70sSanO

Just wondering, do you use the 48/11 ratio very often?

John

Chuckk

I've got a bike with a fairly new Dura-Ace triple.
It has a genuine Dura-Ace tripleizer for the middle ring.
I would hope the tripleizer ring is available as a replacement part.

L134 

I use a Mountain Tamer adapter for a 74BCD with a 19 tooth inner ring. Looks like they are still available.

70sSanO

I would start looking for middle ring spider replacements now. Or at least find out what aftermarket is available.

I think FC-7803 was the last Dura Ace triple crankset. When I went to a triple some years ago, I by-passed the 7703 for a 6503 because I didn’t want to have to hunt down that middle ring. Good luck.

John

70sSanO

Back to the OP’s question. My younger brother and I went to triples about the same time.

He elected to go with an XT 737 and I went with an Ultegra 6503.

He’s running 22-32-44 and I am running 28-38-48. We are both running 8 speed.

While I am quite proud of my old school 14-36 with a true 14t 1st position cog, his 12-32 beats me on both ends and has better gaps. And he does it with less weight.

I ran freewheels until 2020. I don’t know if you are running a freewheel or a cassette, but getting to a smaller 1st position cog opens up a lot more possibilities.

John

70sSanO

That looks like a great option.

I've been using a WolfTooth Road Link on my mountain bikes to get to a 40t cog with a 24t inner chainring and a 0.6 to 1 ratio.

With a 20t, I could go back to a 34t cog.

John

Bianchigirll 

22 is wicked small for a chainring. Whats the cogset in the back? Unless you're already maxed out there going to a bigger cog might be easier.

Also if your just looking for a smaller granny will your RD handle the extra slack?


I never had all the rings for it but I have a Shipmano 700cx crankset and passable BB (I think) that goes down to a 20.

Internet pic, looks like it was 42/32/20. 700cx was a highewr end hybrid group back in the mid '90s.

bulgie 

The DA triplizer uses a proprietary non-standard BCD (92 mm) for the granny, not interchangeable with anything else, not even from other Shimano lines that I know of. So when it wears out, if they don't sell 'em anymore, you're SOL. Oh here's one on ebay for $71 with shipping. That's twice (or more) what a high-quality 74 mm BCD ring can be had for.
Plus I'm pretty sure the granny only came in one size, 30t.
Terrible idea, a design that deserves to die, and the project manager who approved this new useless BCD should be fired.

If your triplizer middle ring wears out, don't get another Dura Ace, get literally any other brand of tiplizer made for a 130 mm 5-bolt circle. They'll all take a normal 74 mm for the inner.
A Stronglight triplizer would be my choice, best looking IMHO, and strong 7075-T6 heat-treated alloy. Not sure if they're stocked in the US, but I see XXCycle has them in stock for €29 plus shipping. I have used several of these and they're top quality. Here's one on my wife's road bike:



Worked awesome on my old Mavic "Starfish" crank too.



Mavic had their own triple adapter for that crank, but it was heavier and uglier. Get the Stronglight!

KCT1986

The FC-6703 also had the inner ring of 92mm but also only in 30T.

It used a different type middle ring that the inner ring mounts to. This is for the 'newer' style crank arm that uses a bolt from the rear (blind on the outside) instead of the bolt/'nut' older style.

Chuckk

Wow, I had no idea that the tripleizer was still a thing!
This was only the second I've seen, and thought they were obsolete tech.

KCT1986

Currently almost all triples are 'old school tech'.

Other options for Shimano Tripleizer ring replacements (w/92mm) are the FC-4603 and non-series R563.

Wheels Of Steel

Definintely nice cranks! Unfortunately the pedal holes aren't threaded all the way through.

Wheels Of Steel

Thanks Jeff! Hadn't thought to check Peter's site.

Wheels Of Steel

Yes, on flats and downhill.

Wheels Of Steel

Cassette

Wheels Of Steel

I don't like how the rear shifting slows down with the WT link hence the triple in the front.

Wheels Of Steel

Good thought, but looks heavy!

Jeff Wills

The Shimano 700CX group was the “hybrid” equivalent of Deore XT or Ultegra. Pretty light for its era.
That group and its 400CX cousin were only made for 2 or 3 years in the ‘90’s. Apparently the market for unique parts for hybrid bikes never materialized.

RCMoeur 

I think I still have a 74 to 58 Avid Microdaptor that allows going down to a 20 tooth chainring on a 110/74 "old standard" triple. I used it for a few years in the 1990s, but since have been content with twiddling my 24s.

t2p

looks like a nice crank - but Octalink

Ritchey WCS NOS Crankset 170 44/32/22


https://www.ebay.com/itm/17606129097...Bk9SR_7xipipYw

.

Wheels Of Steel

Looks heavy, and Octalink. I'll search for the Ritchey crankset in 94/58 or go with the TA Carmina. Thanks all!

t2p

I’m not familiar with this crankset - but it is a Ritchey WCS so good chance its one of the lighter and stronger (cold forged) cranksets of its type

The Golden Boy 

Each time I see this thread bumped up it makes me wonder... Just out of curiosity... Have you actually rolled with 20 or 22 (or 24) tooth chainrings?

I'm full-on in favor of low gearing. But I also seem to recall a quote from Sheldon Brown- "sometimes it's just better to walk." For me- if I hit a hill with, say, 30 pounds- by the time I'm down to the 28 I'm going slow enough that it's more work to stay upright than it is to pedal.

It seems to me, the 20T and 22T rings were meant to be on the bikes that had those drive systems on them-> the type with smaller rings and smaller cogs- more as a method of reducing weight than achieving lower than low gearing. Once the realization hit that smaller rings and smaller cogs and chains wore out quicker- that fad went away.

If you know what you're after- super! I just don't want you chasing after and spending a load of bank on something that may not live up to expectations...

FWIW- I found the 24 on my Avocet crank to be less than useful and swapped it out for a 28.


1986 Trek 400 Elance by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

t2p

that ‘fad’ has been in existence for around 30 years -and still going strong

The Golden Boy 

How many of these cranksets are currently in production?