# Would A SRAM Red Front Derailleur Work With a Shimano Shifter?



## Poppadaddio (Apr 15, 2007)

I am impressed with the yaw feature on the new SRAM Red front derailleur.


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## Doc_D (Mar 16, 2006)

SRAM front derailleurs don't work with SRAM shifters. :lol:


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

I believe they have different pull, so no. However, the YAW FD may be nice but mainly it's the stiffness of the cage and mechanism that makes it shift well. Yaw merely serves to eliminate chain rub when cross-chained, which you shouldn't be anyway. I like chain rub when cross-chained as it's in indicator to correct the condition.


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## aramis (Apr 19, 2012)

Doc_D said:


> SRAM front derailleurs don't work with SRAM shifters. :lol:


I'll admit, I laughed.

And I have a rival equipped bike too. The rear shifting is excellent.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Doc_D said:


> SRAM front derailleurs don't work with SRAM shifters. :lol:


Says the guy who's likely never ridden a properly tuned Yaw setup...


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## Cdale EVO Tom (Dec 13, 2012)

I am with the crew that's ridden the new Yaw FD and have found the front shifting to be light years better than the original SRAM Red setup.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

I don't see how a different pull on a front (I'm assuming double) derailleur would prevent you from being able to use it with Shimano. SRAM stuff was originally designed to be compatible with Shimano, has this changed?


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## Cdale EVO Tom (Dec 13, 2012)

While I have found that the new Yaw FD is an enormous step up from the old SRAM Red FD I see no reason whatsoever to try it with a Shimano groupset.

The DuraAce 7900 FD on my CAAD9-1 works flawlessly. What would be the point of switching out the original Shimano part?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Peanya said:


> I don't see how a different pull on a front (I'm assuming double) derailleur would prevent you from being able to use it with Shimano. SRAM stuff was originally designed to be compatible with Shimano, has this changed?


the rear spacing is the same, as in the cogs and the space between them is compatible. when SRAM first rolled out Force and Rival they weren't producing cassettes yet so you had to use Shimano. had nothing to do w/ the front, although i'm sure it would work as good any other cross-compatibility has.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Cog and ring spacing may be the same, but SRAM and Shimano differ in cable pull, so you can't generally mix shifters and derailleurs.


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## Triggsie (Sep 19, 2011)

I've got 2011 Red shifters operating a Dura-Ace front derailleur. So things can be somewhat mixed and matched. My mountain bike came with a Deore front derailleur until I ripped it off for a 1x10 setup.


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