Originally Posted by
Badger6
Make it easy:
Buy the matched 50/34 chainrings (do NOT mix/match a 34 to a 52, it might work, it won't work well). You do not need a new crank, just new chainrings. I'd avoid the recommendations of a 46/30 setup, that's awfully low, and unnecessary on a road bike.
Buy an 11-32 cassette, run it on the short cage. Yes, it is out of spec, but not by much, and in my experience a couple teeth beyond are fine, Shimano is notoriously conservative with their RD specs. No need for a road link, just set the B-screw to clear the big cog on the cassette, BUT, if you size the chain for big/big, it will be too slack for the small/small combo. Size the chain 1" short, and NEVER run big/big, or size the chain properly, and never run small/small, in fact avoid using the two smallest cogs when on the small ring in the front. The all out option is to buy an 11-34 and get a medium cage RD.
To compare what those setups look like click
here.
Great! Thanks! Didn't realize you can replace the large chainring as well. Looks like that route would be about ~$100 cheaper than the entire crankset.
Perhaps we might try the 11-32 cassette. Worst case, replace the RD if it is not working.
Thanks everyone for the ideas.