Awhile back I picked up a used Specialized CX (2002?). It's got a new drivetrain (ultegra 10 spd triple), but unfortunately it also has a set of mountain cranks on it (Ritchey pro with 44-32-22 rings, and 104 bcd).
I'd like to upgrade to double/compact road cranks or cross-specific cranks (I do most of my riding on roads, dirt roads and some (fairly flat) singletrack--I don't race, but have thought about getting into it).
Considering that I have a triple drive train now, are there any limitations on the cranks I can install? I've looked at FSA Gossamer (cross and compact), SRAM Rival (double and compact), and Shimano R700 (compact). Are these workable options? Any other recommendations? Thanks.
EDIT: Maybe a little OT (I'm in a 'converty/upgradey' mood with the warm weather finally coming), but one other option I've been considering for simplicity's (and money's) sake is converting from the triple to a 1x10 setup, using the 44t ring (I have a 12-27 cassette). The question here is: would that require a bb change to get the right chainline? Or would it simply be a matter of removing the fd and smaller rings?
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To go single, I'd move the 44 to the middle position, use a chainguard on the outside and a dogtooth or such like on the inside and go. For the guard you could just buy one, or take a used, wore out or just cheap on ebay 46 or 48 ring and tear, cut, grind the teeth off. Or, maybe better buy a 38-42 tooth ring (both those should be readily available in your BCD) and turn your 44 into a guard. That'll keep even your chainring bolts and give you a gear you'll want.
The Compacts tend to run 34-50 teeth and to me, the one's too low and the other too big and I don't see a lot of alternative rings available cheap for the compact BCD. For a double I'd say go with a conventional crank, Shim 105 and Campy Veloce are both readily available cheap online, come with a 39t on the inside and you can easily and cheaply buy a 46 or 48 for the big ring. I don't know the intricacies of triple to double front shifter conversions well enough to be any help. I had thought, perhaps wrongly that Shimano road shifters didn't do a good job on MTB triples. I've got 2006 Campy for shifters and with the ratchet front shifter so anything works wonderfully.
kbjack
I had thought, perhaps wrongly that Shimano road shifters didn't do a good job on MTB triples. I've got 2006 Campy for shifters and with the ratchet front shifter so anything works wonderfully.
This rings true for me--part of the reason I'm looking for other options. I've got the FD dialed in well, but the shifting still feels...delayed and temperamental.
I actually took the jump to a single up front. Got a bashguard from BBG (http://www.bbgbashguard.com/Mountainbike.html) and an n-gear jump stop (http://www.gvtc.com/~ngear/whatis.html)
Like I said, I'm usually on dirt roads and flat singletrack so the 44t front should be okay with 12-27 in the back. Though there's still a good chance I'll be fighting some uphill battles.
Ronsonic
Thanks for the BBG link. Didn't know there was anyone out there selling them that reasonable. Cool.
Been wondering why a flat piece of smooth metal keeps costing more than a chainring.
acorn_user
How about a touring triple? Would give you higher gears for fast bits and keep the lower gears? The gold standard is the Sugino XD. Otherwise, I would go with either a Shimano 105 double or Campagnolo Veloce compact, since these are cheap and very nice. I would avoid third party cranks that don't say TA, Stronglight or Sugino on them.