Derailleurs for FSA compact double and Ultegra STI

On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:43:53 -0500, Doug Taylor
wrote:

Compact FD not "necessary," but may work better than a Shimano 6500
with Ultegra levers. Having used all kinds of different lever/FD
combos with my 50/34 compact, I like a FSA C-16. Comparably priced,
so why not go for the compact specific?

Because in the dozen or so I have installed, not necessary. 6500 one
works great.

I don't own a bike shop, but my experience is quite different.
Shifting with Ultegra levers and Ultegra FD is noticeably slow and
sluggish going up from 34 to 50 now matter how cable tension or limits
are adjusted. But YMMV.

For any compact user (besides Peter, of course) who is interested, I
just reiterated this point once again on my own bikes.

Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

Doug Taylor wrote:
On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:43:53 -0500, Doug Taylor
wrote:

Compact FD not "necessary," but may work better than a Shimano 6500
with Ultegra levers. Having used all kinds of different lever/FD
combos with my 50/34 compact, I like a FSA C-16. Comparably priced,
so why not go for the compact specific?

Because in the dozen or so I have installed, not necessary. 6500 one
works great.

I don't own a bike shop, but my experience is quite different.
Shifting with Ultegra levers and Ultegra FD is noticeably slow and
sluggish going up from 34 to 50 now matter how cable tension or limits
are adjusted. But YMMV.

For any compact user (besides Peter, of course) who is interested, I
just reiterated this point once again on my own bikes.

I don't use a compact crank.



Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

On 10 Jan 2007 06:04:21 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
wrote:

I don't use a compact crank.

BOING. That explains a lot.

I feel sorry for all those customers of your who think that slow and
imprecise shifting is the norm for compact cranks.



Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

Doug Taylor wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 06:04:21 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
wrote:

I don't use a compact crank.

BOING. That explains a lot.

I feel sorry for all those customers of your who think that slow and
imprecise shifting is the norm for compact cranks.

Yep, just starting picking up bike wrenches, hardly have any experience
with things like FDers and different cranks....

And after I work on a bike, I NEVER test ride it, never do anything but
hand that poor shifting beast to the customer...



Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

Doug Taylor wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 06:04:21 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
wrote:

I don't use a compact crank.

BOING. That explains a lot.

I feel sorry for all those customers of your who think that slow and
imprecise shifting is the norm for compact cranks.

Tell ya what, if that FD works great for you-that is wonderful, I am so
happy I could just squeal. But suffice to say I think, after 22 years
of screwing with things like Fds and cranks, I think I can recognize
'slow and imprecise shifting'. Ya never know, maybe a standard FD
adjusted 'differently' would make all the difference with a FD and
compact crank, just maybe.



Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
Doug Taylor wrote:
On 10 Jan 2007 06:04:21 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
wrote:

I don't use a compact crank.

BOING. That explains a lot.

I feel sorry for all those customers of your who think that slow and
imprecise shifting is the norm for compact cranks.

Tell ya what, if that FD works great for you-that is wonderful, I am so
happy I could just squeal. But suffice to say I think, after 22 years
of screwing with things like Fds and cranks, I think I can recognize
'slow and imprecise shifting'. Ya never know, maybe a standard FD
adjusted 'differently' would make all the difference with a FD and
compact crank, just maybe.



Now both my bikes (the new good weather and the older bad weather) are
set up with FSA compact (old SLK/Octalink and new K-Force Mega Exo),
FSA C-16 front der., and Dura Ace left shifters.

Previously, only the newer bike had Dura Ace shifter + FSA C-16, and
it shifts up instantly, crisply, flawlessly.

The other bike started with Ultegra 9 speed shifter and standard
Ultegra front der., which was on the bike when it had standard
gearing. It shifted up, yes, but with hesitation, extra pedal
revolutions, extra force, frustration, etc.. I switched to the FSA
C-16 der. ($40 investment on e-bay NIB) and the shifting improved, but
not nearly to the level of the other bike. The slow and sluggish
shifting was particularly noticeable when riding rollers.

So, when I found a used 10 speed Dura Ace left shifter for sale for
$60 on e-bay, I scooped it up, and installed this evening. Voila!

Say what you will, YMMV, etc., etc. but I swear by all that is holy
and sacred that a Dura shifter kicks the Ultegra's butt all over the
map in performance, and the FSA C-16 manifestly outperforms the
Ultegra standard for the same price, and no need for a Dura Ace for
twice the price to get absolutely perfect shifting.

I don't race anymore, but those of you that do know that a finicky
front der. can be the difference between getting dropped or not.

My mere $0.02.

And, I'm out-