Touring - MTB Drivetrain on Touring (road) Bike

I just bought a 2007 Jamis Nova frame to build into a light touring/commuter bike. I want to build this rig using the touring concepts of using components that are fairly rugged, reliable, and easy to service or repair wherever one may roam alone. On such rigs, one would not find "brifters", i.e., dual control levers. Using that concept as a guide, friction shifters would be preferred over index shifters. Cantilever brakes would be preferred over disc brakes. And fenders are preferred over staying home. ;)

Question #1: I am thinking of using a 9-speed MTB cassette and a MTB triple chainring. With these components, do I also need to limit my choices to MTB derailleurs front and rear?

Question #2: Other than trial & error, before ordering, how does one determine the proper length for the axle of the bottom bracket such that the chainline is correct when mixing road frames & MTB components?

Thanks for any help.

For the rear der. you can use a road der. as long as it is a long cage, because you're using a triple up front.

Regarding question 1 - You will need a MTB rear derauiller if you plan on running MTB cassettes (cassettes with greater than 28 teeth on the largest sprocket. With a triple, you'll need a long cage MTB derauiller; look for a shimano deore, LX, XT rear der with the "SGS" designation.

For your front derauiller, many make do with a Tiagra or Sora front derauiller with a typical MTB triple. I use a Tiagra FD with a 48-36-24 Sugino crank, and it works well. You might want to go to a MTB front der if you plan on running a significantly smaller big ring.

Regarding question 2 - Sheldon brown has a good page on calculating chainline. But I think that finding the right spindle length is often trial and error.

I'm doing the same with a Salsa Casseroll and going with a 3x9 setup.

Shimano Deore XT SGS top-normal rear drailuer (long cage)
Shimano 105 triple front derailuer
Dura Ace downtube shifters
11-34 SRAM cassette
Shimano 105 50/39/30 triple crankset

The only minor issue is that the Deore XT rear derailuer doesn't have a barrel adjuster on it like the road derailuers i'm used to dealing with. However i'm just going to put an inline barrel adjuster on the cable housing loop right before it curves downwards into the derailuer.

I'm doing the same with a Salsa Casseroll and going with a 3x9 setup.

Shimano Deore XT SGS top-normal rear drailuer (long cage)
Shimano 105 triple front derailuer
Dura Ace downtube shifters
11-34 SRAM cassette
Shimano 105 50/39/30 triple crankset

The only minor issue is that the Deore XT rear derailuer doesn't have a barrel adjuster on it like the road derailuers i'm used to dealing with. However i'm just going to put an inline barrel adjuster on the cable housing loop right before it curves downwards into the derailuer.

Strange. I just finished my Casseroll build last month, and used a medium cage XT derailuer. It had a barrel adjuster on the back. Maybe Shimano makes two models, one with, and one without?

Strange. I just finished my Casseroll build last month, and used a medium cage XT derailuer. It had a barrel adjuster on the back. Maybe Shimano makes two models, one with, and one without?

Possibly, mine's the RD-M771 SGS. I'm looking at it here in front of me and there's no adjuster...

For the rear der. you can use a road der. as long as it is a long cage, because you're using a triple up front.

But mountain bike derailers have better range and capacity. Go with an XT for zootness or LX for economy or Deore if you're a real cheapskate;) (The Deore is a good derailer and probably one of the best bargains out there.)

Road front...Tiagra is best...to save headaches.

I just bought a 2007 Jamis Nova frame to build into a light touring/commuter bike. I want to build this rig using the touring concepts of using components that are fairly rugged, reliable, and easy to service or repair wherever one may roam alone. On such rigs, one would not find "brifters", i.e., dual control levers. Using that concept as a guide, friction shifters would be preferred over index shifters. Cantilever brakes would be preferred over disc brakes. And fenders are preferred over staying home. ;)

Question #1: I am thinking of using a 9-speed MTB cassette and a MTB triple chainring. With these components, do I also need to limit my choices to MTB derailleurs front and rear?

MTB cranks are good but stock ones are geared a little low. A 44/32/22 with an 11-34 cassette will spin out pretty quickly. A trekking crank (Shimano makes some) uses the same arms but a 48 tooth outer (48/36/26). A bit taller gear. The inner ring can be changed out for a 24 or 22.


Question #2: Other than trial & error, before ordering, how does one determine the proper length for the axle of the bottom bracket such that the chainline is correct when mixing road frames & MTB components?

Thanks for any help.

Read about chainlines here (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html). It's a start;)

MTB cranks are good but stock ones are geared a little low. A 44/32/22 with an 11-34 cassette will spin out pretty quickly. A trekking crank (Shimano makes some) uses the same arms but a 48 tooth outer (48/36/26). A bit taller gear. The inner ring can be changed out for a 24 or 22.



Read about chainlines here (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html). It's a start;)

Excellent start, but be warned - there's still a bit of trial and error involved seemingly no matter how much or carefully you calculate. I just got done replacing the dual cottered crankset on my '69 Magneet with a Stronglight 99 triple. It took four different crank spindles to get the tolerances to what I wanted. Nice part about vintage is just unscrew the bottom bracket and toss in a new spindle.

I just got done replacing the dual cottered crankset on my '69 Magneet with a Stronglight 99 triple. It took four different crank spindles to get the tolerances to what I wanted. Nice part about vintage is just unscrew the bottom bracket and toss in a new spindle.

what size spindle did u end up using? got any pis if that 99.

Hi
I have a 2004? Jamis Nova. I use Tiagra brifters, an LX long cage rear derailler, 11-34 9speed cassette, tiagra front derailler, with a 48/38/28 crankset. I used the bottom bracket that came with the bikes' original 52/42/30 truvativ crank. Have toured with this for several thousand kilometers with only minor front shifting problems. It doesn't like to shift to the big ring in the lower cogs, ie anything above about the 21.Think this might be a function of chain lenght, but it hasn't bothered me enough to do anything about it. I hardly use the big ring anyway. Hope this helps answer one of your questions

Question 1) just use a Shimano Deore XT etc that has the teeth capacity for the cassette you choose , ie 32 or 34. Do not us a roar rear derailleur as these often max out at 28t or less.

Question 2) To find out the spindle length ask at your LBS or on here. As far as cranks go I'd suggest a Sugino 110/74 triple set up something like 46/36/24 and if you use a Phil Wood BB (expensive I know) you can adjust the chain line about 5mm.

On the MTB arms, there is a different shape to accomodate the wider tires, does that affect the width of the pedals? A supposed critical factor in efficiency?

Good tip on the Phil BB. I'm always scared about going that route in case I make a spindle mistake.