Sram has never said this. Their line from day one was that the 2012 Red front derailleur was designed to function with 2012 shifters(the left at the minimum, 2012 crank, 2012 rings(the pins and ramps are completely different and the rings themselves are twice as thick), and 2012 chain. Velonews might publish an article that says this works with that and the other but Sram does not support that.

It's not different than Shimano Di2 and how it works like garbage with Rotor cranks.

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- Zipp rims will break if you look at them too hard
- R-Sys wheels will spontaneously explode
- The ZG crankset will never, ever exist
- Everyone needs Lightweights, even if they're fat and old
- Parts actually made of metal are SO 10 years ago

Been out for a spin tonight. 2011 steel front dérailleur has given me no problems, and shifted down into the small ring faultlessly. I am using the chain catcher from the yaw derailleur so not a complete waste of money!

I guess I just couldn't get the yaw dialled in, going to run with the 2011 as I'm riding the dragon in three weeks after that its a trip to Italy... Might have another go with the yaw when that's all finished.

Will keep you posted if things change.

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Caad9 BBQ Durace7800 build
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=82445#p721875

Well, of course. SRAM wants to sell parts, so they say it is not compatible. However, there have been many reports that it works very well with the old shifters and cranks. Just wondering if the OP is inept at wrenching on bikes, and now, that it is being reported that the FD will be ripped off the frame if all the parts are not 2012.

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2012 Cannondale Supersix Evo 2 /// 2000 Ritchey Swiss Cross

Not saying that the SRAM rep was lying, but he is also going to be biased and on the extreme conservative side when stating compatibility issues in order to sell the latest and greatest.

I have the new Yaw FD on both of my bikes, which are otherwise equipped with 2011 Red. Both actually have Zipp cranks and Rotor rings, which you would think would cause even poorer shifting. However, the Yaw FD has been a huge upgrade over the 2011 Red FD, and front shifting has never been better. Properly set up, there shouldn't be any issues.

"Ripping the FD out" might be a possibility, but should be, if even possible, a rare exception and not the general rule.

If you look at how the Yaw derailleur works you can see how ripping the derailleur off, while unlikely, is possible. Normally a front derailleur is lined up with the chain rings so such an action is not possible. Since the yaw derailleur isn't lined up with the chain rings per-say if you trim the front derailleur from big to small, which it's not designed to do, it can present a situation where you could rip it off. Again, it's unlikely and I'm sure there will be lots of people saying theirs works fine, but Sram says it's possible. Besides, are you really going to buy just the 2012 front derailleur and say, "oh, that's good enough, I'll stop there."? No, you're going to get shifters too so it's nothing to cause a big fuss about.

There are lots of things in this world, even outside of the bike world, that "work" even though they're not specifically engineered to work together. Does that mean you should do it? That's ultimately for you to decide.

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- Zipp rims will break if you look at them too hard
- R-Sys wheels will spontaneously explode
- The ZG crankset will never, ever exist
- Everyone needs Lightweights, even if they're fat and old
- Parts actually made of metal are SO 10 years ago

I can't wait to pick up a YAW fd - have no desire to purchase the shifters though.

Since I am using the yaw with older front shifters, I'd say baloney

The trim function is not needed but it only affects down shifts

Other than that, all the shift lever does is move the derailleur and the limit screws control how far up and down it goes

So I can't fathom how it would matter in the least which lever you use

I concur.

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2012 Cannondale Supersix Evo 2 /// 2000 Ritchey Swiss Cross

What?!
I rode all last season on Di2 and Rotor cranks/Q-rings. Worked like a charm. I have also now a Fenomalist with 2012 Red + Rotor Cranks/Q-rings. Works like a charm, although it took some time to get adjusted right.

Another 100 mile very hilly ride and the problem has returned!? But with the steel mech...
... Think I know what the problem is the mech angle is slipping in the evo hanger. I have tightened the deraileur bolt up to reccomended torque when fitting (5nm). Yesterday readjusted during the ride tightened very tight but it still slipped? off which led to trouble shifting between rings....

Anyone had similar probs and know how to resolve?

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Caad9 BBQ Durace7800 build
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=82445#p721875

Have never seen a problem like that. Perhaps some carbon friction paste might help it hold?

I have the 2012 Yaw derailleur and I can actually believe the "rip the derailleur off" claim when using old levers. I installed and setup the derailleur per the SRAM video and 99% of the time it shifts great. However, on a couple of instances upshifting and once downshifting I had instances of the chain seeming to be caught between the large chainring and the derailleur cage. There was a huge clang and a grinding noise before it finally shifted. This was not shifting under load- I was soft pedaling at the time. I use compact 50/34 chainrings and 2011 Red shifters. It could be due to the chainring combination, a hesitation going through the trim setting on the lever, or something else. I have NEVER had anything like this happen before in 30+ years of riding. So, I am going to go back to my old FD. I don't want ot take the chance of destroying the FD or, possibly, the frame in the middle of a ride sometime. There is something funny going on here with setup, combination of parts, or something.

I haven't noticed that yet in the upshift I've notice with the old shifters that down shifting has a much louder click in the shifter area

i have gotten a crazy loud ratcheting/rubbing noise on upshift twice now, and couldn't figure out what it was, and couldn't replicate it. always going from the small to big ring on my compact 2011 red crank with the new yaw fd. hopefully it won't rip the fd off the frame before the new compact crank is available.

My upshift is super smooth I've had minor chain rub i will prolly go back and re-aligned it an trying tuning the FD a bit more,if I cant get it all dialed in I will prolly go back to old red till I get the new shifters