Help me with drivetrain selection for a commuter / light tourer

[andywills]

I'm about to build up a commuter / light tourer (my first bike build ever!) and I wanted to get the forum's advice on component selection. The bike will be a 90% flat-land commuter / 10% hilly light tourer. Looking at various gear calculators, I think I want to go with 48-36-26 (or 48-36-24) triple with a 12-27 cassette. While I can get the same gearing with a compact double and wide-range cassette, the jumps are larger and it looks like I would be cross-chained under normal riding. I want to use Shimano 105 shifters. So,

What are my options for good, ramped and pinned 48-36-26 cranksets. Shimano LX? How does Sugino compare? Other options?
Will a Shimano 105 triple derailleur shift this well? What about the IRD triple derailleur? Would that be a better choice?
Anything else I should consider?


Thanks!

[AngryScientist]

just an observation on my part:

if you say it will be 90% flat land commuter, why set it up with a triple?

when i think flat lands, and definitely when i think commuter, i think single speed, or IGH, for simplicity, low maintenance, etc. if you dont have to shift a lot, giving yourself 30 gears seems excessive to me.

that said, shimano cranksets all shift pretty darn well.

[andywills]

Its the light touring part that has me thinking about the triple. The plan is to use it for a daily 15 mile round trip commute...and hopefully do a number of hilly weekend tours along Skyline Drive in VA and things like that. I'm sure that an IGH or 1x10 would be fine for the commuting part of it.

[AngryScientist]

i guess i can understand your logic then.

IMO, if you're set on using 105 shifters, go for the full drivetrain then. as i said, i've always had good luck with shimano crankset.

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/0dd/2fb/ab5/49870/product_page/shimano-105-5700-triple-chainset-50-39-30.jpg

[andywills]

A 105 crankset would be the cheapest option, and you're right, probably the best shifting. Chainrings are a bit taller than I was thinking would be optimal...50-39-30, and I imagine I'll probably be averaging 16 mph or so unless I abandon my no-sweating-while-commuting policy. So I would likely end up in the bottom half of the cassette, with larger jumps. Still, that's workable if necessary. However, has anyone tried the LX / XT cranksets with STI? How do they shift?

[PSC]

I am going to put a Shimano M590 mtn crankset on my touring bike. It comes with 48/36/26 option for about $110. This is about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the LX/XT option and then you will need to change the rings to get the gearing you want, which will really jack up the cost.

[andywills]

Hmm...I thought I could get an LX crankset in 48-36-26...guess I was mistaken. I really know nothing about mountain bikes. Definitely don't want to buy new chainrings, that would be expensive and they wouldn't be matched. So what are my options for 48-36-26? Deore and what else?

[gdw]

You're correct, the LX Touring crankset is available in 48-36-26.
Google Shimano Deore T661 LX Crankset and you should find a few for sale. It will also work well with STI shifters.

[svelocity]

There's always Sugino as an option...

http://store.biketouringnews.com/xd500t-sugino-triple-crankset-48-36-24-xd2/

[Ken Robb]

I have used 48-38-28 TA Zephyr cranks with 9 spd. Dura Ace and also with 10 speed Chorus. Some shifts with the DA to the middle ring required an extra half-click of the front shifter to center the chain on that ring. It was no big deal but it was always required. I can't remember if it wasshifting up from the small ring or down from the big ring.

The Campy left shifter is not indexed but just a ratcheting friction shifter so a rider just moves the lever enough to effect the shift. On a double you just shove the lever and keep pedaling but with a triple you have to be a little careful so you don't overshift past the ring you wanted so the time required to shift either system was probably nearly equal.

For this type of bike/riding I like bar-end shifters (indexed or friction) just fine. We have lots of info/opinions on these questions in the archives.

[Ahneida Ride]

I have a TA Zephyr ...... 48 36 22 It's been discontinued ! :butt:

It's replacement is the TA Carmina ....

See Peter White http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.asp

great crank.... problem is the cost ....

figure about 600 frns with Phil BB

It will accept any 3 rings from 20 to 58

--------------

Make SURE your FD shifter is not fully indexed and has "trim".
Campy Record and Chorus has Trim.... not sure about lower level Campy.

I believe that Shimano FD shifter has limited trim and is mostly indexed = chain rub on Front Derailleur.

[Ahneida Ride]

2002 Campy Record 10 speed

Yes ! in 2002 Campy made a Record Triple in 10 speed.

Long cage RD 13-29 Cassette

TA Zephyr 48 36 22 rings

Shifts just fine ..... (but the FD shifter MUST have a trim feature and not be
fully indexed ! )

[dustyrider]

For my commuter/tourer to be locked up all day and not make me nervous, I went with Origin 8 almost all the way around. The bike frame is also cheap steel. Origin 8 has a trekking crankset that is a 48/38/28 that I matched to an 8 speed 11/28 cassette. I push it with cheap shimano mechs and down tube friction/index shifters from sunringle. My commute is flat so the 48/11 gets the most work, but loaded touring and high mileage rides means elevation gain, so the 38 works well. Of course the 28 is the bailout gear, but very helpful with a full load and steep terrain. The idea behind the shifters is: one price, two failure in the middle of nowhere is not a big deal, just swap to friction and I can get out.

Of course this bike isn't very inspiring for those fast days, so I've been building a different bike for that.

[etu]

On my commuter/tourer, I have bar end shifters with a sugino triple and an 8 speed cassette. A little retro, but works great, minimal adjustments, chains and cassettes are inexpensive to replace.
If you're feeling adventurous, might give this type of set up a try!

[ckamp]

I have seen campagnolo sqaure taper 9/10 triples sell for cheap on EBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Campagnolo-Veloce-Crankset-AC-S-Bottom-Bracket-Bicycle-Bike-175-/181078776584?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=vIOPv5aE2sy87pUNZvIIdeUh%252BcA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Dont rule out campy yet for price! The triple components are not as sought out for on Ebay (based on what I have seen for sale prices).

[andywills]

Wow, lots of good advice here....TA Carmina is probably out of my price range (looks great, though), Sugino is a good possibility...I also remembered that Surly had some sort of customizable crank. The problem is getting matched ramped and pinned rings for them.

I spent part of yesterday fighting with the indexing on my wife's triple front derailleur...I had sent her to a local shop because I am a hack...local shop set it up so that the limits were right but it didn't shift.:mad: So I am tinkering with it again.

I have an 8-speed road bike with friction left / indexed right bar-ends...works well. Wish that Shimano went that route instead of indexing on the left for triples. I would rather have STI if I can get a combo that shifts well. Ahneida Ride, by trim do you mean the half-clicks on Shimano shifters? Does Campy have a different system that works better? And is it available on the new groups, or would I have to look at older ones? Thanks, everyone.

[Bradford]

You could go with a retroshift set to friction left and a standard STI on the right.

I'm a bar end guy myself, but I think a right only STI would work well.

I'm also a big fan of setting the bike up for a tour, not for the commute. I use my full touring bike for commuting and have never minded the extra gears I don't use, but I've been on some long climbs on tours where I needed everything I brought.

[doomridesout]

There is also a Deore XT trekking specific group which is still 9-speed and not Dyna-Sys. I'd check that out, and definitely go with bar ends so you can use linear pull drop bar brake levers-- take a look at the OEM spec on the Trek 520-- it's about the gold standard for touring stuff, and I don't see any reason why a true touring setup wouldn't be good to commute on-- especially if you want to keep the commute sweat-free.