twentyflights

i have a cup and cone bottom bracket and i want to switch to sealed bearing on my geared road bike...i'm not sure of my current spindle length but it works fine with my Shimano Sante cranks...but i was wondering, is it bad to have a spindle length that's too long? what are the downsides? from what i can tell, i should be using anywhere between 109-112mm with Sante...but would it be bad if i used 113 or 115?

z415

There will be premature wear on your drivetrain when you are using the big cogs.

Retro Grouch 

What are you using for a shifter?

Your less-than-ideal chain line may rub a bit more in some gear combinations. Assuming you are using a friction front shifter you should be able to trim out the rub.

twentyflights

good to know...i also rarely use larger cogs, but it's always a possibility i suppose. i'm using indexed, Shimano SIS, used to be paired with a Light Action derailer. i was contemplating switching to friction mode for a while though.

since i don't know the precise spindle length i should use for Sante cranks (and can't find it anywhere, at least not in my searches around here and the interwebs), what general guidelines can i use? i can measure my current spindle length and see what my current clearances are and what not.

thomson

If the spindle length is too long, the front derailleur may not reach the outer ring.