? For Roadie Wrenches

[dustyrider]

I've always been a MTB bike guy or friction shifter tourer/commuter, so I don't have too much sti/brifter setup time.
I set up the MTB with 3x front shifters on my 2x crank, it's all in the cable and limits.
What I want to know is if 3x sti/brifters, specifically shimano 10sp, play nice on a compact crank?
I've played around enough to know about a thing called "drift", and it's got me thinking a 3x road shifter and compact crank may not be ideal for some silly reason......thanks!

[thwart]

Not an issue with Campy ergos. They're all triple compatible and shift a compact just fine.

Same for Shimano, I'd bet.

[jds108]

it's fine. Use the middle and outer positions on the shifter for the double crank.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by dustyrider

I've always been a MTB bike guy or friction shifter tourer/commuter, so I don't have too much sti/brifter setup time.
I set up the MTB with 3x front shifters on my 2x crank, it's all in the cable and limits.
What I want to know is if 3x sti/brifters, specifically shimano 10sp, play nice on a compact crank?
I've played around enough to know about a thing called "drift", and it's got me thinking a 3x road shifter and compact crank may not be ideal for some silly reason......thanks!

Yes they do..just use the first clicks of the lever to get from small to big and then use limit screws on the FD to not allow any more 'clicks. Still have 'trim' on the big ring, like you would have on the middle ring on a triple.

But the first clicks, not the last clicks, of the lever. On a triple, going from small to middle is the same as from small to large on a double. Otherwise you have clicks that do nothing at the start. Use the first clicks..done it dozens of times on shimano equipped bicis.

[Dude]

Not all shimano frt shifters are both double and triple compatible. Sometimes you can fudge it but there are some designed specifically for both, and then others designed specifically for just doubles or just triples.

Which ones do you have?

[fiataccompli]

usually a quick Google of the shifter's part # will let you know whether it's actually intended to be 2, 2/3, or 3 compatible for the front. I prefer the ones that work like Campy Ergo shifters where it's not so much (or at all) "indexed" which I suppose would be the 2/3 variety? anyway, I can say from experience I have successfully set up front STIs intended for triples (Tiagra) to work fine (for me...perhaps making some assumptions since the concept of FD trimming comes 2nd nature to me) with a compact crank. Good luck. I love those "not the intended use" bike projects!

[dustyrider]

THANKS, Extremely helpful and knowledgeable forumites!


Are drift and trim interchangeable terms? I'm pretty sure I ment trim, and I don't know where I came up with drift....

I don't have the shifters yet but I'm noticing that 3x are cheaper than 2x, in some cases, and it wouldn't hurt to have a 3x shifter in case I'm not getting the gear ratio I need with a compact crank. I'm leaning towards Ultegra, but we'll see...