Front derailleur query

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My OH's managed to snap his front derailleur cable at the weekend and when fitting a new cable I came across a number of issues with his front derailleur which have lead me to believe that the issues lie with the actual derailleur rather than the user...

Anyhow - the problem(s) is(are) terminal and I need to get a new front derailleur for him and have been met by a myriad of options and want to know if I have missed something really obvious etc...

As far as I can tell I need

• a band front derailleur, (band size 34.9mm)
• an 8 speed triple
• a bottom pull

However I am confused because when I look up the part number for the existing one, it says it is a 9 speed front derailleur (it is a Shimano FD-3403).
Is this a problem/issue?
Have I missed anything else that I need to be aware of before purchasing a new one?

Ideally I want to get something purchased today so the parts are available for the weekend to fix his bike...

 

[Broadside]

Well I recently went the other way on my wife's bike as the FD was damaged. She now has an 24 speed (3x8) bike with a FD that is official from the 3x9 range and it works perfectly so I think you will be fine. Her FD was originally Shimano 2300 (8 speed) and is now Shimano Sora (9 speed).

 

[TissoT]

A new cable ! The new one fitted has been crimped ...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

A new cable ! The new one fitted has been crimped ...

I have spares of those and I could see that the derailleur was a problem and that it was going to cause issues, so I never actually clamped it on/used it, just fitted it to the bike and didn't finish the job... (thankfully....)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

So this one should be OK?

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/ro...3503-9spd-triple-front-derailleur/shimgrfr631

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A 9 speed front derailleur will work fine with 8 speed. I had to go for a higher spec than the one I intended (part discontinued) when refitting the Raleigh to 8 speed and the one I ended up with works very well with my set up.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

So this one should be OK?

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/ro...3503-9spd-triple-front-derailleur/shimgrfr631

That's fine or you can get it post free from crc. The original 3403 is actually also a 9 speed mech btw.

 

[TissoT]

I have spares of those and I could see that the derailleur was a problem and that it was going to cause issues, so I never actually clamped it on/used it, just fitted it to the bike and didn't finish the job... (thankfully....)

Thats ok ... no delivery charge on standard delivery from Ribble it seems ! EDIT.. on orders over £50

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

thanks - has now been ordered... fingers crossed it resolved the issues when it arrives. next hurdle is indexing which I loath and detest... I really ought to be able to get my head around it, it is the only thing I can't do on the bikes and that includes our tourers with rohloff hubs...

 

[TissoT]

Thats ok ...

 

[raleighnut]

thanks - has now been ordered... fingers crossed it resolved the issues when it arrives. next hurdle is indexing which I loath and detest... I really ought to be able to get my head around it, it is the only thing I can't do on the bikes and that includes our tourers with rohloff hubs...

If its a triple then the only snag is getting the tension correct on the cable for correct middle gear position, the upper and lower being set by the stops.
My trick when fitting a new front shifter cable is to wind in the top stop so that the cable is under a fair bit of tension then leave it overnight this helps to prestretch the cable so that when adjusted correctly next day it does not "wander" as much later on This is best done before refitting the chain and do not use too much force on the shift lever just enough so that the cable twangs when plucked (bottom "E" on a guitar is about enough)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If its a triple then the only snag is getting the tension correct on the cable for correct middle gear position, the upper and lower being set by the stops.
My trick when fitting a new front shifter cable is to wind in the top stop so that the cable is under a fair bit of tension then leave it overnight this helps to prestretch the cable so that when adjusted correctly next day it does not "wander" as much later on This is best done before refitting the chain and do not use too much force on the shift lever just enough so that the cable twangs when plucked (bottom "E" on a guitar is about enough)

thanks - about 20 mins too late - postie was early today! I have just (fingers crossed) fitted and got it working for the moment... just need to see what happens on tomorrow or Sunday's ride... but it is rattling when it is cross chained, so with any luck it will stop him living on the middle chain ring and get him to actually use the front derailleur... (he gets no sympathy from me regarding cross chaining and the chain rattle because even with my partially paralysed left side of my body, I still manage to use the gears correctly!)