Anyone ride a Riv-ish double crank setup?

[lungimsam]

My used Bleriot came with an Ultegra drivetrain. Compact double 34 x 50,  11-27 in the back.

 

It is a little too much for me on the hilly areas around where I live.

 

So I was thinking I could just put smaller rings on the front. 30 x 46? Lower the front derailer a little?

 

Was wondering what un-racer crank toothcount you use if you have a double.

[justin...@gmail.com]

I have a compact double with a 34/48 and a custom cassette in the back that goes from 12 up to 30 in evenly spaced 2-3 tooth increments with a 34 plastered on afterwards. Great for the combination of flats and hills. 

-J

[William]

Your Ultegra cranks won't take a 30.  You'll be buying a new crankset to go to a true compact double.  I run compact doubles on three bikes.  

My commuter has a chainguard+42+26 on a 130/74 BCD in front with a 6 speed 13x24 freewheel in back.  

My Hilsen has a 44/30 on 94mm BCD in front with a 9 speed 11-26 in back.    

My road bike has a 44/30 White Industries VBC in front with a 9 speed 12-27 in back.  

I've never thought to myself on any of those three bikes:  "dang, I need a higher top end gear"

[Jim Mather]

On Tue, Sep 25, 2012 at 1:13 PM, William <tape...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Your Ultegra cranks won't take a 30. You'll be buying a new crankset to go
> to a true compact double. I run compact doubles on three bikes.

The smallest the Ultegra compact double will take is a 34 (well, maybe
33). Like William said, you will need a different crankset. Here's the
gospel of Sheldon Brown on smallest chain ring per BCD:
http://sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bcd.html

Search the archives and you should find plenty of information on
possible cranksets. You will also need to consider what kind of bottom
bracket you have and whether you'll want to replace that too, or find
a compatible replacement crank.

My doubles include a 42-28, a 36-26 (mostly for dirt), and a 48-30 (road only).

Welcome to the world of parts swapping -- that's half the fun.

[Peter Pesce]

One thing you could do more cheaply than a new crank is go with a 34 t cassette in back.
You might have an MTB derailer lying around, and even if your buying new the cassette and RD woould be less than a new crank, unless of course you insist on Ultegra quality.

-"Big Cog" Pete (mind your spelling, folks!) in CT

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 3:49:53 PM UTC-4, lungimsam wrote:

[Michael_S]

After trying and liking a 46-32-22 on my 650B bike, I converted my 700C road bike to a 44-29. I've been super happy with both and with 11-30 8 speed cassette's they work great for me. For some reason this combo is just great. I never used the 22 granny on the 650B bike yet, but with full panniers or on a super steep dirt road climb I'm sure it will be useful.

The big problem is finding older MTB 94mm bcd cranks unless you want to spend big $$'s for the Compass,TA, Middleburn or White ind. models that can do this as well.  

~mike

Carlsbad Ca

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 12:49:53 PM UTC-7, lungimsam wrote:

[dougP]

The 34 is the smallest ring on a 110 BCD. Perhaps you can get low
enough by changing cassette and possibly RD. Check Harris as they
usually have a nice selection of wide range cassettes. One of my buds
got an 11-32 9 speed from them and it works (amazingly) with his short
cage Ultegra RD & STI. He just swapped out an 11-27 and of course put
on a new chain, no other changes.

If you do get into changing cranks, the 30 / 46 combination seems
pretty popular but if you're going that far you may want to think
about your entire gearing needs. You mention you're in hilly country;
are you carrying loads? What type of shifters do you have? Would you
change those? A fair number interrelated considerations to make.
There's hours of fun to be had on this type of project.

dougP

On Sep 25, 12:49 pm, lungimsam <john11.2...@gmail.com> wrote:
> My used Bleriot came with an Ultegra drivetrain. Compact double 34 x 50,
> 11-27 in the back.
>
> It is a little too much for me on the hilly areas around where I live.
>
> So I was thinking I could just put smaller rings on the front. 30 x 46?
> Lower the front derailer a little?
>

> *Was wondering what un-racer crank toothcount you use if you have a double.*

[lungimsam]

I have bar-end shifters.

 

Shimano 10speed SIS/Friction for RD.

Shimano Friction on the FD.

 

I do not tour, but carry commuting loads of less than 10lbs on rear rack.

 

It is just that the 34 x 27 is too hard for me on local hills. Would going to a 32 or 34 cassette in the rear make that much of a difference? Swapping a cassette does sound like the least expensive idea.

 

 

[cyclot...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, September 25, 2012 3:01:20 PM UTC-7, lungimsam wrote:

 Would going to a 32 or 34 cassette in the rear make that much of a difference?

 

 

Yes! Will be a noticeable difference. Go w/ the 34.

[reynoldslugs]

Wide Range doubles are the bee's knees, the tops, the Coliseum.

My favorite is the new Sugino, here it is on a Della Santa in 26-40,
witha SRAM 11-36 rear cassette. It's pretty expensive, but shifts
wonderfully:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/7146507619/in/set-72157629609638106

and:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/sets/72157629609638106/with/7146507619/

Also, White Industries makes a nice one: here it is in 26-42 (it's
also pricey), here on a Pereira:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/7122851567/in/set-72157629558340752

or:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/sets/72157629558340752/with/7122851567/

And here's a do-it-yourself model: Gunnar Crosseyes with a converted
Ritchey logic, large chainring removed, in 26-40: It also works great:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/6365147015/in/set-72157628055130729

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41563482@N06/sets/72157628055130729/with/6365147015/

They are work well, shift better than fine. All 3 bikes have 12-34 or
larger cassettes.

Good luck

Max

[Dan McNamara]

The Sugino is a really beautiful crankset. Pricey but at least it includes the BB. And it is low Q for those who care.

On my wife's Betty Foy I put a 40/26 + chain ring guard on a used XD2 crank that I had picked up from someone here. Works great with a wide cassette - I used the 12-36 HG61.

Dan

Marin

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[dougP]

Yes, going to a 32 or 34 would be a noticeable change. The caution is
to be aware the RD may not be able to handle it. I was shocked when
my buddy's set-up worked. But nothing lost if it can't handle the
large cog, at that point you change the RD as well.

Changing cranks can get somewhat involved with the bottom brackets
chainline, FD travel, etc. Fortunately, RBWHQ would be able to advise
you on a good workable set-up to meet your needs.

Having bar ends solves a lot of problems. For instance, if you're
fine with friction & see a 9 speed that works for you, that's an
option. You could go to a triple in front with no need to change
shifter. Separate levers are a Major Good Thing.

dougP

> - Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Steve Palincsar]

Going from a 27 to a 30 tooth sprocket is a good-sized shift. Going
from a 30 to a 34 is another good-sized shift. So the proposed cassette
change will give you two lower gears, and not piddly little unnoticeable
steps, either, but rather good healthy bites.

[René Sterental]

With 9 speeds you can even go 12-36 in the back. But you'll need a Shadow type MTB RD although you can make it work on a non-shadow type by either reversing or getting a longer B-screw. I've done both on my Rivs. 

That should be low enough based on your description. 

René 

[Brian Campbell]

My AHH has 46/30, Electra Ticino crank, VO rings and 10 speed, 11-34 rear cassette. Using an indexed 10 speed bar end shifter. Works great.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/005-2.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/007-2.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/bylar13/006-2.jpg

[Michael Hechmer]

Going to  a bigger cassette would probably require a different RD, and wide range cassettes necessarily create large jumps between gears.  If you like the spacing on your current cassette you might not like the wider steps.   If you are unsure perhaps trying to borrow the wider cassette would be a good idea.

I share your feeling about the 34/27 combo, which is what I have on my racing bike, which gives a low gear of 34 g.i., not enough in hilly VT.  My Ram has a White VBC crank with 44/30 rings & an 11/28, which yields a low gear of 29, g.i. which I find to be enough for very light loads except on very long, steep climbs.  My touring bike goes down to 26.  A new crank, like the VBC or Compass shouldn't affect your SIS set up.  Another solution, not much more money than a 10 spd cassette, is to buy the Sugino triple and just put a chain guard on the outside, with the 46 or 44/28.

[Michael Hechmer]

Nice bike Brian, thanks for the pics.

Michael

[Ray Shine]

Yes. My Gomez is set up similarly, but I use Sugino cranks, with an 8 speed 11-32 cass. I use stem shifters instead of BEs. It's my semi-daily commuter (my other commuters are the Quickbeam, and a fendered IGH Jamis for wet weather).

---

From: Michael Hechmer <mhec...@gmail.com>
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, September 26, 2012 3:33:49 AM
Subject: Re: [RBW] Anyone ride a Riv-ish double crank setup?

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