Originally Posted by
Barrettscv
+1
I would install a 28t, or a 26t front chainring in the inside location. I would also use a Shimano HG-61 12-36 9-speed Cassette and a Deore SGS RD-M591 Rear Derailleur.
Yes, a good combination. We have the 28-36 as the granny on our tandem, although the cassette is an 11-36.
The SGS long-cage certainly would be needed to cope with the 36T cog.
The beauty of the relatively new 11-36 or 12-36 cassettes is that they allow you to retain the road triple cranks without giving too much away when compared with putting on MTB cranks.
It means you can retain a road triple front derailleur that was designed to go with STI shifters.
The only issue with the 36T cassettes is that the spacing between the gears isn't as consistent as it is with the 11-34 ones.