Crank and/or cassette swap for touring considerations
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Quebec City, QC
Posts: 2
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac Expert 2010, Mikado Cabot 2001
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Crank and/or cassette swap for touring considerations
Recently bought a vintage (2001-ish) 8sp bike that I plan to use for touring. The triple crankset 52-42-30 and the 11-32t cassette gives me a decent gear inch range 25-128, however I plan to travel loaded in very hilly terrain so I’d, like to bring the lower range closer to 22 inches.
Need advice please (or validation that these options are feasible) with what would work best with my 8sp Sora brifters, Sora front derailleur and wide range Deore rear derailleur combo. Each of the following would give me a 22 gear inches:
1. Swap the crankset for a 48-38-26 model
2. Swap the 30t chainring for a 28t (exceeds the theoretical 22t differential) AND swap the cassette for a 11-34t
3. Swap the 30t chainring for a 26t. Is this even possible?
Need advice please (or validation that these options are feasible) with what would work best with my 8sp Sora brifters, Sora front derailleur and wide range Deore rear derailleur combo. Each of the following would give me a 22 gear inches:
1. Swap the crankset for a 48-38-26 model
2. Swap the 30t chainring for a 28t (exceeds the theoretical 22t differential) AND swap the cassette for a 11-34t
3. Swap the 30t chainring for a 26t. Is this even possible?
#2
Senior Member
I like the 48/38/26T chainring option best of the 3 you have listed as It maintains the 22T difference of your current chainrings while reducing cranking effort by about 13%. You'll still have 118 gear inches on tap for the highest gear. You'll Probably seldom even use the 48/13 cogs, which is still nearly 100 gear inches.
This is a popular option for many manufacturers so it should be quite reliable. That is very important for touring. Should be easy to get parts for too in the event you need them.
That said, 22 gear inches may not be low enough for the challenging, long hills. I'd try the bike as is first, loaded to get an idea if the 22 is sufficient. You might need closer to mountain bike gearing for steep hills with a load. The 22/32/44 is a popular option for an 18 - 108 gear inch range.
I'd just like to avoid using the 11T cog because the next step to 13T is much too big in the highest ranges. But you still might not need it even with these chainrings as 44/13 still provides 91 gear inches for 32+ kph at a leisurely 75 rpm.
This is a popular option for many manufacturers so it should be quite reliable. That is very important for touring. Should be easy to get parts for too in the event you need them.
That said, 22 gear inches may not be low enough for the challenging, long hills. I'd try the bike as is first, loaded to get an idea if the 22 is sufficient. You might need closer to mountain bike gearing for steep hills with a load. The 22/32/44 is a popular option for an 18 - 108 gear inch range.
I'd just like to avoid using the 11T cog because the next step to 13T is much too big in the highest ranges. But you still might not need it even with these chainrings as 44/13 still provides 91 gear inches for 32+ kph at a leisurely 75 rpm.
Last edited by xroadcharlie; 02-26-22 at 02:01 PM.
Likes For xroadcharlie:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,160
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4236 Post(s)
Liked 3,963 Times
in
2,359 Posts
Most riders who have not toured with a load don't understand (haven't experienced) what riding up a 4 hour hill is like, at 3 or 4 MPH. I have suggested many times that on a touring bike one should have a 3mph gear, that there's no such thing as a too low a gear but there's way too high gears all the time.
Get the lowest gear your bike can fit. Andy
Get the lowest gear your bike can fit. Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
Likes For Andrew R Stewart:
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 248
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 143 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 90 Times
in
64 Posts
Andrew R Stewart <= his response makes a lot of sense
#5
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,466
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6276 Post(s)
Liked 4,303 Times
in
2,412 Posts
Recently bought a vintage (2001-ish) 8sp bike that I plan to use for touring. The triple crankset 52-42-30 and the 11-32t cassette gives me a decent gear inch range 25-128, however I plan to travel loaded in very hilly terrain so I’d, like to bring the lower range closer to 22 inches.
Need advice please (or validation that these options are feasible) with what would work best with my 8sp Sora brifters, Sora front derailleur and wide range Deore rear derailleur combo. Each of the following would give me a 22 gear inches:
Need advice please (or validation that these options are feasible) with what would work best with my 8sp Sora brifters, Sora front derailleur and wide range Deore rear derailleur combo. Each of the following would give me a 22 gear inches:
1. Swap the crankset for a 48-38-26 model
2. Swap the 30t chainring for a 28t (exceeds the theoretical 22t differential) AND swap the cassette for a 11-34t
3. Swap the 30t chainring for a 26t. Is this even possible?
I would propose something entirely different, however. Go to the 44/34/22 gearing of a mountain bike triple. Here’s the chart. You reduce the high to 109” which is still a pretty good high gear. It’s higher than old school road bikes which had 52/14 101” gears. You get lower gear without too much trouble as well. Used mountain bike triples are a dime a dozen. You could even pick up an external bearing crank which are easier to install and a bit more robust than square taper for not too much. With a little bit of surgery, you can even get down into stupidly low gears by replacing the 22 with a 20 (with a 34 tooth cassettes, that 16” gear).
Don’t be afraid to experiment. You won’t break anything if it doesn’t work. It just won’t work. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,097 Times
in
743 Posts
Assuming a 74mm bcd for the granny ring, this is very possible and I've done it on numerous cranks. My two current Shimano FC-5703 cranksets have been altered from 50/39/30 to 50/39/26 and shift well. The shift from the 39 to the 26 goes well. The shift back from the 30 to either the 39 or 50 is a bit sluggish but you are rarely in a rush for that one. Yes, you exceed the recommended chainring tooth difference and probably exceed the rear derailleur's wrap capacity but avoid small-small and you will be fine.
In the past I've done this 30T to 26T granny chainring swap on older 52/42/X Shimano cranks and even a 53/42/X Campagnolo crank and both worked fine.
In the past I've done this 30T to 26T granny chainring swap on older 52/42/X Shimano cranks and even a 53/42/X Campagnolo crank and both worked fine.
#7
Constant tinkerer
Assuming you have a 74 B.C.D. for the small ring, replace it with a 24T. Remove the silly 52T ring which you will never, ever need. Unless you plan to pedal your loaded touring bike downhill at 40MPH for some reason. Replace the cassette with an 11-34. And you're done, unless you still need lower gears than that.
Summary: 24/42 using your current crank, 11-34 cassette.
Summary: 24/42 using your current crank, 11-34 cassette.
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Quebec City, QC
Posts: 2
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac Expert 2010, Mikado Cabot 2001
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Many thanks for all the help! A couple of new options!! I like the idea of the 44-32-22 crank. I see a couple of them on ebay. The 24T/26T granny (yes it's a 74mm BCD) could be easy and cheap to try too.
Last edited by Limablu2; 02-27-22 at 05:07 PM.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,160
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4236 Post(s)
Liked 3,963 Times
in
2,359 Posts
I've found it's not about having the power to push a less low gear but it's the motivation and connective tissues that are lacking for me. Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
#11
top
48-38-26 and 44-32-22 are mtb cranksets
road cranksets/fd and mtb cranksets/fd have different chainline
road frontshifters/fd and mtb frontshifters/fd have different cable pull
you can find these topics on forum:
using Road front derailleur on MTB crankset
Mixing road shifters and derailleurs with MTB crankset
FD compatible with MTB shifters and road triple cranks?
Using Mountain Bike Crank and Front Derailleur on Road Bike
etc
road cranksets/fd and mtb cranksets/fd have different chainline
road frontshifters/fd and mtb frontshifters/fd have different cable pull
you can find these topics on forum:
using Road front derailleur on MTB crankset
Mixing road shifters and derailleurs with MTB crankset
FD compatible with MTB shifters and road triple cranks?
Using Mountain Bike Crank and Front Derailleur on Road Bike
etc
Last edited by kek; 02-27-22 at 02:51 AM.