Recently traded in the P2 for a new 2014 SC 9. I swapped my groupset over between the bikes. Before the move, I rarely had any problems shifting up to the big ring. It was not without incident, but generally it was okay.
On the SC however, I am having a horrendous time. Adjusting the set screws, it either wont shift up, or shifts too much. Both of these sometimes results in a dropped chain. I have tried new chain, swapping chainrings from other bike. I was even contemplating an upgrade to Di2!
My current setup is;
Quarq 2012 PM (50/34)
Sram Red Yaw Front
KMC 10 speed chain.
I have heard better things about downgrading to Force, but surely that should not be required.
If anyone could offer any suggestions. It was so bad tonight, I had to miss a workout and that is not good!.
Check the front derailleur alignment and vertical position. If it’s not limit screws then the derailleur is most likely incorrectly positioned - even a few millimeters can make a big difference.
Check initial cable tension is not to high or low when it is on the small chain ring. Cable should be just taut but not so much as to have moved the derailleur off the low stop screw
I second the suggestions to check the FD vertical position/angle as well as cable tension when in the small ring. Also, make sure your chain is not too short. My best guess is that you need to tweak the height of the FD. Make sure it gets within a few mm of the big ring.
I think the issue appears to be the vertical height, unfortunately, I am not sure how I can solve this the way I would want.
It seems that the braze on adapter will not allow me to move the FD down so that it is within a few mm of the chainring. I have tried a few different bolts to hand and the closest I seem to be able to get it is about 4mm.
At this moment, I have an old ultegra FD installed and this does appear to solve the issue.
Long term, I have a force FD on order as I have heard that potentially the red FD is flexing too much. If this does not solve it, I may have to either get a slightly large chainring or leave the ultegra FD on there.
Not great, but progress. At least I can do workouts that require changing from small to big.
No need to get the Force, just keep using the Ultegra. The Red flex issues were with the old Ti front not the Yaw control. The Yaw control has a pretty specific set up. Check one of the YouTube videos and set it up from scratch.
if you have a yaw FD you will never get it to work right until you adjust it exactly according to SRAM’s instructions. it will not adjust to your satisfaction if you try to adjust that FD like you adjust all other FDs.
if you have a yaw FD you will never get it to work right until you adjust it exactly according to SRAM’s instructions. it will not adjust to your satisfaction if you try to adjust that FD like you adjust all other FDs.
I have watched various videos and they all seem to advise a height between FS and chainrings to be 1-2mm. Mine doesn’t even get close to that with the bolt set at the lowest option. The dura-ace FD at least gets me lower, but even then it’s no 1-2 mm.
I am not sure if this is the cause of the issue or not. I will attempt a refit of the red tomorrow and also take some pictures.
Without know the exact model, a quick look at the trek website for the different models list 2 frames as “Compact” and 5 as “double”
Is the answer not simply that the frame was designed to take a 52 or 53 big ring?
Well, I ordered it direct from my LBS and no questions were asked about whether I would be running compact or double. If the solution is to install a 52/36 combo, then so be it, but I will certainly be talking to my LBS again with regards to how this happened.
Do us a favour and double check my observations, all I did was do a quick search, the suggestion was only based on that so don’t go in all guns blazing.
I only mentioned it because I have a couple of different Tri bikes with various combinations of crank sets
Do us a favour and double check my observations, all I did was do a quick search, the suggestion was only based on that so don’t go in all guns blazing.
I only mentioned it because I have a couple of different Tri bikes with various combinations of crank sets
Regards
Coxy
Indeed. I have posted a question to our resident trek guru and hopefully I can understand if that is indeed the problem. I had thought about larger rings myself. Perhaps even the force FD will cure the problem. If so, all good.
Based on your descriptions of the various symptoms, it seems like an adjustment issue rather than an equipment compatibility issue.
If at some point you shifted to the big chain front ring, and it falls off, your outer limit screw is not correct and you have to loosen the cable tension and redo the limit screws.
If on another set up, you can not shift to the big chain front ring, you most likely didn’t have enough cable tension or the cable is caught on something.
Because of #1 and #2 above, I don’t think it is the front derailer height issue.
Just looking at your cable picture (you need a new cable) and with all your youtube video watching and it still doesn’t work, I would bring to your local lbs before buying and swapping all your parts. The issue is, if the adjustment is wrong or you are not doing it right, no equipment change is going to work either.
Have a look at the photo, you can clearly see the FD is at it’s lowest position and there is still too much clearance between the guide plate and the chainring.
You can also see that the spider is 110BCD. Now I don’t know if there is a 52 tooth chainring that will fit on that sized spider but I’m sure google will know
Have a look at the photo, you can clearly see the FD is at it’s lowest position and there is still too much clearance between the guide plate and the chainring.
You can also see that the spider is 110BCD. Now I don’t know if there is a 52 tooth chainring that will fit on that sized spider but I’m sure google will know
Regards
Coxy
The red FD is actually higher. I will put another picture up on this later when I go back for round 3.
I have been experiencing a similar issue on my 2014 SC 7.5 running ultegra 6870 with a P2M rotor crank 50/34 rings. I have tried two different sets of chain rings (both 50/34), but the FD continues to throw the chain to the inside when shifting up. I am also not able to get the FD low enough to be within 1-2 MM of the big chain ring teeth. Been to two different shops to have them look at it, 1 which has built over 20 2014 SCs with Di2 and they are unable to get it shifting properly.
When I run the stock ultegra 6800 crank with a 52/36 configuration the bike shifts like a dream (i am also able to get the FD with in a reasonable distance of the chainring teeth).
Looks like i need to pick up a set of 52/36 rings for the P2M and see how it runs.
My first-hand experience with the Yaw FDs is about zero…but I did find some interesting bits in this video from SRAM, beginning about 3min in. Nothing in there about setting up 1-2mm from chainring teeth. Lots of references to hash marks built into the design and a specific procedure to follow for their use. Also a cautionary note that once the limit screws have been adjusted from factory settings, the tooth height guide is no longer useful as a setup reference (since that’s the situation you’re in now, you might want to ask SRAM what to do in that case…I have no idea).
On a side note, and I don’t think this has anything to do with your issue unless the FD hanger is aready damaged, all 2014 SC 9-series bikes and frames should ship with a dedicated FD mounting washer which replaces the OE washer (silver detail just aft of the bolt head in your picture). It is specifically designed to prevent damage to the carbon FD hanger which might occur when using OE washers. It is PN W319573 in case you or the LBS has misplaced it.
