What can I replace a 5800 FD with that will work better?

[mtechnica]

Just swap it out for a same gen dura ace? Anyone have luck with different pull ratios on the 5800 shifters? For some reason it tends to rub on certain gears no matter how it’s adjusted on my girlfriends bike. Maybe I’m just doing it wrong but I don’t have a problem with any of the other 10 or 12 front derailleurs in the household.

[stephenmarklay]

I don’t currently have 5800 on a bike but when I did my front shifting was pretty perfect with no rubbing that I noticed.

[buddybikes]

Unless it is bent, your replacement will probably be same. What crank is on there?

[mtechnica]

unless it is bent, your replacement will probably be same. What crank is on there?

5800

[prototoast]

That gen Shimano front derailleur was a bad design. They released a 5801/6801/9001 front derailleur that has a different design and works better. Get that. Or any next gen 7000/8000/9100 should work too.

[Velocipede]

Just swap it out for a same gen dura ace? Anyone have luck with different pull ratios on the 5800 shifters? For some reason it tends to rub on certain gears no matter how it’s adjusted on my girlfriends bike. Maybe I’m just doing it wrong but I don’t have a problem with any of the other 10 or 12 front derailleurs in the household.

the 5800, 6800 and 9000 are all touchy on the initial setup but there is a really good way to do it. If it's the 5801 version(hidden cable), those can be a pain straight away. Is it the 5800 or 5801?

[mtechnica]

the 5800, 6800 and 9000 are all touchy on the initial setup but there is a really good way to do it. If it's the 5801 version(hidden cable), those can be a pain straight away. Is it the 5800 or 5801?

5800

[mtechnica]

That gen Shimano front derailleur was a bad design. They released a 5801/6801/9001 front derailleur that has a different design and works better. Get that. Or any next gen 7000/8000/9100 should work too.

It seems like a bad design, definitely harder to dial in than the older stuff imo. Does the 01 work as a drop in replacement?

[shrimp123]

That gen Shimano front derailleur was a bad design. They released a 5801/6801/9001 front derailleur that has a different design and works better. Get that. Or any next gen 7000/8000/9100 should work too.

correct. I changed mine to a R8000.

The 5800/6800 design is painful to adjust and has lesser tire clearance. The newer 5801/7000/8000/9100 design is a LOT better. mounting and adjustment was a piece of cake and it also gave me more tire clearance.

[jtbadge]

Two keys with these derailleurs is making sure the cage is parallel to the large chainring and having tons of cable tension.

Cage alignment method is described on page 8 of the install guide (https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-FD0002-05-ENG.pdf). Doing this will prevent chain rub on the FD at the ends of the cassette.

For cable tension, this trick helped me a lot (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5jnNScKhRs) - use an allen key to hold the derailleur away from the frame to create tension preload on the cable.

IMO, YMMV, etc. the 5801/R9100/R8000/R7000 are way more fiddly and temperamental to get set up. Tiny parts and adjusters, weird cable routing, etc.

[Velocipede]

5800

It seems like a bad design, definitely harder to dial in than the older stuff imo. Does the 01 work as a drop in replacement?

correct. I changed mine to a R8000.

The 5800/6800 design is painful to adjust and has lesser tire clearance. The newer 5801/7000/8000/9100 design is a LOT better. mounting and adjustment was a piece of cake and it also gave me more tire clearance.


I've had brand new 8000 and 9000/9100 style front derailleurs bad from the factory. I've never had an issue with the 5800/6800/9000 style. It's pretty easy if you have a third hand tool.

- what you do is adjust the high/low limits without the wire installed.
- then install the wire in the shifter
- shift the front derailleur all the way up without it tightened in the binder.
- take a third hand and grab the inner wire.
- pull the wire as you pedal and it will shift the front derailleur up.
- once it's up all the way, take and tighten the wire in the binder.

Amount of time it takes, 1-2 minutes. I was in a Shimano tech seminar and he told me that my way was the fastest and easiest he'd seen.

After that, just do the adjustments as normal.

I've had 8000 and 9000/9100's come in when the that the cam doesn't rotate correctly. I had one happen at a show and the Shimano Tech guys couldn't even get to work. He told me he's seen it a bunch of times.

[dddd]

I agree with jtbadge that the setup with these is straightforward.

Not made for the widest tires of course.

I have one issue that the initial movement can feel immovable, sometimes makes me think that I'm already in the big ring when I'm not! It just the way that the leverage changes so greatly as the upshift occurs (as the cable swings away from the main arm's pivot centerline).

I've even made one of these work on an all SRAM RED bike, just had to choose the right cable anchor orientation option. The rider of that bike said it shifts better than the RED front derailers on his other bikes!

[mtechnica]

Maybe I need to try aligning it again. Thanks for all the links and ideas. Hard to say if dura ace would work any better I suppose.

[jtbadge]

Maybe I need to try aligning it again. Thanks for all the links and ideas. Hard to say if dura ace would work any better I suppose.

Having owned 9000, 6800, and 5800 FDs, they are all functionally exactly the same.

[ridethecliche]

I would swap to an R7000 fd.

Because that's what I did and it's much better.

[Bentley]

correct. I changed mine to a R8000.

The 5800/6800 design is painful to adjust and has lesser tire clearance. The newer 5801/7000/8000/9100 design is a LOT better. mounting and adjustment was a piece of cake and it also gave me more tire clearance.

Splain the more tire clearance thing with a FD? Not getting it.

Thanks

Ray

[jtbadge]

Splain the more tire clearance thing with a FD? Not getting it.

Thanks

Ray

Big tires + short chainstays + long swing arm. Not a problem in most cases.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=173531

http://i.imgur.com/DueP29Hl.jpg

[berserk87]

I would swap to an R7000 fd.

Because that's what I did and it's much better.

Agreed.

I fiddled with my 9000 FD for weeks, looking at videos and such that offered solutions. I couldn't find my way through to the answer, and aggravated myself a lot over a few bucks. Ended up getting a 9100 and there are no workarounds or special techniques needed.

There are some solid mechanics that can make the previous generation work nicely. I wasn't one of those guys.

[Bentley]

Big tires + short chainstays + long swing arm. Not a problem in most cases.
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=173531

http://i.imgur.com/DueP29Hl.jpg

Never had that problem... learned something new
😀

[DeBike]

I cannot comment on the 5800. I do agree with the 7000 being really good. I set the group up on a bike, no doubt, it was the easiest I have done. I am a far cry from being a good, knowledgeable mechanic. The 7000 F der was really easy. I did watch a youtube video on it. I am highly pleased with the whole group.

[GregL]

I have all three levels of Shimano first generation eleven-speed (5800/6800/9000) front derailleurs on my bikes. They work very well, but definitely take more adjustment and finesse than previous Shimano derailleurs. The tips and tricks shared by jtbadge and Velocipede have worked for me. Once properly adjusted, they shift as well as any mechanical front shifting I’ve used.

Greg