merlinextraligh

Current gearing is 53/39/30 and a 12-27 cassette. It's Dura Acer 10 speed setup with FSA cranks. For Everest Challenge, I'm thinking we'd like an option lower than 30/27.

I have an 11-32 IRD cassette, but would prefer not to go that route. (see the IRD 11-32 thread)


I'm thinking that an 26 or 28 inner chainring would give us a very low gear option, while maintaining relatively tight spacing for most of our normal riding in the two big rings.

So who's running a smaller inner chainring? Any shifting problems? What brand ring are you using? any problems with 10 speed compatibility(i.e. thickness of the ring in relation to thickness of the chain? (some of the Salsa rings I was looking at are listed for 7,8,9 speed)

oldacura

I think we're running 54/44(?)/30 in front with an 8 speed 11/30 in back. Ultegra deraillers. I like the wide gearing but the front der shifting can be pretty balky. I think if we lived in Florida, we'd go with much closer gearing. We like to go fast downhill but we need the low gears to get up the hills.

rmac

We run 48-38-26 TA chainrings with Record derailleur and shifters. The cassette is a Shimano 12-27 10sp. No problems with shifting.

joe@vwvortex

I'm running a 28-44-54 FSA and it works fine with my 11-32 XT rear cluster. We don't use it much unless we are doing long steep climbs but it's nice to have.

colotandem

I WAS running 53/39/28, but went to a 30 inner ring. Running 11-28 Sram cassette.

The 28 probably would have been a great low gear to have, but FSA does not make the 28 chainring, so I think I was using a Salsa, which is spaced slightly different and the tollerance against the chainstay was too close for comfort. So I went back to the 30t FSA ring and all is well. We probably have over 1200 miles on the 53/39/28 11-28 cassette.

For what it's worth, I am happy with the gearing and we do a lot of mountain riding (rides with 4-8k of climbing on a weekly basis). We're doing one this weekend called the Triple Bypass - I think its a little over 10k of climbing over 120 miles).

Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions.

joe@vwvortex

I'm 99% certain our 28 is an FSA - but I could be wrong. I did incorrectly state it is a 44 middle - it's actually a 42. Even with that gap - it shifts perfectly.

colotandem

I should have said that it is my understanding that FSA no longer makes a 28t chainring... I believe they used to though. But like you said - I could be wrong.

merlinextraligh

Part of the thought process in going to the 26 is we could run an 11-23 cassette the vast majority of the time, and have the same low gear we have now with a 12-27, and have more closely spaced gearing for what we would use most of the time.

And still have the option of the 12-27 to get a very low gear when we do Everest Challenge. The last climb second day has a sustained 17% section. And it comes toward the end of a 6,000 foot vertical climb, at 9500 feet above sea level, and after you've already done 28,000 feet of climbing.

colotandem

You guys are AWESOME!! 17% sustained at the end of two days of SERIOUS climbing sounds like quite the challenge. Looking forward to hearing all about it!

merlinextraligh

That remains to be seen, we haven't done it yet.

specbill

On our C'dale we run with Dura Ace brifters, a D A Front derailleur and 52/39/26 rings To get this sweet shifting combination I went ramped and pinned with an FSA 52T, IRD 39T and a Specialties TA Zelito 26T. This 26 T is specific to 9 and 10 speeds. FWIW I run a 'third eye' guard just to be sure the chain does not jump by the 26T even though we have had no problems to date. Our bike is a 9 speed set up not 10 like yours. Good luck on the gears not to mention the Everest challenge!!

Bill J.

jnbrown

Prior to replacing the old crankset we had 28/42/53. On the rear I had 12/27.
With the new crankset (Ultegra 9 spd) I have 30/42/52 and 12/30.
I made the 12/30 cassette by taking a 12/27 removing one of the lower cogs and adding a 30 tooth cog on top. Works well. I tried an IRD cassette at one point and never got it to shift well. I also added a jump stop which completely stopped the chain from falling when shifting to the small ring.

jnbrown

[QUOTE=merlinextraligh;7021838]Part of the thought process in going to the 26 is we could run an 11-23 cassette the vast majority of the time, and have the same low gear we have now with a 12-27, and have more closely spaced gearing for what we would use most of the time.

Personally I don't think very close gear spacing is as important on a tandem because of the wide range of gears and rapid speed changes compared to a single. As it is I frequently find myself shifting two gears at time.

Possum Roadkill

If you plan on running smaller than a 30, I would also run a "chain checker." When you downshift, the chain effectively drops off the larger ring onto the smaller one. With a smaller ring, there is a tendency for the chain to sometimes drop right over the top, especially if you wait until your lowest rear cog to shift down. Every tandem is slightly different, so there will be plenty of people saying that their bike works perfectly this way. Shifting habits play an important role in this too.

The most successful "chain checker" for me has been one I made myself for a customer. Using a braze-on to clamp-on mount, I attached a short piece of rack mount straps. Some chain checkers will not work with some tandems. If you would like more information on how I made this work, let me know.

born2pdl

We put on a 28, now 53-39-28. And do install an anti chain drop device. We needed and installed one. No chain drops now.

JanMM

28/40/50 with an 8-spd 11-34 on 26" wheels. Shifts ok with Plain Jane Sugino rings on a generic Tracer crank. We're not setting any speed records but have made it up Mt. Tabor Hill on the Hilly Hundred the last two years.
Chain checker sounds like a good precaution.

sprinter

We run a 26 inner ring on a dura ace 10 speed group w/ FSA cranks. We initially put it on for the the Devil Mtn Double and Terrible Two and never took it off. Works great with no issues. It's not an FSA ring but rather some after market product, I don't recall the brand.

I would think a a 26 would be just what the doctor ordered for the Everest Challenge.

kevbo

Running 52-37-24 X 11-34 9sp.

The two larger rings are TA with nice ramps and pins. Inner is a plain jane Salsa ring. This exceeds the wrap rating on the RD, and the total rating on the FD by a few teeth, but seems to work well. Getting off of the lower ring was tough the first few times, but I guess either something wore-in, or my technique subconsiously improved, as it has been no problem since then.

If I could find a 25T inner ring I would run that instead of the 24. An odd tooth count allows the inner and outer chain sideplates to swap positions each turn of the cranks. This can help the pins lift the chain when moving to the next larger chain ring. Actually, I think with some fancy design work, I could make a 23T that would work on a 5x94 spider.

merlinextraligh

^ I believe TA makes a 25

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/alize.asp

jjwintski

11-34 9 spd cluster with 53/39/26 chainrings, DuraAce rings for the 53 & 39 and a Salsa for the 26.
Great shifting, I'd say almost as good as our single bikes.

The gearing has been great for our hills and valleys.

Good Luck,
John

edit: for anti-chain jumping, I like "Jump Stop"

mchell

Our Rans Screamer recumbent came 54/48/32 RaceFace rings with a Sram 11/32 cassette. 9 speed. Couldn't climb to save our souls! We meet 10-12% on almost every ride so we're now riding 48/36/24 Blackspire rings, also Canadian!!! with a Shimano 11/34 cassette. No problems shifting even with the recumbent's length of chain! Haven't met a hill up here we couldn't walk up!

Mike

antiquepedaler

24 x 39 x 53. 24's a $5 ebay find. Top two are ULTEGRA. Cassette is XT 11 x 34. Shifters are Dura Ace bar ends. My system probably wouldn't work too well with STI...no ramps or pins. But shifting is better than anything else I've ever had on a road tandem. Ever notice Lance's mountain stage bike....bar end shifter for the front derailleur....STI for the rear.

regomatic

53-39-26 in front (W/ N-Gear Chain Guide),12-27 9sp in the back.

We're in Central FL and only need the "granny" when we go to Lake County or out of state.

volpi

our cannondale is 10 speed shimano 105 front and rear changers, shimano 105 front and rear levers with 12-27 cassette. In front we have Elita 52-39-26 ( 26 is an old 7 speed from a mtb) and it is perfect , no problems to go from 39 to 26 and from 26 to 39.
With 26front and 27 rear we have a lot of relax when we go in the Alps, also with a couple of rear bags.
I greet you from Italy

hortan

We have (and sometimes use) a 22 innerring.
I think it's a default (cheep) Shimano Mountainbike ring (steel)
We don't have shifting problems.
Why does everybody seem to have, or want to have, a 10 speed cassette in the rear?
A triple with a 8 or 9 speed in the rear is more than enough (when sensible selection of the chainringssizes and sprocket !). To me a 10 speed is 'over the top' : less robust with no adventages. However I have to admit: never owned, or even used, a 10 speed.