elston1999

I have a sora 2x9 setup and want to replace original 300ex chainrings and bottom bracket as they are worn out. I was gifted a triple sora chainring instead of the double I need. Can I simply remove smallest chainring and then install the crankset as a double? It looks like that smaller or most inner ring comes off. Will this affect chain line by installing it as a double when it was packaged a triple. Thank you

dedhed

Not enough to worry about

elston1999

So safe to remove smallest ring and install it? Didn’t want to void return if it didn’t work. Thanks!

elston1999

So safe to remove that smallest ring and install it? Didn’t want to void the return in case it didn’t work. Thanks!

spelger

if you have the clearance for the small ring you probably could just leave it on. you just won't be shifting to it. not sure about the CL question though. won't the big ring be further out? if your FD can reach it then maybe ok.

a great question to post in the bike mechan forum to be sure.

Iride01 

If you were gifted the crankset, then is it newly purchased? If so, just ask the person that gifted it to you whom they got it from so you can see if it can be exchanged.

If it's just a spare that someone had and gifted to you, then try it and see whether it works for you or not. However the chain line going to the biggest ring will be off a few millimeters. You'll know if that's a problem if you have poor shifting to the larger rear sprockets. You also might find your front derailleur does not have enough high limit adjustment to allow you to get into the big ring. But that's just more me wondering. I've never tried to use a 3x crank with a 2x FD.

As another mentioned, just leave the small ring on the crank. It'll make some others scratch their heads. And it won't be taking up shelf space in perpetuity.

t2p

years - decades - ago a number of guys in our road riding group ran MTB cranksets with the small ring removed on their road bikes

they paired them with a cassette with a 11t small cog which were just becoming available (Action Tec was one source until the big companies began to offer 11t cog)

this was before the availability of the current / popular semi-compact and compact cranksets you often see on road and gravel bikes

can’t recall the front derailleurs they used - but their bikes shifted well … no issues

one example pictured above - Shimano 563 LX crank with 44 / 29 chainrings (94 mm bcd)

BlazingPedals

A triple will have a slightly wider 'Q' factor, but will still work as a double if you take off the inner ring. You'll just have to adjust your derailleur to match. (The derailleur will need to move out a bit further.)