Front mech - to pulley or not to pulley, thats the question?

[TOMAS]

Just starting out a Saracen Kili XTR Elite build, it's got top route cabling, however there is a bolt hole for a pulley on the lower seat tube, so... did this come with bottom or top pull front mech? I'm actually lucky to have one of each in stock, I just can't decide. It's a 1993 model, i've never done a build with a pulley front mech and can't help but think the addition of a pulley brings addition of problems - sticky, possibility of cable jumping off of it etc? Let me know your thoughts...

 

[Double-E F]

I personally think pulleys look cool and have never experienced any of the issues you're concerned about using such bp front mechs.

So, to pulley it is !

 

[legrandefromage]

As above - never had an issue and have often found a standard bottom pull mech works better with the shifter for reach and chainline over the top pull mechs.

Pulleys are great!

Front mechs need careful matching due to cable pull and reach between various models and groupset years and it can be a pain - perfect reach and chainline but not enough adjustment for the granny ring, you adjust its all again and the chainline is buggered to glory.

Madness!

 

[WimVDD]

Pulleys only add a bit friction but you will hardly notice. Nice frame BTW. I have a 1997 Kili Team but actually wanted one of these XTR's.

 

[TOMAS]

Cheers guys, I did think a Pulley would add a bit of trickery to it and make it look even more Retro/period but was concerned by the drawbacks. Now toying with the idea of one, need to ensure the clamp on bottom pull f.mech won't foul the bottle bosses, looking at the angle of the upper cable stop, it would throw the cable out at a bit of a harsh angle with a top pull also. So when you guys say they need careful matching... I assume you mean the differing diameter pulleys give differing pull ratios and can throw things out?

I'll try and throw together a build thread as its going along (if I can be bothered)... I was also surprised at the weight of this frame, it comes in around 2300g - I was expecting lighter, I have my dekerf and fuquay at around 1800g but they are a bit more special than this. I like the ribbing on the downtube of this one, subtle trickery

 

[WimVDD]

Re:

best is a front mech that fits without having to add an adaptor, as it might change the derailleur ratio. I believe Legrandfromage means that later shifters not always work with earlier front mechs as the cable pull ratio is different.

 

[lensmansteve]

Size of pulley makes no difference. If the cable is pulled by, say, 5mm at one end then it will shorten by 5mm at the other, there's no "gear effect" with a simple pulley,irrespective of the diameter. Best to go for the largest pulley diameter you can though, to keep friction and wear to a minimum- cables don't like being tightly bent, the strands have to move relative to each other, causing friction and sometimes even partial failure. I've often seen this on stems with pulleys for the front brake cable.

 

[fearfactoryüberalles]

Pulleys are dead sexy retro, but in this case it does look irrelevant, more weight(I know :facepalm: ) , more parts to be coggled with muck, longer cable, etc., so why choose the hassle? I'm in the simpler = the better camp!

 

[legrandefromage]

They went top pull later anyway

I liked this bicycle

 

[legrandefromage]

I went 'Pulley' on this rare beast

And this one!