yeamac 

I have a triple (30-42-52) on my 03 Bianchi Vigorelli (Ultegra groupo) and never use the granny gear since I live in Houston. I am thinking of changing to a double (39-53).

I ride on average 3x a week, usually 17-25 miles per ride, with longer rides up to 75 miles (with a few centuries a year). I am not a weight weenie, but lately I have been wondering, why carry around something I am not going to use?

Would I need any other new parts, like front deraileur, shifter, or bottom bracket, or can I just use what I have from the triple?

Will the chain length stay the same, or do I need a new (longer) chain?

Any guestimates of what a cycle shop would charge to remove the triple, put on the double, and make adjustments? (I don't have the tools or know-how.)

I'm trying to decide if it is worth the expense to go from a triple to a double when what I have is working reasonable well for me.

superslomo

If the bold (added by this presumptuous poster) is the case, then why change it?

Heck, maybe one of these days you'll pack up your rig and take a trip to the Rockies, or the Alps, or California.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

And if you're worried about the weight, you can always dump a couple of sips of water out of one of your bottles before going on a ride. If that difference makes a big impact on speed or endurance, then you can think about scrapping the triple...

Full disclosure: I ride a triple, and while I don't much use the granny gear, I've been on vacation places where even with the bail-out gear I was feeling like I was about to vomit

FWIW, you might need new shifters, you would need a new FD, and might want a new RD, a few links out of the chain, as well as the cost of the new crank, and potentially a new bottom bracket (depending on whether you on a newer or an older crank set-up).

The labor would depend on your shop, but maybe $60-$100 for all that switching...

But, reread the first portion of this before you make your decision. When did a little extra mechanical advantage hurt anybody?

felt1

1. If you don't use it why carry it? 2. Buy a book and do it yourself (Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance).

Peek the Geek

Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance

felt1

That's the one. I'll go fix it now.

yeamac 

Thanks, superslomo. That's one of fastest ideas I have dropped (just started thinking about this tonight). It seems the total cost would be $200-300, after spending all kinds of time scrounging for parts on eBay. Yup, don't think the unused grannie ring is worth the hassle.

draxine

Again, as others have said. If it works for you, why change it? I know it's very tempting to tinker with our bikes, shave a few grams here and there to improve speed etc, but the best way to get quicker is to train better.

In the long run you'll reap the benefits when you DO get a new bike with a double crankset as it'll be both lighter AND you'll be a stronger rider

ejm876

You see, I used to have a triple. But then I asked the d00d at my LBS to take off the granny ring. Because granny rings are for freds.

barba

I don't think it is worth the expense. Get a double on your next bike.

merlinextraligh

I agree that it doesn't make sense to change it out, and you never know whether you might want to go somewhere and ride hills someday.

However, you don't have to change all those things.

All you have to have is new cranks. You might need a new BB, depending on what crank you have, and what crank you go to. (If it's a 3 piece crankset, you'll want a new bb for chainline issues).

You don't need new shifters. You don't need a new front derailleur (you just adjust the limit screws.)

You don't need a new rear derailleur (but if the goal is to save weight you can go with a new short cage RD).

You wouldn't take links out of the chain. (If anything you're likely to go to one tooth bigger on the front chainring, so the in the longest combination of gears, you need at least as much chain as you've got.)


If you really don't need the 3rd chainring, and don't like the superfluence, you can alays take the inner chain ring off, readjust the limit screw on the FD, and have an instant double in 10 minutes with no expense.

mwrobe1

Cmon, admit it...the real reason you thought about changing your triple to a double is because you read on BF that triples were for girls.

yeamac 

Ok, thanks for all that. I might just end up picking up the cranks (found a set on ebay already) and then take it to the LBS and see what they say about total cost. If I can keep it to around $100 total, I'd be glad to have it done. $200-300 isn't worth it to me. Part of the reason I want to change is that the 52-42 I have has a lot more overlap, plus when I have to go to the 42 because of headwind/hill the drivetrain makes a noise not present on the 52 ring, but I can't find any rubbing so don't know what's up.

Also, I just realized I can sell my triple and any other parts I remove on ebay, so I'd recoup most of the cost I would pay for parts. I only have 3K miles on my drivetrain.

So is prancing around in spandex, but I've gotten over those things already.

dekindy

I smack anybody looking close enough to tell whether I have a triple or double. The triple is generally more difficult to keep in adjustment but that does not appear to be a problem for you. I have given some thought to changing to a compact but have discarded it.

On the other hand if I had a double I would probably not replace it with a triple. You really only lose the very highest and lowest gears and are within a couple of gear inches of the lowest triple gear with the proper compact.

But as I get older, already 49, I will be looking for that lowest gear and maybe even installing a new cassette so I can get a 1 to 1 ratio or less when in the granny. Climbing telephones anyone?

yeamac 

As far as anyone can tell, if I get this crank (sold, but more like it available) will it work to replace my 9-speed triple?

If I need to get a new bottom bracket, what do I want to look for (longer, etc)?

Do LBShops normally have used bottom brackets, or should I just go the ebay route? (I'd like to find out as much as I can before I go in to my LBS.)

ChunkyB

Never. Why would you pay money to go from having more functionality to having less functionality. I wouldn't even do it if it was free, but it's going to cost a lot, and that's just crazy. Keep the triple, and find some killer hills to ride.

ChunkyB

fixed

superslomo

Given that the "reduced Q factor" is one reason people claim to prefer doubles, how much does it help to have the d00d do whatever he did to just hack off one ring on the crankset?? You still have the same big 'ol spindle...

Yeah, I don't need the granny much in NYC if ever, but if you ever travel, you may just be thanking the heavens that you kept it. When I was down in West Virginia a couple of years ago, I would have been in hell without that bail-out, and I've been in Eastern PA (girlfriend's family is out there) and ridden on hills where I could barely hack it even with the granny gear. Yeah, I could afford to lose some pounds, but I would still have had a rough time with either of those situations without the extra option of the little ring.

As someone said on here a while ago, "Are you more worried about people laughing at you for having a triple, or laughing at you for walking your bike up a hill?"

I'm more worried about the latter, personally

Brian Ratliff

There is value in changing from a triple to a double. Just in the way it shifts - nothing to do with weight. You'd need a new crank (obviously), a new BB, and a new front derailleur. If you are running Shimano, there is a chance you will need a new left shifter, though I don't know this for a fact (some of their stuff is double only or triple only; I don't know if you can use the triple only with a double). Don't worry about the derailleur; you won't see all the weight benefits, but it's the shifting benefits that make it worth your while. If you stay with the same rear derailleur, you don't need to do much with the chain. You might shorten it a little, but it is probably unnecessary.

I don't know what the shop will charge. I'd just do it myself. You'd need only two specialty tools: 1) a crank arm remover, and 2) a BB remover. The crank arm remover, if you already have a 10 inch cresent wrench, will cost maybe $10-20 and they last forever. The BB remover costs $5-10 and it, too, lasts forever.

This assumes you don't have an integrated BB that is the new thing these days.

Beaker

One other angle -- have you considered switching out your cassette and loosing the bigger gears to give you closer ratios (and possibly more top end if you go from a 12 to an 11)? This is much cheaper and easier, and might take advantage of your 3rd chainring.

stapfam

If you are that worried- Then just take off the granny and set the stops on the front derailler. Not many would be able to look at the bike and scorn that you have a triple. And you would find out if you "Need" that 3rd ring.

And a change to a "Double" is not that cheap- New crankset-New Front derailler and Brifters- If you want to do it properly. Cheaper to get a new bike and keep the current one as a beater.

FlashBazbo

I'll muddy the water just a little bit. We are considering moving back to Houston. If we do, I'm going single-speed. (I'll keep my double in storage, just for trips to Austin and/or East Texas.)

Apus^2

Dude. Just leave it. You are in the flat lands and a little extra weight ain't gonna hurt you. Save the money and put it toward something you really need or a new bike.

ChunkyB

I don't understand how this muddies the water. This is your first post on this thread. Your post doesn't really relate much to what's being discussed. Maybe you could clarify a bit, but as far as I can tell, that was just a completely random post that would have fit just as well (or just as poorly) in any other thread.

yeamac 

Thanks for all the replies -- it has helped a lot. I've decided to just keep the triple and save the $$$.

I have thought of that, and even used this calculator to work up different scenarios with different chainrings and derailleurs. I think I'll leave things for now since I only have 3200 miles on my drivetrain, so when things start to wear in a few years, maybe then I'll make the switch and be more confident in doing the work myself.

merlinextraligh

Explain why you need a new brifter? What's the downside to having an extra set of clicks? Just set the limit screws on the FD and you're fine.

In fact in the Shimano 105 group, there is only one front brifter for both the ouble, and the triple group.

And as for the FD, I suppose an FD designed for a double might perhaps shift slightly more crisply on a double chainring, than an FD designed for a triple, but I doubt the difference would be noticeable.

(I understand that doubles shift better than triples, but that's afunction of shifting across the wide range,across 3 rings, not the design of the FD)