TA Cyclotourist VS. Velo Orange w/ 10/11s

[Jason Mansey]

Workin on converting a 1993 RB-1. 

-RAID Brakes are sorted, may have posts brazed on in the future.

-Local frame builder will crimp the stays to give room for 650b*42c w/ fenders 🤞

I'm planning to run 10s campag in the rear. Do you folks think the TA rings will play nice or should I just get the Grand Cru 50.4 BCD. 

I can get the VO slightly cheaper as I can get them for cost, I just love the look of the real deal TA parts. I've also read they're problematic when the rings are above 48t.

Appreciate any insights.

[User 47]

In my experience the derailleur matters more than the cranks. One problem you could have is with the chain getting caught between The chainrings especially with 10 and 11 speed. I used narrower washers from a set of v brakes instead of the provided TA washers and it works very well. My wifes bike is set up with a grx rear mech paired with an 11 speed centuar cassette and a suntour front derailleur to a TA triple. It took about 2 hours of taking the crank on and off and rearranging the washers until it finally worked. It works well enough that she can shift it back and forth not having to worry about the amount of time it took me to get it running smoothly 🥲

[Rashid Khan]

The TA rings are completely flat, no ramps, no pins, no shift aids of any sort. If you're friction shifting they're just ok. If you're using brifters, you might get lucky and they're just ok. You might get unlucky and no combination of derailleur setup, spacers, or chainring clocking is going to make front shifting work reliably. 

The VO 46T big ring, if that size work for you, has ramps and pins. Use it with whatever 50.4 arms you fancy. 

Good luck,

Rashid in CO

[fordb...@gmail.com]

I use TA cranks on several bikes, set up 10 speed, with large gaps between chainrings and short cage derailleurs. For shifter I am using Campagnolo Ergo or SRAM brake shift combo levers. 11-28 cassette.

It all works well. The short cage derailleurs don't allow me to be in the very smallest cogs when I' in the small (26 t) chainring. I think they're redundant anyway. The "big" ring is a 44, which works for me with a high gear of 44x11,

as these bikes are generally used on rougher, steeper terrain.

Good luck with your conversion- are sure to post some photos when you can-

Ford

Ghent, NY

[Rashid Khan]

I too use TA flat rings on several bikes with 10 and 11 speed setups, also with SRAM integrated levers. Strava says most used has ~16,000mi since 2023, so obviously I don't think it's all that bad. It's totally possible that you'll find the performance of the flat TA rings acceptable, many people do.

But then I ride my bike with a ramped and pinned TA big ring (not 50.4): It's hilariously superior. Shifts, under load or not, are fast and reliable. If the size of big ring you want is available with shift aids there's no reason to use a flat ring. If someone made a ramped and pinned 42T or 44T 50.4 chainring, I'd buy it and throw away the flat TA rings. Shift aids are awesome. 

Rashid in CO

[njh...@gmail.com]

I find that TA rings with the standard TA spacers have the rings too far apart for 11-speed chains, and the chain can tend to sit between the chainrings and skate when changing down. They will work ok with 11s chain/cassette if you space the chainrings closer than the standard TA spacers place them. I've found that 3mm is a good spacing. Buy a couple of dozen 7mm or 9/32" stainless steel washers and stack three or four (depending on thickness) to get ~3mm spacing.

Nick Payne

[Rory Woods]

Perhaps this was due to user error, but I was not able to get VO rings to work with (vintage) TA arms. The machining of the teeth on the VO rings moves the chainline slightly further outboard, thus diminishing the already scant amount of clearance between the outside of the front derailleur cage and the inside of the arm. This photo attempts to show what I mean. 

Sharing because I hope it might save some frustration. 

Rory in Walnut Creek, CA 

[Sam Huang]

Was eyeing a set of TA crankarms on eBay exactly for the purpose of adding VO chainrings. Appreciate that heads up -- will save me a lot of trouble!

Sam

San Diego, CA

[Mark in Beacon]

Also, VO only offers a46 outer and a 30 inner, and the 46 is out of stock. I just bought a second VO crankset. I've had one for about 10-12 years, works great, looks great. Good time to buy, with the semi annual 20% sale, $160 and free shipping. Hard to beat, really.