New crankset recommendations
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 518
Bikes: 2004 Trek 520, resto-modded 1987 Cannondale SR400, rando-modded 1976 AD Vent Noir; 2019 Wabi Classic; 1989? Burley Duet
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times
in
51 Posts
New crankset recommendations
I'm converting an old Austro Daimler Vent Noir into a rando bike. That means, sadly, I have to replace the beautiful, drilled-out black first-gen Dura Ace crankset, because it has 53-42 gearing, which is way too high.
I'm looking at either getting a VO or SunXCD 50.4 BCD crankset (I can get the VO for a lot cheaper) with 46/30 rings, or just putting on a new Sugino triple. I already have the Sugino on my touring bike, and it's great, but I wouldn't mind trying something new. Also considering the new external BB 46/30 cranksets from FSA and Easton, but I wonder how that'd look/feel on a vintage bike.
Anyone have experience with these 46/30 cranksets? Any recommendations generally?
I'm looking at either getting a VO or SunXCD 50.4 BCD crankset (I can get the VO for a lot cheaper) with 46/30 rings, or just putting on a new Sugino triple. I already have the Sugino on my touring bike, and it's great, but I wouldn't mind trying something new. Also considering the new external BB 46/30 cranksets from FSA and Easton, but I wonder how that'd look/feel on a vintage bike.
Anyone have experience with these 46/30 cranksets? Any recommendations generally?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,146
Mentioned: 481 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3804 Post(s)
Liked 6,643 Times
in
2,602 Posts
I’ve have the Sun XCD on one build and have had the V-O. I found that latter to suffer wear to the taper fairly quickly after moving it around in a few different bikes. If you want to stay vintage, you can look for an 86 bcd crankset such as the Stronglight 99 and set it up as a compact double. You can even find drilled rings for that particular look. That’ll likely run you less than the cost of a new Sun unit.
#3
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1954 Post(s)
Liked 3,658 Times
in
1,677 Posts
I have a vo 50.4 crankset that has been great. I have had it on several bikes and it operates flawlessly. My only complaint is that 26 is the smallest ring it takes. I expect there are adapters that could help but since you are looking at 30,46 it would be great.
#4
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,000
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 279 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2193 Post(s)
Liked 4,587 Times
in
1,764 Posts
TA makes a 38T ring that will fit the Dura Ace cranks (you may have to file off a mm or so from the spider arms for the chain to properly clear them). With a Crane GS RD and a 34T cog in the rear you have a ~30" low gear. Would that work for you?
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 518
Bikes: 2004 Trek 520, resto-modded 1987 Cannondale SR400, rando-modded 1976 AD Vent Noir; 2019 Wabi Classic; 1989? Burley Duet
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times
in
51 Posts
I also wonder about the possibility of snapping a 43-year-old crank in the middle of a hard effort...
Last edited by samkl; 06-20-19 at 04:40 PM.
#6
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,523
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
I always just grab a vintage Sugino 110 BCD out of the bin, and replace both rings with rings from a MTB. Can go 45/34 without a problem, I've heard you can go as small as 33. First gen black DA crankset is worth some coin!
Likes For wrk101:
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 518
Bikes: 2004 Trek 520, resto-modded 1987 Cannondale SR400, rando-modded 1976 AD Vent Noir; 2019 Wabi Classic; 1989? Burley Duet
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times
in
51 Posts
Yeah--I was thinking I could sell the DA to fund the new crankset!
#8
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,627
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3870 Post(s)
Liked 2,563 Times
in
1,577 Posts
A contrary take, if I may: compact and "sub-compact" cranksets are a fine thing, and the cycling world is better now that they are more widely appreciated and available. But they are not mandatory on a rando bike! Many randonneurs, especially those who are former racers, still ride with standard doubles. Roger Baumann used a 52/44 when he won PBP 1956. John Lee Ellis, the current president of RUSA, uses a standard double (once 53/42, now 53/39 I believe). When building up my rando bike, I briefly considered using a 52/42 BioPace double with 14-32T cassette. (In the end, I used smaller sprockets all around for a nearly identical gear range.)
Where I'm going with this, is that it might be possible to keep that crankset and arrive at gearing that works for you with a combination of smaller chainrings and bigger cassette cogs. If you wanted to.
Where I'm going with this, is that it might be possible to keep that crankset and arrive at gearing that works for you with a combination of smaller chainrings and bigger cassette cogs. If you wanted to.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 150
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
6 Posts
Preferences for gearing are a personal thing. I, for one, do a fair bit of long distance riding (just gearing up for PBP again), and I don't have a need for very small gears (a 39-27 will be my smallest for PBP). In the vintage department a cheap 14-28 cassette is perfect with a standard front for me. I find changing the cassette has less of an impact on the appearance of the bike. I'd hate to lose the black DA.
But it sounds like you may have your mind set on smaller rings? As above, I'd get a 110bcd Sugino from the parts bin and keep the DA in storage as the original equipment for the bike or you'll regret it one day
But it sounds like you may have your mind set on smaller rings? As above, I'd get a 110bcd Sugino from the parts bin and keep the DA in storage as the original equipment for the bike or you'll regret it one day
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 518
Bikes: 2004 Trek 520, resto-modded 1987 Cannondale SR400, rando-modded 1976 AD Vent Noir; 2019 Wabi Classic; 1989? Burley Duet
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times
in
51 Posts
Heh. You should've seen the SR series I just did! All through the driftless region of SW Wisconsin, with grades of 15 to 20% common. 26500 feet of climbing on the 600; 18000 on the 400, 13000 on the 300. Hills just too big and steep to use your momentum to get up. Extremely challenging. I had a 26-36 small gear (riding my touring bike) and was grateful for it.
So the lower gearing is mandatory. The triplizer option sounded good to me, but the rings are really pricey on eBay and I do wonder about riding on 43 y/o cranks..
So the lower gearing is mandatory. The triplizer option sounded good to me, but the rings are really pricey on eBay and I do wonder about riding on 43 y/o cranks..
#11
Senior Member
IRD has a nice looking 46/30 compact.
Defiant Super Compact Road Crank Set ? Interloc Racing Design / IRD
Defiant Super Compact Road Crank Set ? Interloc Racing Design / IRD
Likes For brian3069:
#12
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,793
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1391 Post(s)
Liked 1,322 Times
in
835 Posts
Best options:
1) Shimano 130mm 38T inner ring; no other crank or spider mods needed;
2) Any 110mm crankset with a 34 or 36T inner ring.
Use a smaller outer ring, as well, and then see how large a freewheel you can accommodate. You may be pleasantly surprised.
I run a 46-38 Nervar Star (funky 128mm BCD, but one can very easily adapt 130mm rings to fit) with a 13-15-17-19-22-25 Regina America freewheel on the 1959 Capo, for a low of 41 gear-inches.
1) Shimano 130mm 38T inner ring; no other crank or spider mods needed;
2) Any 110mm crankset with a 34 or 36T inner ring.
Use a smaller outer ring, as well, and then see how large a freewheel you can accommodate. You may be pleasantly surprised.
I run a 46-38 Nervar Star (funky 128mm BCD, but one can very easily adapt 130mm rings to fit) with a 13-15-17-19-22-25 Regina America freewheel on the 1959 Capo, for a low of 41 gear-inches.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#13
Junior Member
Sorry for resurrecting possibly old thread but I've been considering a 46-30 crankset, particularly the VO or IRD options. Did you ever buy one and if so and positives/negatives you've come across?
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 2,701
Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1136 Post(s)
Liked 650 Times
in
336 Posts
I have a set of TA Pro 5 Vis cranks that I got for $75. Bought some new TA chainrings and Velo Orange hardware kit and I am still under what a new VO crankset costs. Plus VO's chainring options are limited to 46-30.
Likes For TenGrainBread:
#15
Junior Member
They are both pretty nice but the clear negative is they are a knock-off of the real thing (TA Pro 5 Vis, Stronglight 49D) for twice the price of the real thing. I think the only real functional advantage is the chainring bolts are nicer than the original TAs/Stronglights.
I have a set of TA Pro 5 Vis cranks that I got for $75. Bought some new TA chainrings and Velo Orange hardware kit and I am still under what a new VO crankset costs. Plus VO's chainring options are limited to 46-30.
I have a set of TA Pro 5 Vis cranks that I got for $75. Bought some new TA chainrings and Velo Orange hardware kit and I am still under what a new VO crankset costs. Plus VO's chainring options are limited to 46-30.
Thanks again.
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 518
Bikes: 2004 Trek 520, resto-modded 1987 Cannondale SR400, rando-modded 1976 AD Vent Noir; 2019 Wabi Classic; 1989? Burley Duet
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 213 Post(s)
Liked 93 Times
in
51 Posts
#17
Junior Member
Planet Bike in the UK sells a Holdsworth 48-34 Drillium crankset that looks pretty nice and it's on sale for $99. I run one of their 53-39 cranks on my Japanamount and love it, very nice shifting. In the below link scroll right to see the drillium one.
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CSHOCN...retro-crankset
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CSHOCN...retro-crankset
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Wiggles_dad
Classic & Vintage
22
10-01-13 11:45 AM
wrk101
Classic & Vintage
4
07-12-13 05:20 PM