I’ve been having issues with my SRAM red front derailleur. It will not allow shifting into the big ring. At first the shifting was flawless, but it has gotten worse over time. I tried to adjust it myself. I downloaded the sram pdf, no luck. I’ve taken the bike to the local shop to get tuned, but the fix lasts a month or two before the problem is back.
I took the bike back today and was told that this is a known issue and I’m better off buying a DA 7900 FD. Is this true? With so many bikes using sram in ATOC how can this be a common problem?
Any advice is appreciated.
Sorry if the answer is already posted, I looked through 50 threads and found no direct answer.
SRAM is really great because it is so much lighter than Campy or Dura Ace.
Why do you want it to actually work? Do you hate non-conformity?
Seriously, most pro teams have realized that some of the Red group sucks. The FD and chain are typically replaced with something more reliable such as a Force FD and a Dura Ace chain. Those are the most common swaps.
There is a tab on the derailleur that swings back when shifting on the big ring. This tab sometimes hits the derailleur hanger on the frame. You can dremil down the front hanger a bit where it touches or tighten up the cable tension a bit so it doesn’t swing back so much. They work fine, but I’m not convinced they will work on everything out there, so that could be why other front deralleurs are used.
You’re not alone… I read that many pros use a steel ft deraileur cage- versus the SRAM ti version -b/c of shifting issues- and also see this about SRAM RED…
SRAM had taken a PR hit over the past couple of years as many of their sponsored riders and teams had actually been subbing in other companies’ chains, cassettes and chainrings instead of the official Red pieces for any number of reasons. However, that seems to have changed for the 2009 season as there were virtually no mismatched drivetrains to be found.
and chainrings instead of the official Red pieces for any number of reasons. However, that seems to have changed for the 2009 season as there were virtually no mismatched drivetrains to be found.
Criticisms surrounding the existing PC-1090R chain were mostly limited to insufficient strength and excessive noise but both have been addressed with the latest version whose improvements were iteratively tested by teams last year and have already been put into production. A new pin material and revised riveting process improves pull strength while an increase grease fill during manufacture quiets things down and retains lubrication longer from frequent washings.
Stronger riders were also having some issues with Red’s outer chainrings during peak efforts but SRAM has addressed that as well with a new ‘SPR’ variant that is milled less aggressively than the stock version for reduced flex, gaining 25-30g as a result. Though the SPR ring clearly won’t appeal to the weight weenies, SRAM road sports team and athlete liaison Alex Wassmann insists that it will be “overkill for most of us turning the pedals in search of bliss rather than anger and salary.” Perhaps, but even less serious riders are likely to benefit from the improved front shifting that the new ring would provide.
And what about the Red PowerDome cassettes? There were actually no changes made that we could see and none that the team mechanics we spoke to were aware of any but the bikes we viewed were appropriately fitted nevertheless.
Looks like I’m going to be in the market for a DA front derailleur. If getting the derailleur to work requires cutting or trimming parts, forget it… I dont want to imagine the comedy and frustration that will follow. And yea, I’m going to be conformist…last time i went against the crowd and hooked up an electric engine to my bike they said someting about cheating and disqualified.
FWIW the issue that you are encountering is not the issue that pro teams reported. They had issues with cage flex, while shifting under load.
I use a Red FD and it has been every bit as good as my past Shimano components. Both need adjustment from time to time, depending upon use. (I adjusted mine once this summer, after ~1K mikes of use and its been fine since. I was overshifting slightly while in certain cog positions.)
It seems as if your limit screw has a tough time staying in place. The SRAM deraileurs come with locktite on these screws, but that’s not to say that they wont ever lose adjustment.
And I’d recommend learning how to make minor adjustments on your bike. What we’re talking about here is two turns of one screw…assuming of course, the FD was set up properly to begin with.
FWIW the issue that you are encountering is not the issue that pro teams reported. They had issues with cage flex, while shifting under load.
I use a Red FD and it has been every bit as good as my past Shimano components. Both need adjustment from time to time, depending upon use. (I adjusted mine once this summer, after ~1K mikes of use and its been fine since. I was overshifting slightly while in certain cog positions.)
It seems as if your limit screw has a tough time staying in place. The SRAM deraileurs come with locktite on these screws, but that’s not to say that they wont ever lose adjustment.
And I’d recommend learning how to make minor adjustments on your bike. What we’re talking about here is two turns of one screw…assuming of course, the FD was set up properly to begin with.
FWIW- I’ve ridden thousands and thousands of miles with Shimano DA front derailleurs- no adjusting ever needed after initial set up- and looking at my odometer- it’s well north of 50k miles on various bikes. I find it a little humerous- that they provide locktite on their limit screws to keep them in place. When in doubt, glue less than stellar designs.
FWIW- I've ridden thousands and thousands of miles with Shimano DA front derailleurs- no adjusting ever needed after initial set up- and looking at my odometer- it's well north of 50k miles on various bikes. I find it a little humerous- that they provide locktite on their limit screws to keep them in place. When in doubt, glue less than stellar designs.
Well, the limit screws on Red are aluminum, so you pretty much have to have a nylon nut on the threads or use locktite. I’d rather have steel limit screw anyway even if they’re heavier.
I’ve ridden quite a few miles with Shimano as well, and I tear down and rebuild every spring, and sometime during the summer adjustment is usually required.
I’ve ridden quite a few miles with Shimano as well, and I tear down and rebuild every spring, and sometime during the summer adjustment is usually required.
Adjustment- with a limit screw or cable tension? Cable tension- after installed- with a little stretch is one thing (to reduce a little slack after riding several times)- but that shouldn’t effect the limit screws- if you use the same crank. Same reason limit screws don’t need to be touched with rear derailleur after set up.
Both, usually not much. There’s a lot of vibration on a bike, its not uncommon for screws to loosen a bit. The last one that I can remember on my bike was the mounting bolt for a shimano ultegra 10s braze on FD.
Also, I think that shimano has some built-in interference with their limit screws (like a locking helicoil or something similar), but I’ve never been motivated a enough to take a closer look.
I was always quite happy with Shimano, and I have been equally as happy with SRAM. My only complaint thus far with SRAM is the noise of the drivetrain, and I think that its more related to the open glide than the chain (there is a bit of a click when the chain engages/disengages with the open glide, when pedaling its just louder than shimano ).
I am also frustrated with the front shifting of Red; it’s the weakness of the group in my opinion. I consider myself at least an average bike mechanic. I can tune my other groups with little effort but that damn Red front derailuer drives me crazy. Just when I think I have it perfect, I drop the chain and add scratches to my carbon frame (which was pristine until I switched to Red). I was in the shop awhile back and had the mechanic there mess with it and he couldn’t get it any better than me. It works most of the time but I’ve gotten in the habit of kind of soft pedaling and shifting very carefully upfront.
I went through a bit of a mid-life group crisis over the last couple years. Result is that I know have bikes with Shimano, Campy and SRAM. There are aspects of each group that I like but when it comes to dependable front shifting, I give the nod to Shimano.
My SRAM Red stuff works perfect. I have the Ti cage front derailleur and no problems. I do all of my own mechanic work. Yes it’s true, i have never dropped a chain and have always had perfect positive shifts under any load. Maybe you need a new mechanic? My Red FD came with a little wedge shaped shim for the front derailleur if needed on frames with non-standard FD mounting locations. I know some TT bike benefit from it like some Cervelo’s and maybe a Transition. I didn’t need it, maybe it would help you.
FWIW, my SRAM Red front Derailleur has never gone more than a month without needing major adjustments by a certified mechanic. It is so weak and unreliable that I am considering taking a standard, entry-level road bike to my next Ironman, simply because I cannot rely on the SRAM Red components on my P4. I have taken it to three different high-end bike shops, and the results have been the same each time.
I had the same issue on my S3 this year. Basically, it would never shift from small to big and you nailed it it was the Red FD. My shop gave me a Force FD and the problem was fixed instantly. SRAM knows about the problem you just need to get your shop to call them, warranty yours and have them send you the steel Red FD. They sent it, no questions asked. My FD was at least 2yrs old.
I laughed because when I got the packing slip/invoice they (SRAM) actually call in the ProTour FD. Some frames it isnt an issue but some frames dont play nicely with the Ti version. I have 2 other bikes with Red and never once had an issue on those bikes. Just my S3
x2, although I’ve never had any trouble at all with my RED FD. May I suggest getting one of those little chain catcher things, like the one kristin armstrong pushes or something?