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Old 02-22-09, 06:27 PM
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Panthers007
Great State of Varmint
 
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For my dining & dancing pleasure, I experimented in installing a front der. (Shimano XTR FD-M961) that said it could handle 44 - 48 max teeth. I put it on an Ultegra triple crankset - 30-39-52. Fits perfectly and does the job with room to spare! Another fine example of Shimano shooting itself in the foot.

So you are catching the cycling-bug again in your 40's, eh? This is so common it's not worth mentioning. We all do. I'm 49. The second time around is great! We all quit in our 20's and came back again around 40 - 50.

There's one thing you may have overlooked: Your saddle. If you're doing a 7-day tour of Oregon, the most comfortable saddle would be in order. I run Terry Fly saddles on both my good bikes. No after-ride payback. And I forget I'm even on a saddle. I suggest you find one that fits. If you already have - Good!

Keep on thinking/studying the situation with your gearing. But do try swapping the freewheel first. It may be all you need - and a new chain to go with it.
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