[Stogaguy]

I am looking to add a chain catcher to my girlfriend's 2011 Madone 3.1 WSD. Has anyone added a chain catcher to one of these? If yes, what make/model? And, How did it work out?

The bike has a Sram Apex compact crank and a 34.9mm clamp-on 105 front derailleur. The derailleur linkage comes very close to the frame when on the small ring. In addition, the seat tube appears to begin to flair just below the derailleur clamp. Both of these issues have me wondering exactly what brand/model of chain catcher might work.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Camilo]

Just buy a chain catcher and put it on. There's nothing special because it's a Trek or any other bike. Just buy one that fits - either clamp type or the type that bolts to the braze on bolt.

I personally use the K Edge type (a knock off) on my braze-on FD bike

and put a dog fang type on my daughter's clamp on FD bike.

I actually like the dog fang type better, but both work.

 

[looigi]

Put a K-Edge chain catcher on my wife's Madone. Dog Fang and similar are good too if they fit the seat tube.

 

[Stogaguy]

Clamp or braze-on front derailleur

Put a K-Edge chain catcher on my wife's Madone. Dog Fang and similar are good too if they fit the seat tube.

looigi, does your wife's Madone hava a clamp-on or braze-on style derailleur?

 

[PlatyPius]

For braze-on front derailleurs, Origin-8 has a K Edge type catcher for 15-20 bucks.

 

[Stogaguy]

Clarification

Thank you for the replies. Just to be clear, I am asking if anyone has actually put a chain catcher on a Madone 3.1 WSD. If yes, what brand/model worked. Because the bike has a clamp-on front derailleur, only a clamp on style chain catcher will work. With a clamp-on style chain catcher, I am concerned about two possible fit issues:

1. The flair of the seat tube below the derailleur. Will this be too large to permit installation of the chain catcher without frame damage?

2. The very small clearance between the FD's parallelogram and the seat tube when the chain is on the small ring. Is there enough space for the clamp of the chain catcher (provided that the clamp will actually fit on the seat tube) to fit without impeding the necessary range of motion of the front derailleur?

I have used K-Edge and Deda Dog Fang catchers on other bikes. My question is really what will work on this bike? I was hoping to for some input from someone with actual experience with this particular bike to save me the trouble of going the trial and error route.

 

[looigi]

looigi, does your wife's Madone hava a clamp-on or braze-on style derailleur?

My bad. I didn't carefully read your OP. My wife's has a braze-on, so the K-Edge works. It obviously won't work with a 105 clamp-on FD. It also looks to me like the flared seat tube of the 3.1 will preclude using a Dog Fang. I don't know if there is an off-the-shelf solution for your situation. One possibility would be to get a clamp to braze-on adapter and a braze-on FD which would allow using something like the K-edge. You might also use the the adapter putting it on the seat tube below the existing clamp-on FD and rigging up a some kind of tab to it, possibly a K-edge if the reach is right.

 

[Camilo]

I'm also sorry about my answer above since I didn't know that the seat tube might not work with a standard clamp type (dog fang or similar). BUT....

This might be a deal where you might have to just take it to a good store and see what actually works in person.

I had the same idea though - maybe buy a braze on FD and a clamp that converts to braze on. Then use a braze on chain catcher. I'm just rambling here. another BUT - my 6500 series Shimano FD is actually a Braze on derailleur and the stock clamp is simply a removable clamp that has a braze on feature, if that makes sense. In other words, the same FD works with either . I think that was a feature in those days, maybe not anymore?

Anyway, I hope you get an answer from someone who actually has the experience you're looking for!