Front derailleur and brake caliper changes.

[Mezza86]

Hi all, abit of a lengthy one lol but just looking for some advice.

My older carrera hellcat im partly rebuilding has a seized front Shimano Tourney derailleur, im having trouble finding one that I can get soon. So my question is would ANY 8 speed front derailleur do the job like an Altus/Ultegra etc or would I have to get the same model to replace it?
My other issue is, it also has Tektro Novela mechanical disc brake calipers which id also like to replace but i think due to the age of the bike i cant seem to find them anywhere, so what would be an ideal replacement?
All suggestions welcome, thanks for your time and thank you for reading!

 

[PpPete]

Brakes - TRP Spyre are about the best you can get whilst remaining purely mechanical. Or you can go to the kind that convert the cable pull into hydraulic pressure at the caliper like the TRP Hy/Rd, Juintech R1 etc. But you need to make sure that what you buy is compatible in terms of mounting system. Given the age it's unlikely to be flat-mount, but it could be either post-mount or "IS". You can get adapter plates though.

Derailleurs: you don't have to get exactly the same model, but as well as the numbe of speeds you need to make sure the mounting is the same. Some clamp around the seat tube, some on a plate held in place by the bottom bracket. Then there is the direction of pull of the cable. Some are designed to have the cable coming up from the bottom and pull downwards. Others from the top, pulling up, still others go round a little pulley to change the direction of pull.

Good luck with the rebuild !

 

[Mezza86]

Brakes - TRP Spyre are about the best you can get whilst remaining purely mechanical. Or you can go to the kind that convert the cable pull into hydraulic pressure at the caliper like the TRP Hy/Rd, Juintech R1 etc. But you need to make sure that what you buy is compatible in terms of mounting system. Given the age it's unlikely to be flat-mount, but it could be either post-mount or "IS". You can get adapter plates though.

Derailleurs: you don't have to get exactly the same model, but as well as the numbe of speeds you need to make sure the mounting is the same. Some clamp around the seat tube, some on a plate held in place by the bottom bracket. Then there is the direction of pull of the cable. Some are designed to have the cable coming up from the bottom and pull downwards. Others from the top, pulling up, still others go round a little pulley to change the direction of pull.

Good luck with the rebuild !

Brakes - TRP Spyre are about the best you can get whilst remaining purely mechanical. Or you can go to the kind that convert the cable pull into hydraulic pressure at the caliper like the TRP Hy/Rd, Juintech R1 etc. But you need to make sure that what you buy is compatible in terms of mounting system. Given the age it's unlikely to be flat-mount, but it could be either post-mount or "IS". You can get adapter plates though.

Derailleurs: you don't have to get exactly the same model, but as well as the numbe of speeds you need to make sure the mounting is the same. Some clamp around the seat tube, some on a plate held in place by the bottom bracket. Then there is the direction of pull of the cable. Some are designed to have the cable coming up from the bottom and pull downwards. Others from the top, pulling up, still others go round a little pulley to change the direction of pull.

Good luck with the rebuild !

Thanks for the info man ill look into those brakes, ill try and upload a pic of the mounts. I have an upclose pic of the brakes on the bike but its not the best angle. The derailleur however clamps around the seat tube and the wire comes from under the frame and pulls downward.

 

[Ajax Bay]

would ANY 8 speed front derailleur do the job

Most FDs with band-on (round the seat tube) and down-pull (cable passing under BB and coming to FD from below) will work - don't have to be '8 speed' - that 'speed' designation applies to the rear mech and its shifter.
I'm guessing you have a triple so you need to get a 'triple' FD. It will also need to have a clamp to fit the diameter of your seat tube (eg 31.8mm) - so measure it. Avoid buying one for a larger tube size and fitting it with a shim (which you'll be told is 'fine').
You've had good advice from Pete above on brakes. For this bike, to keep expenditure down, consider just replacing the front brake with a TRP Spyre. They come as either post mount or flat mount.
HTH

 

[Mezza86]

Most FDs with band-on (round the seat tube) and down-pull (cable passing under BB and coming to FD from below) will work - don't have to be '8 speed' - that 'speed' designation applies to the rear mech and its shifter.
I'm guessing you have a triple so you need to get a 'triple' FD. It will also need to have a clamp to fit the diameter of your seat tube (eg 31.8mm) - so measure it. Avoid buying one for a larger tube size and fitting it with a shim (which you'll
,

Ye thanks and thats what I wasnt sure on but thanks for pointing out about where the cable runs from/too aswell i didnt think of that, this is my 1st bike rebuild so im learning as I go lol im aware the speed references to the rear gears too, its just alot of places refer to it as what speed it works for for some reason, but ye i have a triple chainring.
Im borrowing a digital reader for the seat post size too so that'll be ideal then ill look into getting one that starts at the diameter i have. And for the brakes I think ill just replace both, i want it decent front and back. Thanks for the help.