Road Cycling - Anyone using Specialty TA cranksets?

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone is riding on Specialty TA Zepher Light cranks?

I really like the idea of a 50-36 crankset but I am leary of buying something without knowing anything about it.

Please chime in if you have a set or know anything about them. I found them on Peter Whites web site for about $220. He said I'd need a new BB as well. A Phil Woods type. What's that?

I have a triple now and really don't like how it shifts. BUT, I want a low gear inch for long climbs.

Thanks in advance.

HB

TA are just about the best square-taper fitting cranks money can buy. They are very light, strong and well finished, and are comparable in quality to high end Campagnolo, but with more useful bolt circle diameter.
TA chainrings are very highly rated, and are used by top pro teams such as US postal.

You need to be sure the BB unit fits the taper accurately and sets the chainset the correct distance for a good chainline. Phill Woods is a small US manufacturer of high quality components with a well founded reputation. His BB units are tapered for various cranks, so the fit will be good, and the quality/bearings/seals are top quality.

I dont think you will get a better combination then TA and P Woods, and they are used by many long distance tourists for continental and world tours.

I agree with what Michael says, TA are ecellent, particularly on choice of rings.

However, I used a 50-36 combo for a while and would have to say I found it difficult. Where I was cycling was reasonably hilly (rolling) and I found I was often double changing (i.e front and rear) when on the flatter sections.

I since changed to a 48-36 with slightly bigger rear cogs and found that better, though spin out more easily on downhills.

I would never discourage anyone from getting TA equipment or Phil Woods, for that matter; but what don't you like about your triple shifting?

Originally posted by L J Horton
I would never discourage anyone from getting TA equipment or Phil Woods, for that matter; but what don't you like about your triple shifting?

I can't seem to get the darn thing dialed in. I am using a DA front derailleur because I couldn't find an Ultegra one. Would that make a difference?

My problem is that when I'm in the big ring (52) the little ring (30) can't clear the inside rail of the front derailleur. When I move the whole fr. dr. up a mm or 2mm then I can't even switch to my big ring. I really like riding in the 50-60 gear inch range and I just can't seem to get that range with this set up.

The whole reason I wanted the triple was because I wanted a climbing gear for the mountains an hour west of my house. But 90% of my riding is in rolling terrain so I think I can do without the granny gear for now. I haven't even used it except to test the limits and just for fooling around.

Chewa,

Why were you double changing so much. The 50-36 sounds like such a good match for rolling and flat terrain?

Thanks for your replies.

HB

I don't know, the drop of 14 teeth just seemed a bit too far. So I'd change down at the front and go one gear higher at the rear. The 12 tooth drop in 48-36 seemed just right, even though you'ld think there would be next to no difference.

I'm getting the frame I had this combo on back from refinishing this week (yay!) but I'm definitely going for a triple (Probably Stronglight)

Originally posted by Homebrew
He said I'd need a new BB as well. A Phil Woods type. What's that?
I can second MichaelW's comments regarding the Phil (http://www.philwood.com/) BB. I put a stainless one on my commuter. Yeah, I know, a little over-the-top for a commuter, but I wanted something that would hold up to the elements and be low maintenance.

It's a sealed unit, and fairly light (they also make a Ti spindle version). It's smooth as silk, and when bearings begin to wear, you can return to Phil for bearing replacement. Last time I did it (2 years ago) the replacement price was $25, but they didn't charge me because it took them extra long (about a week and a half... they were out of town, at the Interbike show). You won't be disappointed.

Maybe a triple front mech will work better on a wide ratio double.
If you are getting it from Peter White, ask him for advice on which front mech will work best with which chainrings. Any advice you get from him will be sound.

He discusses some of these problems at
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/chainrings.asp

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but is the DA front der one of the newer ones for a triple crankset? I have no problems with my 105 triple crank and 105 triple front derailleur. Or maybe you just need to adjust your low limit.

Went to the LBS yesterday and one of the mechanics said that the DA triple fr. der. isn't 100% compatible with the Ultegra triple crank set. He said that one of the "rails" I think that's what they are called. The part of the der. that is closest to the seat tube which runs lengthwise toward the cassette. He said that that part was too low. Which makes sence since the problem I was having was that when I was in the 30 T chainring was rubbing against the lower part of the inside of the fr. der when I was in the 52T ring.

So we raised the fr. der. and it's shifting nicely now. I don't even know if I'm going to rush into a new crankset now. I think I'm going to return the DA fr. der. and exchange for an Ultegra when they get the part in.

Cheers,

Sean