Intermittent issue onto small chainring

[MikeF]

Sweep, this maybe what you need https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-FD-R ... :rk:7:pf:0

Although it's designed for a 12T difference, middle to big ring IIRC and a 50T big ring, it's pretty close to your set up. In it's favour it's a 9 speed cage and made for a road chainline. Bonus - it's all silver

31.8mm clamp. OK if that's what he needs.

[Sweep]

Sweep, this maybe what you need https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-FD-R ... :rk:7:pf:0

Although it's designed for a 12T difference, middle to big ring IIRC and a 50T big ring, it's pretty close to your set up. In it's favour it's a 9 speed cage and made for a road chainline. Bonus - it's all silver

Thanks crepello - I actually have one of those - came off a nice dale bike - fast city bike that was a curious cross between a mountain bike and a road bike. It is very nice but I couldn't get it to work - I think because it likes a bigger big ring and a bigger small ring. It was also a pain to try and shim - had to use bits of old tube and beer can

[Sweep]

Update.

To the point, thanks everyone for your suggestions and help with this.

But special special thanks to networkman.

For it seems that the problem was indeed to to with front chainline, something I have only just focussed my mind on.

I agree with you networkman that a 115mm spindle might have seemed most appropriate, but being inclined to take things slowly, I swapped the 110mm ST for a 113mm from those good folks at Rose and all now, after a couple of decent rides, seems absolutely fine.

The chain drops sweetly from middle to small whether I am pedalling fast or slow, on the flat, downhill or uphill (previously with this bike with another mech I had the curious problem that the shift worked fine on the flat or downhill but not uphill) and even with the XT mech which supposedly favours a 12 rather than 10T difference between middle and top.

Amazing what a difference 3mm makes, or rather what I take to be 1.5mm on the relevant side.

I have come across chainsets which in the past have somewhat confusingly been listed as needing both a 110 and 113 spindle BB.

So Happy New Year Network man - my long term nagging problem solved