off that way.

Thanks all.

Stato, that’s exactly what I did on the previous bike. Mainly to keep the chain on rather than aesthetics though. This time was hoping that to get away without it as I thought the clutch mech might be good enough to keep it on.

Genuinely surprised at the industry move towards bigger gears. We seem to have gone to bigger wheel sizes and bigger gears at the same time. Where’s the point in a prolonged uphill if you can’t chat on the way? (Our bike rides do resemble ladies coffee mornings though).

D0NK I think I’ll do the same and just make do for now. Will post again if I manage to get some kind of adaptor to work. Too nervous to file off the top of the loop, I think it’d only give me an extra ~0.5 cm anyway.

A direct mount version of that old SLX derailleur looks like exactly what I need!

Surely you have to get a triple mech and set it up so that it’s the right height if you did have a 42/44 tooth ring? That’s always how you used to have to do it without direct mount. I used to put on an old 44 ring to set it up, then once it’s done take that ring off.

I would keep the bash guard as you surely still want to protect the chainring and it helps with the problems mentioned above?

We’ll see if it works or not! Still to put the chain on.

Bashguard was really just to stop the chain falling off. I’m not into smashing through things and a 32t ring should be small enough to clear (the 32t bashguard I’ve got is a lightweight one and doesn’t have any marks on it, think it’s about 3 years old). Clutch mech was hopefully going to be enough to do away with it. Looks like my plans will have to change though.

I use that XT mech on my new Meta AM and it looks pretty similar. The frame is optimised for 2×10 but I’m running 2×9 (no Shimano 9spd direct mount mech available that I could find). Quickly found out the chain on a 9 spd 22T granny ring would not clear the bottom of the mech cage, so now running 24/36T, although I presume it should really be 24/38T.

Won’t the old 9 speed double specific SLX top swing (band type) fit below the direct mount?

The direct mount 2×9 you need is a M665. I bought one for my camber a few months ago for a 22/36 setup (also M665)

jsync – Member
The direct mount 2×9 you need is a M665. I bought one for my camber a few months ago for a 22/36 setup (also M665)
POSTED 38 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Sadly not – the “direct mount” used by specialized is their DMD mount – which is just an e-type mech with the BB plate removed – so it won’t fit in this situation

That’s the trouble with these “standards” that all share the same name……

Damn it!

had a similar problem..and learned the following..
double or tripple mechs are for different chainlines..
46,8mm..48,8mm or 50mm
there are two different standards for the direct mounts ..
155,5mm and 159,5mm (center of the direct mount screw to center of BB)
and, there are many different XT direct mount front mechs which look all the same but they are all different..
most important for 38T to 40T and 40T to 44T..
finally exact this one solved the problem for me..
shimano direct mount front mech FDM 781-10-D6

Double specific DM front mechs are based on XC style 38 or 40T outer ring compacts. This one is an E type, mounted on twin lugs on the seat tube.. You can slide it up to make it fit a 40T ring. The chainset is 38/26 (although being a fat knacker I put a 24 on the granny and it handles it fine with an 11-36)

This is a SRAM XO DM, single lug fitting like yours. Again, 38 or 40T chainring on a compact double, sliding up for 40 or down for 38.

The best advice I can give is to put a bigger chainring on, as they are designed to give the best profile with a double. A triple mech will sit even higher, and not hug the chainring enough to stop the chain coming off. If you get the chainline right you won#t have to shift as much, as more of the cassette becomes available without cross-chaining.

On a modified triple to 2×9 an SLX M665 again gives the best profile, but of course you aren’t hampered with a band-on mech.

accu – Thanks for that, I’ve done a bit more research and it looks like there’s a minimum “big ring” size and then the “range” says what it’ll go down to. The one I’ve got is:

44-38 tooth outer ring compatible total capacity 14 teeth

So 38-14teeth is a minimum 24t ring. This fits in with my chain fitting last night! It’d work on the 3 or 4 biggest sprockets but looked like it’d rub further down. The mech you suggest (which I can only find from Rose bikes) is a 42-40t big ring with 18t capacity (40-18=22t chainring) so would work. I’ve found this triple 9 speed with similar spec (chainline is less but I’m happy to “trim” it with my gripshift and I’m impatient and want it now).

Shimano XT M771 Direct Mount 9sp Front Mech

Hopefully this might be with me quick enough for the weekend. If it doesn’t fit properly I’ll send it back and get the 10 speed one but AFAIK the internal width of the 9 and 10 speed chain are the same (outer plates are narrower). So *for this* 10 and 9 speed should be interchangeable. Been running a mix of 9 and 10 speed up front for a while.

Scapegoat – I’ve got the same Alu bashguard as that in black and I think I’ll be putting it back on to cope with the “gap” between derailleur and crankset and to keep the chain on.

As my previous post, wont a top swing (low band) mount fit below the direct mount, looks like there is plenty of room for one?

Sorry forgot to mention that. I’m not sure it’d go round the tube – it’s not round. I suspect some bodging could be done but I don’t have a low band mech to try it with.

Just an idea but what about an e-type front mech? Do they offer a fair bit of adjustment? (never used one myself)

Got a press fit BB (horrible things) so I don’t think that would work. Although I’ve put a Hope Press fit BB in which screws up so could be a possibility. Be a hell of a job to adjust it though. I’ve also heard that the e-types aren’t particularly rigid.

I love how much help I’m getting here! I’ll post an update with how I get on with the 9 speed direct mount.

u02sgb..the 9s front mech from CRC seems to be a good solution..
I`m running 22t,32t chainrings, 11-34 casette..
and a hope press fit BB ..I don`t get this press fit thing..but the hope BB is a real good solution..

Grrrr, flecking CRC… 2 days and three emails and still marked as “processing order”. Keep replying with a stock reply of “higher than usual number of orders”. Well if you’re having one of your many sales and think you’ll get more orders – hire more staff.

Mind you, does anyone else remember “please wait 28 days for delivery” 😯