# riveted derailleur on roubaix triple



## digibud (Oct 26, 2010)

I recently bought a Roubaix triple. I had no idea that it had a riveted front derailleur. In fact I didn't notice it till I had a few rides on it. Frankly it would have given me great pause had I known it before buying it. I thought I "knew" that if I got a triple and outgrew the need for the triple I could convert it without too much trouble to a double. But with a riveted FD I'm not so sure. My wife's triple Ruby (smaller frame) does not have a riveted derailleur. 
Can anyone shed some light on this? Does this mean there is no chance to change it if I were to wish to convert to a double at some point? Why would a carbon frame bike have a riveted derailleur? Why a 57cm frame with a riveted derailleur and a 52 Ruby with a more standard clamp? the idea of a riveted derailleur makes me shake my head. It's one thing I never thought to even ask about and never heard a peep about. I am working hard at loosing weight and can envision the time when I'd like to convert this to a double...which I thought would have been easier than going from a double to a triple but now that I see this FD thing I'm totally flumoxed. Any thoughts would be appreciated....feel free to flame on...


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## rhauft (Aug 8, 2006)

*ok breathe...*



digibud said:


> I recently bought a Roubaix triple. I had no idea that it had a riveted front derailleur. In fact I didn't notice it till I had a few rides on it. Frankly it would have given me great pause had I known it before buying it. I thought I "knew" that if I got a triple and outgrew the need for the triple I could convert it without too much trouble to a double. But with a riveted FD I'm not so sure. My wife's triple Ruby (smaller frame) does not have a riveted derailleur.
> Can anyone shed some light on this? Does this mean there is no chance to change it if I were to wish to convert to a double at some point? Why would a carbon frame bike have a riveted derailleur? Why a 57cm frame with a riveted derailleur and a 52 Ruby with a more standard clamp? the idea of a riveted derailleur makes me shake my head. It's one thing I never thought to even ask about and never heard a peep about. I am working hard at loosing weight and can envision the time when I'd like to convert this to a double...which I thought would have been easier than going from a double to a triple but now that I see this FD thing I'm totally flumoxed. Any thoughts would be appreciated....feel free to flame on...


You do not have a "riveted front derailleur". You have a "riveted" front derailleur hanger. Your front derailleur can be easily removed from it with a metric allen wrench and replaced with the one of your choice. It's refered to as a "braze on" as opposed to a "clamp on" front derailleur.


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## digibud (Oct 26, 2010)

Thanks for the response. So if I choose to convert to a double there is a Shimano double FD that would attach to this derailleur hanger? I can't seem to "get" that from Shimano's web pages. I -think- that the FD spec'd for double is different...but could be wrong there too. And if I were to foul the FD and tear up the hanger...what...drill out the rivets? I just can't grasp the reason for riveting.


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## rhauft (Aug 8, 2006)

*Wow!*



digibud said:


> Thanks for the response. So if I choose to convert to a double there is a Shimano double FD that would attach to this derailleur hanger? I can't seem to "get" that from Shimano's web pages. I -think- that the FD spec'd for double is different...but could be wrong there too. And if I were to foul the FD and tear up the hanger...what...drill out the rivets? I just can't grasp the reason for riveting.


Yes, Shimano definitely makes a double front derailleur for your bike. If you are concerned about "tearing up the hanger" then you should let a professional bike tech perform this work for you.


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## rbart4506 (Aug 4, 2004)

Got a Tarmac double with a 'braze-on' front derailleur....Relax, Shimano has one that will fit your bike...

If you swap derailleurs the riveted part stays on the bike...you use the allen key to loosen the bolt that attaches the derailleur to the 'braze-on'...This is also how you adjust the derailleur's position...

Like the poster above stated...Relax...Breathe...It's all good...

BTW enjoy the new bike


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## digibud (Oct 26, 2010)

Thanks. I'm not really concerned about wrecking the hanger; just interested in the over-all implications of the riveted derailleur. Good that moving to a double isn't a serious problem. The net is a hoot. Previously I would have pondered all weekend. Now, bam! Question answered. 
I may well never try to move to a double but it's good to know that it's not impossible. I'm reasonably good with general bike maintenance and have already checked the stops on both derailleurs. It was interesting to note that on my wife's Ruby (I haven't had time to look/listen carefully to my Roubaix) if she goes into the middle chainring and shifts in the rear to the 11tooth, outer most cog, the chain will chatter a tiny bit on the large chainring as she pedals. It's absolutely not the derailleur. On my repar stand if I am tugging manually on the front derailleur cable to center it the occasional ping still occurs and doing that ensures the derailleur isn't involved. Not wholly surprising but I did expect to be able to use all 10 cogs with the middle chain ring. I think on my Roubaix I get away with it because the chain is just a hair longer but I have not examined it closely; It may be the same thing with my bike. The Ruby only makes a light "ping" on occasion as the chain just touches one of the 50 teeth.


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## bseracka (Jun 25, 2009)

As an fyi the cage on a triple fd is a bit wider, but there is also a chance you could swap to a double crank and still use your current fd. On your wife's bike you can try to fine tune the movement in the middle ring with the barrel adjuster


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