Half Step and Granny - which front derailleur?

On May 23, 12:26*am, "James Thomson" wrote:

Right, but I don't want to sacrifice useful medium-sized shifts on dirt. A
corncob makes no sense if it just means more cogs skipped.

Perhaps a matter of a gear chart session, "what you got v. what you
want"?

Those are all fair suggestions.

Thanks. Leading to "an examination of the situation", before turning
wrenches or help us, buying stuff.

Well, I have some ancient triple experience, with N. Record 36/42/53
crank and 12-23 (which was "custom" off the old Suntour cog board)
freewheel, which worked very well for semi-loaded touring in the
Rockies. Given the limitations of the shifters of the times, of
course, and a lighter, stronger body. I didn't use the 36 much, but I
did use it, on the 23 and the next one up, sorry it's in the Archives
but probably a 21, or maybe a 20. Which was a cool thing about that
Suntour cog board. Gear experimentation, even with "only 7", good.

OK, then we're back to "what kind of front derailleur do I need"? g.
Better than the old Campy, is all I can suggest.

I have a "new" triple project, road-style, that is comfortably stalled
due to disinterest in climbing a certain hill that is the reason for
getting the parts mostly together on the bike... "stopped just in
time!"

Anyhow, that's all "factory" Campy -road- stuff that at least looks
like the head-scratching has been done previously... My bikes have
historically at least done lots of dirt road riding, but were not set
up for real off-road. Although some of the Texas-style low water
crossings we used to blast through could certainly qualify. Ground
clearance per se (below) not an issue, IOW.

My main objections are that a bigger outer
chainring means less ground clearance, and a 13- or 14- up cassette with low
gears seems to mean going custom. I've no real problem with that, but the
attraction of the 9-speed 11-32 is that it's available cheaply (ding ding ding!)

There was a magic word!

off the
shelf, and can be split on a 7-speed hub to give either 11-28 or 12-32, both
of which are half-steppable (the 11-12 jump excluded).

The main attraction of half-step though is that I haven't tried it before,
and I'd like to. Given that I have most of the parts here that's reason
enough.

Yes it most certainly is and could you post a follow-up? --D-y