Looking for a good source for cranks

[Louis]

What would be a good source for hard-to-find cranksets?

I’m looking for a double crankset that I’m not even sure exists: I’d like to try a 44t outer and about a 28 or 30 inner. If I use a 5-arm crank I think I’d end up with something like a 74 BCD inner and a 94 or 110 (or higher) outer bolt pattern. I’ve looked and I can’t find any doubles that fit the bill. The inner two rings on a triple would work, but I’d prefer doing this with a crank that started life as a double.

Thanks for any leads you might have.

Louis

[Climb01742]

i find the republican party, particularly the white house, a very reliable source of cranks. ;) (sorry, couldn't resist.)

[ols]

Somebody posted DaVinci here as a good source for non-standard cranks before and that's who I went with to get the non-standard combo I wanted. (180mm length with a 50/34) They work really well. Here's a link to the page:

http://www.davincitandems.com/comp.html#cranks

You can basically mix and match the crank length you want with the spider you want to get the chainrings you want (which you'll need to buy separately. I ended up with FSA chainrings. You'll probably also need to go with a new BB.) From your note, it sounds like you want the DaVinci Compact Spider. Hope this helps. Good luck

[Bill Bove]

i find the republican party, particularly the white house, a very reliable source of cranks. ;) (sorry, couldn't resist.)

LOL ROTFL SoTrue So Sad.

[eddief]

I believe a 33 tooth is smallest ring to fit on a 74. I think cranks that take smaller rings are all in the mt category and are triples. To get lower gears, how about a 110 crank with mt rear d and slightly bigger cogset. I'm quite fond of my 48/34 crank and would go to mt rear d and bigger cogs before going back to a triple.

[bfd]

eddief states:

<I believe a 33 tooth is smallest ring to fit on a 74. I think cranks that take smaller rings are all in the mt category and are triples. To get lower gears, how about a 110 crank with mt rear d and slightly bigger cogset. I'm quite fond of my 48/34 crank and would go to mt rear d and bigger cogs before going back to a triple>

Wrong. A 33t is the smallest ring for a 110mm crank, see here:

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/chainrings.html#110

The smallest chainring for a 74mm chainring is 24t.

For the OP who wanted something like a 44/28 or 44/30, best look for a 94mm crankset, usually found as a 94/58 "compact" triple....

[eddief]

and for a double based on the 110 standard, the smallest inner would still be a 33, would it not?

[ols]

Just to clarify, the davinci compact spider is more compact that what many people think of as a compact: 94mm-58mm. Their standard spider is a 110mm-74mm (called a compact by others like FSA) and their road spider is a 130mm bcd like most manufacturers

Rivendell has a matrix which lists the smallest chainring that will fit on different size BCDs, here:

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/html/101_cranks.html

Hope this helps

[dbrk]

Okay, there is a crank you can use for this combination but it far out of fashion---though I use it all the time. TA's Cyclotouriste or Pro Vis5 will allow nearly any combination. The "problem" is that you lose a little bit of fluency on the shifts because the teeth are not ramped. Of course, a knuckle-draggin' Neanderthal like me notices not a lick of difference and I can get these to shift quite to my satisfaction in any speed before 10. When you go to the new and improved (if you believe that then, well, you believe it...) 10 speed cassettes and their corresponding (too thin/stupid thin) chains, then the Cyclotouriste is not a good choice. But I've had tons of luck using it with 9spd indexing. The master of this is Mike Barry of Bicycle Specialities. Of course, Mike knows more about bicycles, history or mechanics, than, say, any person alive. (This not being an exaggeration.) See bikespecialties.com for the parts and for a look at the spectacular Mariposas he builds. I have two incoming: a single-speed 650B with fenders, internally wired lights, and custom racks, and a "lightweight" racer made of 531 in the out-of-fashion mode that I seem to prefer (531 1" tubes, oldschool lugs, swoooooopy fork blades, etc.) But just to stay in fashion and more or less normal, you can get the Cyclotouriste to work fine in nine. Ask Mike about 10, he'd know.

dbrk

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . here in Albany just ended their session without doing a DAMN thing . . . couldn’t even pass a budget. Obviously plento cranks there--and a few slipped gears!

Sorry . . . What can I say? Climb inspired me! ;)

BBDave

[dbrk]

The most efficient of the mailorder firms that deal in a variety of cranks is likely Cambria Bicycle Outfitters. I've always had success with them.
Of course, you might have far more success finding weapons of mass destruction in Paul Wolfowitz's garage than the particular combination you are looking for, but KEEP LOOKING. I have also heard that the Administration is teaming up with O.J. to find the Real Killer---a deal was cut while they were out on the golf course, the place where Real Business gets done.

dbrk
in the spirit of caustic remarks about the current inept government...

[Climb01742]

if you're looking for a 33, you could buy a 39 but simply tell the world that its a 33...

even went every piece of evidence says its a 39, just stick to your story that its a 33...

even when there are photos, and tapes, and memos, and eye witness accounts that its a 39, just say its a 33...

call everyone a liar who disagrees...

call everyone unpatriotic who disagrees...

just stick to your big herman goering size lie...hell, the big lie worked in the 1930s...oh wait...it didn't work then...but damn it, we'll make it work now...

even when on the john stewart show he showed two tapes of dick cheney...the first tape, from a recent interview, saying he never, ever, you're lieing if you say i ever said it, that it was confirmed that there was a saddam-al queda link...cut to tape of cheney on tim russert's show saying it was confirmed the link existed...even when you catch me lieing...on tape...

just say the 39 is a 33...at least until the day after the election... :crap:

[dirtdigger88]

Louis,

Forget that combo, what you need is an engine in the 12- 15 hp range. I think that will be enough to climb that nasty hill at your house. Geez guys wanna talk brutal climbs, go visit Louis. The guy lives on top a mountain. Thanks for ripping my legs off last weekend.

Jason

[Climb01742]

louis--to actually give you a (perhaps) useful bit of info (sorry for having to get something out of my system) i have a 34 on my IF, and i find it can get me up any hill, especially matched with a 25 on the back. i don't know what size hills you're trying to get up, but i'm finding a 34 is undergearing me for the flats. so i might be a bit careful going too small upfront. just my (cycling) 0.2 cents.

[dirtdigger88]

Louis,

In all reality I think you will be undergeared with that set up. I know you are trying to make your hill a little easier, but don't compromise the rest of your ride. I don't think your hill will ever be fun (easy) but keep hitting it and at some point it will be at least tolerable. You were doing fine on the entire ride on Saturday, you are strong enough. Just do some hill repeats out front, you will become a cycling god

Jason

[gdw]

What you're looking for is known as a mountain double. They are used by really strong racers, weight weenies, or flatlanders. Check Ebay for used Ritchey's or Coda's or contact Cannondale. Several different model Coda's were (are?) available for either splined or tapered bottom brackets.

[Louis]

Folks,

Thanks for all the advice. As Jason mentioned, there is a tough hill at the end of all of my rides because there’s only one way into my subdivision. (The scary thing is that he was able to do it with his double 39t front and I think 24t rear, but I don’t think he wanted to do that too many times.)

I used to do the hill with a 30t front and 28t rear and started to have knee problems. I’ve backed off to even lower gearing and the knee issues have decreased significantly. Also, at the other end, I think a 44x11 would give me enough for the vast majority of the down hills and flats. I don’t mind having what some would consider wacky gears if it allows me to extend the life of my knees.

Anybody who wants to give that hill a shot is welcome to come over and try … Jason, I don't think I'd be able to do that set of hills more than once, but later this fall after I've lost some more weight I'll have to give it a shot...

Louis

[dirtdigger88]

39 x 25 standing up the entire way and wishing for my mommy. Yes that is indeed a hill, but what a sence of accomplishment when you reach the top.

Jason

[Climb01742]

louis,
moving to an even more forgiving gearing should solve the short term issue of getting up the hill. longer term, perhaps the solution lies elsewhere. is your knee pain actually being caused by gearing, or is there a biomechanical issue involved? a strength imbalance? a flaw in technique? i offer these suggestions in a constructive way; truly i'm implying no criticism. we can make equipment changes that accomodate symptoms, without addressing the underlying cause of the pain/symptom. left unaddressed, problems rarely go away. we just postpone their reappearance. i'm speaking from experience. i had hip/leg/back pain. i tried switching to speedplay pedals, and yes, for a short time, the pain went away...only to return. i then decided to try to figure out and fix the underlying phyisical issues. i think i'm 80-90% there. had i settled for a short-term equipment fix, i would have been "better" only for awhile. clearly, i don't know enough about your situation to really offer good advice. it just seems, if a 30x28 gives your knees pain, there might be an underlying issue that equipment alone might not address. i've had good luck going after the source of the pain. you might too. ok, i'll stop playing doctor now. ;) good luck.

[Louis]

Climb,

Thanks for the advice. My only concern about your suggested approach would be whether it is possible to find the right type of person to diagnose something like that. One would need an orthopedic surgeon who is very familiar with cycling and the issues cyclists deal with, and I don’t know how to find someone like that. I have asked around in the St. Louis area and have gotten no good leads. After some personal experience with the business (one knee ‘scoped about 8 years ago, several MRIs, and a doc who was very anxious to operate again, unnecessarily, in my opinion, and time has proven me to be right) I’ve concluded that it is very difficult to figure out what is going on inside a knee without actually going in there.

I think I’ve done all the cycling related things as best I can (saddle height, etc.) I’ve concluded that my symptoms aren’t too bad and I that I can treat them myself. Hopefully appropriate stretching, low gears for the hills, ice after every ride (no drugs), and backing off when something feels weirder than usual, will be enough. I’m plan stay away from the bone breakers for as long as I can. (Rant: If you think about it, they have no incentive to not operate, and make so much more money when they do operate. With that type of set up one can’t expect them to be 100% objective when they asses your situation.)

This may not be the most aggressive way to approach the problem, but so far it has worked for me. If it continues to work for the next 35 years I’ll be set…

Louis

[Climb01742]

louis,
i agree totally with rant about most surgeons, and western trained doctors, being ill-suited to treat athletes other than to suggest: a) let's cut something; b) let's drug it into submission; or c) stop doing it.
knee problems can be addressed many ways. strengthening the surrounding muscles. stretching. massage. chiropractic. and finding a good, knowledgeable person at a LBS to watch you ride and offer suggestions. ultimately, we're all our own best doctors. you seem to have an approach you're comfortable with. cool. but there are other avenues that don't involve scalpels, drugs or inactivity.

[Jeremy]

Louis,

The easiest way to get the gearing that you want would be to buy a 58/94 MTB crank and use only the outer two rings. Salsa makes a 30T ring for the 94mm BCD and there are alot of sources for 42-46T rings for the outer. If you have a square taper bb I would suggest trying to find an older Sugino Mighty 900. It is an excellent cold forged and lightweight crank. If you want a more modern crankset, try a Race Face turbineLP in 58/94. This crank is available as arms only so you could put whatever chainrings you wanted on it. The Race Face crank is available in the ISIS format which will make the spindle stiffer than a square taper. I don't know anyone who makes a 28T cog for the 94mm BCD, but FSA makes a 29T cog in that format. I will check and see whether a 28 is even possible and try to find a manufacturer if it is.

Hope this helps, Jeremy.