GLT

I have a vintage Raleigh Gran Sport with all the original components. Is it possible to install a triple chainring in order to make it more suitable for hilly terrain and my age (in my 60s)?
As I understand it, it is not possible to install a different freewheel with more speeds (currently 6 speeds). Looking on e-bay and various forums, I couldn't find a definite "yes" or "no".
The other option may be just to buy a more contemporary bike and to keep the Gran Sport only for flat terrains.

bertinjim 

GLT -
If your Gran Sport has the original Stronglight 93 crankset with the plain alloy chain guard, you are already set up to triple the crankset as the axle and fixing bolts are triple sized on your current configuration. Change the chain guard for an outer toothed ring and add the two inners to your choice. However, this will not be easy since these old chainrings are getting rare. Much easier is to buy a 37 T inner ring from Red Clover Components and just do a simple bolt on.

bulgie 

Yes you can put a triple chainring on most any bike ever made. You can also put on a larger freewheel, so stop listening to whoever told you you can't! Except the bigger freewheel and/or smaller front chainring (granny gear) will require your derailer to handle more chain wrap, and that might exceed the capacity of the existing unit.

Pictures or detailed specs on the current parts would allow us to be more specific.

Some Gran Sports came with a Stronglight 93 crankset with a toothless outer ring as pants guard. Is that the crank you have? If so, good news, it means you already have the longer crank spindle for a triple. You just need to move your current large chainring to the position currently used by the pants guard. (Pants guard will probably need to be "disguarded", though there is a trick to save it if you really like it.)

Then you replace the current small ring with a "triplizer" ring from Red Clover. This becomes the middle ring of the triple, and the granny ring bolts to the triplizer. You can then use as small as 24 teeth for the granny, a huge improvement compared to the existing gear. Not the cheapest way to go, but it keep the bike as close as possible to original.

If you don't have that special Stronglight crank, with 2 chainrings on a triple spindle, then you might have to replace the crank bearing/spindle (bottom bracket) to get the longer, triple spindle. Buying used stuff like on ebay can make this pretty cheap but a certain amount of knowledge is needed. For example with many brands of vintage cranks, it's not obvious which length of spindle you need. Even a lot of bikeshop mechanics will lack the necessary knowledge, because its before their time. Asking questions here is probably your best bet.

Good luck,
Mark B

oneclick 

Also possible with the Nervar Star; Star BCD rings are even less common but if you have 'em, use 'em - plus a Stronglight can be modified by hand with a file to fit the Star BCD.

bikemig 

As the others have pointed out, there are lots of ways to mod an old bike to make it suitable for hill climbing. A picture of your bike from the drive side would let us give you better advice. The site won't let you post pics until you have 10 posts but you can load pics to your profile and we'll post it to the thread.

If you have a stronglight 93, you could buy and install a stronglight 99 which will let you run smaller chain rings than a 93.

The point is that there are lots of ways to make your bike better for climbing hills.

GLT

It has the Campagnolo Gran Sport crankset and there is no chain guard.

bikemig 

You can triplize it. Here is the middle chain ring:

https://www.redclovercomponents.com/..._42_Teeth.html

The inner is 74 bcd which is easy to find.

You'll likely need a longer axle or just get a sealed square taper bottom bracket in the right length.

Your rear derailleur may not be able to handle this much chain. What kind of a rear derailleur do you have?

Lucky you to live near those mountains. It's fun retrofitting an old bike for climbing and yeah that doesn't get any easier the older we get.

GLT

Thank you for all the quick replies! I was pleasantly surprised to receive so many feedback in such a short time. Thanks, again.
I've just added some photos in my profile showing some details of the bike.

bulgie 

But only if the OP's crankset is the 5-arm Gran Sport. If he has the 3-arm version, which Raleigh did use on some models, then his choices don't go smaller than 36t — not without some difficulty anyway. Here's a pic of my Campy 3-arm crank (steel version) that I triplized to take a TA Cyclotouriste inner, 26t minimum:

That can be done on the alloy 3-arm version too, but it's a lot of work and not worth it unless there's sentimental value. Much easier to just source a "native" triple crank.

Mark B

bikemig 

It's a later Gran Sport than the one that came with a Stronglight 93 crank. Yes the 144 bcd triplizer will work. You will likely need a longer axle.

The rear derailleur will need something like this to handle the triple:
https://www.somafab.com/archives/pro...ur-cage-plates

That's a very pretty bike. Fix it up and keep riding those mountains.

bulgie 

Ah, I didn't see your post until after I replied about the 3-arm crank. I see now your crank is the 5-arm, so you'll be good to go with a Red Clover triplizer ring, a longer spindle, and any 74 mm inner ring of your choice.

You can also get the Soma Rally-style long cage that bolts right onto your derailer, which will give you the needed extra chain take-up to allow the triple chainwheel.

OP's pics from his profile album:



-Mark B

JohnDThompson 

Which version of the Gran Sport crank? Campagnolo made at least three different Gran Sport cranks; one with 3 arms and a 116mm BCD, one with five arms and a 116mm BCD, and the third with five arms and a 144mm BCD.

The five arm, 144mm BCD crank would be the easiest to convert, as there are tripilizer rings available. The others could be problematic.

pastorbobnlnh 

...and as bulgie recommended the Soma long cage conversion for your Gran Sport RD, it will allow you to move up to at least a 32T and possibly a 34T sprocket on your Suntour (my best guess from the picture) freewheel. I'll post a picture shortly of my set-up which is similar (Photobucket is down at the moment).

IsleRide

Was going to suggest switching to a compact double but budgie's advice is spot-on.