Is It Heretical to Put a Mountain Bike Crankset On a Vintage Road Bike?
08-09-09, 07:55 AM
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Is It Heretical to Put a Mountain Bike Crankset On a Vintage Road Bike?
I'm stripping down a 1984 Trek 520 to make a solid cross-country-worthy Transamerican Trail steed. So in the interest in grinding up big mountains fully loaded, I was thinking of swapping out my current vintage Sakae triple (54/39/28) for a Shimano Deore LX triple (42/32/22). They both have the square tapered axle in the bottom bracket (though I'll most likely swap that out too for a sealed cartridge hub. Less hassle.) The Deore LX cranks very definitely look like mountain bike cranks and not road cranks. (I know I'll have gearing problems and anticipate a longer rear derailleur.) But is putting MTB parts on a vintage road bike a no-no? Or is it a matter of doing what's gonna work and who cares about the purist? Thanks for your thoughts.
08-09-09, 08:06 AM
#2
a77impala
You may have trouble getting a good chain alignment. The mtn chainstays are a lot wider than your 520s. You might have to try different length cranks to get the chainrings to line up with the cassette.
It is your bike and you can gear it the way you want, don't worry about it.
It is your bike and you can gear it the way you want, don't worry about it.
08-09-09, 08:08 AM
#3
Disraeli Gears
08-09-09, 08:13 AM
#4
Death fork? Naaaah!!
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08-09-09, 08:30 AM
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08-09-09, 08:36 AM
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feros ferio
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I happily used a Sugino mountain triple on my Peugeot PKN-10 for several years before I gave the bike to my elder son, who still enjoys it. This let me set up a very nice relatively narrow (40 to 100 gear-inches) half-step-plus-granny (48-45-34/13-15-17-19-21-24) with a short cage rear derailleur (SunTour Cyclone II -- yes, I it was very easy to adapt the Simplex dropout to take it).
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Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
08-09-09, 11:16 AM
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a77impala
08-09-09, 12:03 PM
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I've built a few flat bar triple road/touring bikes out of steel sport/touring frames and you can make it work just fine. A wider bb spindle and a triple front derailleur should be enough. [IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michael/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Picture%20058.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michael/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Picture%20057.jpg[/IMG]
08-09-09, 12:27 PM
#11
In the right lane
I've built a few flat bar triple road/touring bikes out of steel sport/touring frames and you can make it work just fine. A wider bb spindle and a triple front derailleur should be enough. [IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michael/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Picture%20058.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/michael/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Picture%20057.jpg[/IMG]
08-09-09, 02:24 PM
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42t? that is alot of spinning down hill
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08-09-09, 02:30 PM
#14
Senior Moment
I installed a Sugino 48/36/26 crankset on my 1980 Univega Sportour. I had to use a shorter bottom bracket spindle, and replace both the front and rear derailleurs with triple compatible derailleurs, but it was a pretty straightforward conversion. It definitely doesn't look original, but that new crankset is beautiful. And for shifters, I got a set of Suntour bar end shifters on ebay, though the original friction downtube shifters worked fine.
08-09-09, 04:15 PM
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I'm stripping down a 1984 Trek 520 to make a solid cross-country-worthy Transamerican Trail steed. So in the interest in grinding up big mountains fully loaded, I was thinking of swapping out my current vintage Sakae triple (54/39/28) for a Shimano Deore LX triple (42/32/22). They both have the square tapered axle in the bottom bracket (though I'll most likely swap that out too for a sealed cartridge hub. Less hassle.) The Deore LX cranks very definitely look like mountain bike cranks and not road cranks. (I know I'll have gearing problems and anticipate a longer rear derailleur.) But is putting MTB parts on a vintage road bike a no-no? Or is it a matter of doing what's gonna work and who cares about the purist? Thanks for your thoughts.Just put on what works. But you'll be responsible for all the compatibility issues, like chainline, chainstay clearances, tread symmetry, and whatever else comes up.
BTW, that old Sakae has awesomely wide range! There's got to be a use for something like that!
08-09-09, 05:25 PM
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Does the Sakae use a standard 74mm bcd granny ring? That'll take a 24t. Sounds like an easier solution, just swap out the rings and go with something like 24-38-48. But you know, do what you gotta do to make it work for you.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
08-09-09, 05:44 PM
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I have a 24/34/44 on one of my road bikes. It also has a 14-28 6 speed freewheel and it has worked out great in these hills. I have a 13-32 7 speed freewheel that I am considering installing......I do run out of gears at about 32 mph but I don't see that as a problem. Coasting works well for me after a long climb. I am useing a mtb fd and an old Shimano Alivo rd. The 13-32 will work with this set-up as well.
08-09-09, 07:28 PM
#21
feros ferio
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I am no fan of tall gears, but 44/14 is too low a top end by my standards. I need at least a 45/13 (Peugeot) or a 49/14 (Capo #2).
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
