Crank choices for smaller chainrings?

[BikeNY]

So, I'm in the planning phases of a new allroad/gravel/rando style bike and am contemplating cranks and chainrings. My current road bike has your basic road compact double with 50/34 chainring.

For this new bike, I'd like to go with a double with smaller chainrings. I've done a bunch of research and come up with some options, listed below, but I'm not sold on any of them at the moment, so if there are other options I'm missing, please let me know. Or, if there are already threads about this, please point me in the right direction, I'm pretty new here!

1: Compass Rene Herse: Lots of chainring options, but too pricey for my taste. old BB standard. Also, I find the look a little too , ahem, retro?

2: Velo Orange Grand Cru: Also lots of chainring options, better pricing, still retro look, old BB standard.

3: White Industry VBC: LOTS of ring options, smart design, good looks, medium pricepoint, old BB standard.

4: Sugino OX601D: Also plenty or ring options, good pricing, modern BB standard, OK looks, not a fan of the double BCD for 2 rings.

5: Old 94mm BCD MTB cranks: I think I could find the right chainring combo, could be cheap, availability questionable, MTB Q factor, probably old BB standard.

6: Current SRAM GXP road crank with a MTB spider and chainrings: Not sure if this combo will work or not. Limited chainring sizing, modern BB standard, modern looks.

Sooo, what to do! I actually have a carbon SRAM road crank from another project that has a removable spider and picked up a cheap 4 bolt 104mm BCD spider. I've found 32t small rings and plenty of options for 46t or so big rings. I'd rather have a 30t small, but haven't been able to find one. I may start with this setup as the rings are cheap and I have everything else already. If somebody made a 5 bolt 94mm BCD spider for the SRAM cranks, I think that would be ideal for me, but again, can't find one. There is a newer 4 bolt 94mm BCD setup, but chainring availability is very limited.

This is going to more of a modern build with disc brakes etc., so I'd rather stay modern with the cranks and BB.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to show I've done some reasearch and didn't want to just throw out a question like 'What crank should I get?'

TIA!

[Formulasaab]

I've pondered this question a few times over the last several years and the answer I come up with every time is White Industries. I've now bought three VBC setups (with WI BB).

I have been thoroughly pleased with the VBC crank in every way. I dis have one chainring that had defective shift-ramp pins. I contacted WI and had a new one in my hands a couple of days later, no questions asked. I even met the guy who took care of me a few months later at the Philly Bike Expo and he remembered me and we chatted. Nice people.


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[oldpotatoe]

Also any road triple crank, either 130/74mm or 135/74mm..then use the middle position with short(track) CR bolts and then any smaller CR for the inner..38/22 smallest(130mm)..39/22(135mm)

[adampaiva]

I'm quite happy with my White Ind. VBC crankset. They do also now have the 30 mm bb version for a bit more modern a standard.

Both my gravel bikes have a 50/34 which I'm happy with. I do see a lot of people going smaller though. Smaller than that definitely does start to limit your options.

also +1 on WI being nice people

[BikeNY]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Also any road triple crank, either 130/74mm or 135/74mm..then use the middle position with short(track) CR bolts and then any smaller CR for the inner..38/22 smallest(130mm)..39/22(135mm)

Yeah, that would work, but IMHO it looks like crap. Thanks though.

[BikeNY]

Originally Posted by adampaiva

I'm quite happy with my White Ind. VBC crankset. They do also now have the 30 mm bb version for a bit more modern a standard.

Both my gravel bikes have a 50/34 which I'm happy with. I do see a lot of people going smaller though. Smaller than that definitely does start to limit your options.

also +1 on WI being nice people

Thanks for that! I didn't know WI had a 30mm spindle version of their crank. I think that pretty much ticks all of the boxes for me.

For rings I was thinking 46t & 30t as a starting point. I'm no racer, and if I'm spun out in 46x11, I should be coasting anyway!

Now to start saving...

[eddief]

I know nothing about SRAM parts, but it seems their XX model stuff (and maybe all their stuff) is compatible between road and mountain? They used to make an XX mountain double and some are still available. Maybe too low for you, but maybe not.

https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/p...szw31x8chx1hpu

Could this crank integrate with Shimano 10 STI shifters? And then which front derailleur?

[El Chaba]

"Old BB standard" = square taper= no noises

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by BikeNY

Yeah, that would work, but IMHO it looks like crap. Thanks though.

I guess..I think a black or silver Campag triple with matching colored CRs, would look pretty keen, but YMMV.

[icepick_trotsky]

Praxis Alba goes down to a 48/32. Nice understated look.

[echelon_john]

Sram X.9 in a double 42/28.

cheap, good.

10sp but will work fine with 11.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by eddief

I know nothing about SRAM parts, but it seems their XX model stuff (and maybe all their stuff) is compatible between road and mountain? They used to make an XX mountain double and some are still available. Maybe too low for you, but maybe not.

When I built up my first gravel bike I ordered a WI double and they sent me the mountain arms instead of the road. I didn't have time to wait for the replacement before leaving on a week long ride and found a NOS 42/28 170mm GXP 156Q on eBay and had it in two days. I've been super happy and even moved these to my custom when it was finished. Plenty stiff and nice and light. I've only used these cranks with 11s SRAM shifters (Rival mechanical and later Red HydroR) and with both Rival 22 and XX medium cage RDs over an 11-32 Shimano cassette.

I first tried to set this crank up with a Rival 22 FD and it was a no-go because the cage hit the DS chain stay before it was close enough to the rings. I bought an NOS XX FD on eBay and the shifting is A+.

It varies slightly depending on which wheel/tire combo I use, but top gear is around 105" and I've yet to want more. If I spin out at 35mph I'm totally cool with coasting.

Should've installed that mudflap by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Originally Posted by eddief

Could this crank integrate with Shimano 10 STI shifters? And then which front derailleur?

While I haven't done this I'm going to say the likelihood of this working well is high. I'd use the FD that matches the crank for sure. They're cheap and will result in the smoothest and most reliable shifts.

I also like the looks of the Praxis 48/32 and Rotor 46/30 Spidering options.

[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by BikeNY

Thanks for that! I didn't know WI had a 30mm spindle version of their crank. I think that pretty much ticks all of the boxes for me.

For rings I was thinking 46t & 30t as a starting point. I'm no racer, and if I'm spun out in 46x11, I should be coasting anyway!

Now to start saving...

Just understand that the Q factor on the new external bearing VBC cranks is 157mm vs. 150mm in the SqT IIRC.

I know you do not prefer SqT, but on your option regarding 94bcd cranks, if you choose an old 94/58 crankset that has removable spacers for the 58bcd ring, you can run a double 94bcd and reduce your Q factor from the mountain range well into the road range. Specialized "Flag" cranksets, Ritchey Logic MD, Suntour XC Pro MD are all good options for Triple to Double conversions with a nice Q.

46/30 is a great starting point.

[eddief]

I do believe these are their 1:1 technology. Would they work with 10 speed STI?

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

When I built up my first gravel bike I ordered a WI double and they sent me the mountain arms instead of the road. I didn't have time to wait for the replacement before leaving on a week long ride and found a NOS 42/28 170mm GXP 156Q on eBay and had it in two days. I've been super happy and even moved these to my custom when it was finished. Plenty stiff and nice and light. I've only used these cranks with 11s SRAM shifters (Rival mechanical and later Red HydroR) and with both Rival 22 and XX medium cage RDs over an 11-32 Shimano cassette.

I first tried to set this crank up with a Rival 22 FD and it was a no-go because the cage hit the DS chain stay before it was close enough to the rings. I bought an NOS XX FD on eBay and the shifting is A+.

It varies slightly depending on which wheel/tire combo I use, but top gear is around 105" and I've yet to want more. If I spin out at 35mph I'm totally cool with coasting.

Should've installed that mudflap by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr

Untitled by ColonelJLloyd, on Flickr



While I haven't done this I'm going to say the likelihood of this working well is high. I'd use the FD that matches the crank for sure. They're cheap and will result in the smoothest and most reliable shifts.

I also like the looks of the Praxis 48/32 and Rotor 46/30 Spidering options.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by eddief

I do believe these are their 1:1 technology. Would they work with 10 speed STI?

As I said, my bet would be yes. It's not an expensive experiment. I suppose, though, that you could just go directly to an XT or XTR 2x10 or 2x11 FD and that should work beautifully.