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Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested
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Quick eTap question for anyone out there in the know.

Just setup eTap last night and have everything dialed in perfectly except the FD.

I followed the instructions and have the lines aligned to the chainring, the height appropriately set, the limit screws dialed in. Shifting to the small chainring is butter smooth. However, regardless of position on the cassette, I can't seem to get enough throw to get the chain to catch and fully engage with the large chainring. It tries but can't seem to make it to the top of the rotation (12 o'clock) and this remains caught between the two until I shift back down on the FD.

Normally, I'd recheck the limit screws (done), and then add a little tension to the cable.

However, with no cable, what should I do with FD to tune in the shifting to the big ring? I started over with installation of the FD and ran into the same issue again. I could continue to dial in on the alignment marks and height, but I think I'm pretty well within the error.

Thanks in advance for the assist!
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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You've watched the video? Is there a 0.5mm gap between chain and outer cage in the outboard (big ring) position? Are your chain rings old? What frame? What size rings?
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [MVM] [ In reply to ]
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MVM wrote:
You've watched the video? Is there a 0.5mm gap between chain and outer cage in the outboard (big ring) position? Are your chain rings old? What frame? What size rings?


Yes, many times now :)

Occasionally it does make it up there and runs smooth, so maybe my alignment is off just enough.


I've set the gap to 0.5 (as close as I can). Chain rings aren't that old, less than 1000 miles. Frame is a CAAD10 (2014). Rings are Extralite 53/39.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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Extralite 53/39. FD and chainrings work as a system so that is not the best place to mix it up, especially with electronics that take away some of your tune-ablility.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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You've installed a wedge between the derailer and seat tube?
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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Double check your clearance with the big ring. Use a penny as a feeler gauge. The penny should barely fit. When I did mine I only "eyed ball" the clearance and had poor front shifting due to too much clearance.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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Can you tell if the FD is rubbing the chain when it tries to shift up?

You may have to open the high limit slightly to get it to shift smoothly to the big ring.

It could also be a flex issue if you don't have the wedge behind the FD, but mine seems to be shifting alright without that at the moment.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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How much space do you have between the inner cage when in big/big? I would try and split the clearance in big ring/big cog and big ring/small cog.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [durk onion] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the tips, all.

I'll check things tonight after training and see if I can put some of the suggestions into a successful fix and report back.

Much appreciated!!!
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks all!

Followed some advice posted by Skunkworks in another forum.

This advice was the key. I took the high limit a lot further out, until it threw, then backed it in 1/4 to 1/2 turn until it didn't seem to throw any longer. I'm still dialing it in as I was a bit paranoid about throwing it over. But I'm at least right in that sweet spot zone now and know what I need to do for micro-adjustments.

As to other questions, height was solid, I did have the wedge in, and no, this was my first YAW.

I will also mention that when in big - big or small - small with this current limit setting, I rub the cage. :/
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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Sounds like you might need to adjust the angle of the FD to be a little more tail out.
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [durk onion] [ In reply to ]
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durk onion wrote:
Sounds like you might need to adjust the angle of the FD to be a little more tail out.

Okay, I'll try this. Thanks!
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Re: Question eTap Front Derailleur Setup - Guidance Requested [f_herman] [ In reply to ]
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f_herman wrote:
durk onion wrote:
Sounds like you might need to adjust the angle of the FD to be a little more tail out.


Okay, I'll try this. Thanks!

So I checked tailing the rear out a bit. This made me realize that one issue was that the front of the derailleur as a bit high - the marking for chain ring height clearance had about a mm gap between the bottom of the mark and the top of the tallest tooth. If I set this back down, it was impossible to tighten and keep the rear high enough to not hit the rear facing teeth when shifting down into the little ring. So I'm wondering if my braze-on mount needs a slight bend (bottom back a bit) to allow for a more level placement when tightened down. I have it now in a position of best compromise and about a hair width between cage and teeth when shifted into little ring.

I have the chain off soaking to apply some Squirt, so I'll try some shifting and see if this has helped.
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