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Anyone using a 46/30T crank on a road bike?

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Anyone using a 46/30T crank on a road bike?

Old 08-20-19, 10:18 AM
  #426  
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I received the Shimano GRX600 46/30. I removed the Shimano 46/34 (46/36 originally) and put in the 46/30. The Original FD works okay but I still need to tweak it a bit. It’s a little rough going from the 30 to the 46 and there is some chain rub on the 46 and harder gears.

I need to get the outer plate on the FD to move out a little more and so far I haven’t been able to get the outer limit screw to move it enough. It’s rideable but not quiet enough for my taste just yet.
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Old 08-20-19, 10:36 AM
  #427  
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Originally Posted by jppe
I received the Shimano GRX600 46/30. I removed the Shimano 46/34 (46/36 originally) and put in the 46/30. The Original FD works okay but I still need to tweak it a bit. It’s a little rough going from the 30 to the 46 and there is some chain rub on the 46 and harder gears.

I need to get the outer plate on the FD to move out a little more and so far I haven’t been able to get the outer limit screw to move it enough. It’s rideable but not quiet enough for my taste just yet.
If you want to do the install right you need the GRX FD as the chain line is 2.5mm outboard. A spacer of some kind may work but the FD arm needs adjust 2.5mm further from the seat post.
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Old 08-20-19, 12:56 PM
  #428  
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Thanks for the report. Looks as if the FD needs to go in the cart with the crank. Now we know!
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Old 08-20-19, 03:14 PM
  #429  
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Originally Posted by wsteve464
If you want to do the install right you need the GRX FD as the chain line is 2.5mm outboard. A spacer of some kind may work but the FD arm needs adjust 2.5mm further from the seat post.
I was aware of the different chain line but I was hoping I could just set the FD outer limit on the big ring out far enough. 2.5 mm is quite a lot though. So far it doesn’t look like there is enough play to move it out far enough. I did notice the FD outer plate was pretty high above the big ring so I lowered it probably 2 mm. That really helped the shifting between the rings but there is still too much chain rub on the outer plate. The 30 ring is really quiet through all the gears. The 30/34 combination feels like a ridiculously easy gear.....

If I’m in the 30/11 and coasting the RD can’t take up enough of the chain and the chain relaxes on the chain stay. There’s really no reason to be in that combination so that’s not a big deal.
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Old 08-20-19, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by jppe
I was aware of the different chain line but I was hoping I could just set the FD outer limit on the big ring out far enough. 2.5 mm is quite a lot though. So far it doesn’t look like there is enough play to move it out far enough. I did notice the FD outer plate was pretty high above the big ring so I lowered it probably 2 mm. That really helped the shifting between the rings but there is still too much chain rub on the outer plate. The 30 ring is really quiet through all the gears. The 30/34 combination feels like a ridiculously easy gear.....

If I’m in the 30/11 and coasting the RD can’t take up enough of the chain and the chain relaxes on the chain stay. There’s really no reason to be in that combination so that’s not a big deal.
Well it is...until you're on a 15%+ dirt/gravel road ascent where you cannot stand due to losing drive-traction.
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Old 08-20-19, 05:46 PM
  #431  
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Well......I haven’t thoroughly researched it but I’m not seeing a GRX FD that’s not a braze on. My FD is a clamp on.

Rut roh......
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Old 08-20-19, 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by jppe
Well......I haven’t thoroughly researched it but I’m not seeing a GRX FD that’s not a braze on. My FD is a clamp on.

Rut roh......
Get an adapter clamp. I can't remember the Shimano part number but it is all of $15
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Old 08-21-19, 06:08 AM
  #433  
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Originally Posted by Marcus_Ti
Get an adapter clamp. I can't remember the Shimano part number but it is all of $15
Yep. Part 9150
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Old 08-21-19, 10:31 AM
  #434  
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Okay, I now have the GRX 11 sp FD and Shimano FD Mount adapter headed my way. That way I can mount the braze on FD to my seat tube.

You could ride it with the existing FD but the chain rub on the outer FD plate is quite annoying......not to mention all the watts I’d be losing pedaling!?!???

At least I tried using the R8000 FD.....
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Old 08-21-19, 12:10 PM
  #435  
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You could switch the road BB cups to mtb BB cups. That would make the overall BB width 2mm shorter, and bring your chainline 1mm inward. You'd have to shave the plastic stops on the water sleeve so that they'd fit in between the mtb BB cups while on the narrower BB shell. The left crank arm probably has enough tolerance to eat up the extra 2mm of spindle protrusion, and you get 2mm narrower q-factor.
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Old 08-21-19, 01:36 PM
  #436  
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Originally Posted by tomtomtom123
The left crank arm probably has enough tolerance to eat up the extra 2mm of spindle protrusion
elaborate?
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Old 08-21-19, 03:10 PM
  #437  
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Originally Posted by tomtomtom123
You could switch the road BB cups to mtb BB cups. That would make the overall BB width 2mm shorter, and bring your chainline 1mm inward. You'd have to shave the plastic stops on the water sleeve so that they'd fit in between the mtb BB cups while on the narrower BB shell. The left crank arm probably has enough tolerance to eat up the extra 2mm of spindle protrusion, and you get 2mm narrower q-factor.

I could see how that might work. At least the GRX FD and FD adapter aren’t a huge expensive so hopefully those will do the trick.

I’m surprised I couldn’t adjust the high limit on the R8000 FD out more but I guess that’s why Shimano is making the GRX FD....
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Old 08-21-19, 04:59 PM
  #438  
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
elaborate?
There is probably enough of a gap between the ends of the splines between the left arm and the spindle to allow the spindle to protrude some more before bottoming out. Each crank might be different, but I saw a video where a guy took one of the 2.5mm shims out of his MTB BB for his 68mm width shell, and the left mtb crank arm did not bottom out. He then took out the 2nd 2.5mm shim, but had to shave down some of the splines in the left crank arm to prevent bottoming out.
If the same applies to road cranks, then the left arm could probably eat the 2mm extra protruding spindle length, when you switch to the 2mm narrower mtb bb. If it does bottom out, you could add 1 or 2mm of shims to the left cup.
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Old 08-21-19, 05:00 PM
  #439  
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Originally Posted by jppe
I’m surprised I couldn’t adjust the high limit on the R8000 FD out more but I guess that’s why Shimano is making the GRX FD....
Did you completely withdraw the H limit screw on the FD?
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Old 08-21-19, 05:13 PM
  #440  
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Originally Posted by tomtomtom123
If the same applies to road cranks, then the left arm could probably eat the 2mm extra protruding spindle length,
These are current Shimano HT II cranks. They eat what they are designed to eat, no more, no less. Seems lots has changed since back when....
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Old 08-21-19, 06:04 PM
  #441  
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Originally Posted by shelbyfv
These are current Shimano HT II cranks. They eat what they are designed to eat, no more, no less. Seems lots has changed since back when....
If you're interested, here is where I saw it:

And some info here:
FAQLoad - XT M760/761 cranks - Shrinking the Q-Factor
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Old 08-21-19, 06:31 PM
  #442  
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What a kludge I drill out half the spline on my crank arm, I'll be a little nervous standing to climb. Darwin Thanks for posting, though. It's fun to see the weird stuff folks think up.

Last edited by shelbyfv; 08-21-19 at 07:01 PM.
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Old 08-21-19, 07:10 PM
  #443  
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Well, he's only done it because he's taken out more than 1 spacer. The other article says that the other guy didn't have to do anything for just 1x 2.5mm spacer, other than trimming off the plastic stops on the water sleeve. I would be ok with taking 2x spacers out and removing 2mm of spline. As the article explains, you aren't reducing the amount of spline engagement with the spindle when removing 2 spacers and only shaving 2mm of spline. You'd actually be adding more engagement. +2.5 + 2.5 -2mm = 3mm extra spline engagement.(well, depending on the crank arm model). One problem i see though is that the 2 clamping bolts won't be centered on the spline.

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Old 08-21-19, 09:20 PM
  #444  
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Originally Posted by tomtomtom123
Did you completely withdraw the H limit screw on the FD?
Not completely, just barely still in there though. The outer plate stopped moving outward though. I felt like I had moved it as far as it would go, guessing it needed about another 1.5-2 mm to completely clear the chain. I thought about rotating the FD clockwise a little more to see if that might give it a little more clearance. But it was shifting so well between the chain rings after I’d dropped the FD down a little I hated to rotate it. It looked like the outer plate was aligned really well. I even thought about putting a coating or smooth plastic sleeve on the inside of the outer plate for noise reduction from the chain rub but “band aids” only work for so long....
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Old 08-22-19, 02:15 AM
  #445  
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Originally Posted by jppe
Not completely, just barely still in there though. The outer plate stopped moving outward though. I felt like I had moved it as far as it would go, guessing it needed about another 1.5-2 mm to completely clear the chain. I thought about rotating the FD clockwise a little more to see if that might give it a little more clearance. But it was shifting so well between the chain rings after I’d dropped the FD down a little I hated to rotate it. It looked like the outer plate was aligned really well. I even thought about putting a coating or smooth plastic sleeve on the inside of the outer plate for noise reduction from the chain rub but “band aids” only work for so long....
I have sharp chain angles due to short chainstay and a fat seat tube, and the chain would rub at the middle of the inner plate, so I widened my FD at the inner plate with a pair of wrenches by about 1 to 1.5mm. One wrench clamped to a table and holding the front of the inner plate. The other wrench in my hand holding the rear of the inner plate, and bend. In you're going to throw the FD away, you could try bending the outer plate.
Or simply rotate the FD out and loosen the L screw and give it a test
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Old 08-23-19, 02:30 PM
  #446  
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The GRX FD and adapter mount arrived today. I had a few extra minutes and removed the R8000 FD and installed the new stuff. I followed the installation instructions srep by step and it all works very well. There isn’t any chain rub on any sprocket.

If if anyone is thinking of installing the GRX 46/30 I’d highly recommend spending the extra $50 and using the GRX FD. I just couldn’t tweak the road FD enough to eliminate all the chain rub. Now I just need to find some gravel.....


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Old 09-07-19, 04:56 PM
  #447  
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Took my first ride with a 46/30 crankset today and loved it! I replaced the 19-year-old, 9-speed Ultegra triple (52-42-26) drivetrain on a Waterford RST-22 with Ultegra 11 speed brifters, a Shimano GRX 46-30 crankset, GRX front and rear derailleurs, and a Shimano 11-42T cassette (enabled by a RoadLink). I'm just as fast on the flats as I've ever been, and I can climb much better. What's not to like?

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Old 09-07-19, 10:17 PM
  #448  
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Easton EC90 SL "Cinch" 46/30 cranks

CS-M8000 XT 11-42 mountain bike cassette using a 1.85 mm spacer on the freehub.

Ultetra R8000 GS derailleur with the B screw reversed.

19.5 inch low gear.




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Old 10-07-19, 09:24 AM
  #449  
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Not old enough for this sub, but...

Slapped on a GRX today. Was a little apprehensive about not ordering a FD but it seemed like my 600 derailleur could swing it (no pun intended). Sure enough; vintage FTW

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Old 10-11-19, 07:43 AM
  #450  
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Fsa 46/30

Originally Posted by wgscott
My White Industries crank has been fine. I was worried about "regressing" to square-taper (the 30mm one didn't fit), but it has been robust and shifts as good as the Ultegra crank it replaced. (Di2)

This is a very interesting thread, here in BF. I read it before ordering a FSA Adventure crankset 46/30 square taper and a BB 110 mm. It was supposed to be installed on an Iron Horse Victory 2003, Scandium tubing, ultegra 6500...but the seat was creaked; this was found at a LBS, when I was ready to install it. So I had to look for a frame, and Linskey had a great offer of a Premier Road Bike frameset, and took it.

I also received a XT cassette 11-34t, a XT rear derailleur SGS (longe cage) 9 speed, from another shop. So, I had to get a 34.9 mm front derailleur 9 speed, and I could only get the Sora 3000, here in Mexico City.

It was a hassle to install all that, lots of adjustments, but I'm using the bike now. I can climb those hills with 13 - 14% grades, close to home. There is some rub at 30t chainring and higher gears, I can use the 46t chainring up to the 26t cog, without any rub. The shifters work fine, an Ultegra on the left, and a Dura Ace on the right.

It would be nice to have a Sugino crankset, but I've got to analyze this option. Now, I'm using the bike and doing those hills. On the flats I can accelerate pretty well with a 46t chainring, I'm 66, the ultegra crankset 53/39 was very tough on climbing for me, it was very good on the flats; it's much easier now with those mountains and hills close to home.
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