Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - What crankset is on your LD rig?

What crankset is on your primary LD rig?

Stronglight Pulsion with an 26 took inner chainring.

DA 7700. Have thought about a compact for some of the more vertically-oriented stuff but have also had pretty good luck just running a 12-27 cassette. Heck, for that matter, I often through a 11-32 on my cross bike with acceptable results (even with a short cage der, believe it or not).

TA Pro 5 double, 30 tooth inner ring, 46 tooth outer.

I run a Tru Vativ Carbon triple. It's an awesome crankset! You can't get them anymore since Sram bought them. I change out the chainrings all the time depending on what I'm doing but I typically run 30/42/56 chainrings.

The bike with gears has some kind of FSA carbon crank (can't recall the model -- whatever was out there in 2005) with 53 and 39T chainrings. That's currently paired with a 12-25 cassette, though I've used an 11-23 in the past for LD stuff, including one 1200K.

The fixie has an FSA Vigorelli crank, 175mm, with a 49T chainring and an 18T cog for the long stuff. 1/8", of course!

Shimano 105 hollowtech triple, 24-39-53. Combined w/ my "custom" 12-30 cassette, that gives me a gear range from 20-109" (semi-low recumbent w/559 drive wheel), enough to get me up any hill I've come across yet. Anything under 8% or so, I'm on the middle ring. And just for reference, I'm a very middle-of-the-pack rando.

SP
Bend, OR

Ultegra compact double, 175 mm.

The bike came with a Sugino 75 crankset on it. I am running it with a 44 tooth 1/8" chainring. On the back I have 15 and 16 tooth cogs on a fixed/fixed flip flop hub.

Standard Ultegra double 53/39 chainrings-12/25 cassette.

94BCD double, 170mm. Currently running 46/34 rings.

ta carmina, 94 bcd, 175 cranks.
30/46 paired with a 13-29 campy 10sp

the fixed rig is running 40/42 (soon to be 38/40) on the front with a surly dingle 17/19 fixed on one side and a 22t ss on the flip. 1 chain, 4 options. ;)

Running an Ultegra SL crank with compact rings (50/34). Cassette is also Ultegra - 12/27 which is perfect for the mountainous terrain I tend to ride.

Campag triple 30-40-50 w/ 13-29. Gearing for LD (http://www.veloweb.ca/randopages/randoratios.html)

50-39-24 with a 14-25
I am not fast but like 17 mph.

50-39-24 with a 14-25
I am not fast but like 17 mph.

Sounds like a great set-up. Do you use this for all your riding?

Michael

On the geared bike it's a 130mm BCD with a 50-38. The fixer is a 42. So far it's good for what's around here, but the new bike will be a small double or maybe a triple - thinking 50-44-30 with a close ration rear.

I ride my Mercier Galaxy Steel with it's stock TruVativ Triple 52/42/30T and Shimano HG 8 speed 11-30t.
Ernest

The current designee started life with a 144 BCD double. Great riding bike, but death on hills. Changed it to a 110 BCD double running 34-48. Haven't taken it on a century in the new config yet, but between the new gearing and the new tires... it's a dream to ride now. :)

p.s. OP, very intelligently conceived poll. :thumb:

The current designee started life with a 144 BCD double. Great riding bike, but death on hills. Changed it to a 110 BCD double running 34-48. Haven't taken it on a century in the new config yet, but between the new gearing and the new tires... it's a dream to ride now. :)

p.s. OP, very intelligently conceived poll. :thumb:

Thanks,

I've been considering an update on my Soma Double Cross. It started with a 46t & 38T 130 BCD Cyclocross double. I converted it to a 44t single with a 12-27 cassette on the back. This 1X10 combination works great within 100 miles of home, but steeper hills on century rides have been a problem.

So I'm converting the bike to a road triple. I'll soon install a road triple crankset and fenders and will begin using the bike for century rides & touring primarily. It will also have full lighting. This will allow me to complete multi-day events and tours. I'll also ride the bike year around.

I'll just need another bike for faster fitness and group rides!

Michael

...
I'll just need another bike for faster fitness and group rides!
...

That's the spirit. A separate bike for every conceivable purpose. :D Works for me. :thumb:

Next the TT bike, then the tandem. :innocent:

Tourer / cyclocross / commuter bikes = 26/42 super compact crankset.
Racing bike = 28/46 super compact crankset.
Each normally paired with a 10-speed SRAM 11-26 cassette (I have also used 12-25, 12-27, and 11-28, but I prefer the 11-26).
Typical riding: Any road that goes uphill in the Alps, the longer and harder, the better.

I mount the two chainrings on a triple crankset (I've used Shimano 105, Ultegra, and Truvativ Rouleur cranksets) using the inner (74mm BCD) and middle (130mm BCD) chainring positions. The commuter has a Salsa Crossing Guard in the outer chainring position as a barrier between pant leg and chain. On the other bikes, the outer position is empty (so special, short chainring mounting bolts are needed) - this looks a bit odd on the Shimano cranks, but looks fine with the Truvativ Rouleurs, especially when using black TA chainrings.

Tourer / cyclocross / commuter bikes = 26/42 super compact crankset.
Racing bike = 28/46 super compact crankset.
Each normally paired with a 10-speed SRAM 11-26 cassette (I have also used 12-25, 12-27, and 11-28, but I prefer the 11-26).
Typical riding: Any road that goes uphill in the Alps, the longer and harder, the better.

I mount the two chainrings on a triple crankset (I've used Shimano 105, Ultegra, and Truvativ Rouleur cranksets) using the inner (74mm BCD) and middle (130mm BCD) chainring positions. The commuter has a Salsa Crossing Guard in the outer chainring position as a barrier between pant leg and chain. On the other bikes, the outer position is empty (so special, short chainring mounting bolts are needed) - this looks a bit odd on the Shimano cranks, but looks fine with the Truvativ Rouleurs, especially when using black TA chainrings.

Hi Chris,

I could see where those combinations would be perfect in the Alps or anywhere else that has difficult climbs.

I've been using a 44t and a single chainring here in Chicago. The 1X10 gearing with a 12-27 cassette is great from 15 to 30 mph. I also use Salsa Crossing guards to keep the chain from jumping. I've used the bike for 3500 miles this year with very few limits.

Next year I'll be taking some multi-day tours and will need lower gearing for the unexpected. I'll be installing a 50-39-30 105 triple crankset next week. The planned use of the gearing includes staying on the 39t ring 95% of the time. I'll use the 50t ring above 25 mph and the 30t when climbing at speeds slower than 10 mph. I expect to use the 50t ring a few times a day but will need the 30t only a few times a month!

Most bikes should have a 48t & 34t as standard. "Super" compacts should be more available, this thread discusses this option: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=530743

Michael

I tend to ride long distances (at least 600 km) on most of my bikes.

130 BCD 172.5 mm old Ultegra cranks with 50/38t chainrings on the Frezoni
135 BCD 172.5 mm old Chorus cranks with a 56t chainring on the Moulton fixed wheel
110/74 BCD 170 mm very old Sugino cranks with a half-step + 28t on the Fuji Touring bike where I've never bothered counting the chainring teeth.
110/74 BCD 170 mm modern Sugino cranks with 56/44/32t chainrings on the TSR30.

I'm looking forward to racking up a SR on the tandem and possibly a couple of other interesting bikes.

Any more opinions or votes?

Currently my hybrid "do everything including centuries" bike has a 48/38/28 with a 11-32 8sp. When this cassette wears out I'll probably go with a 13-32 from Harris.

My planned next bike, that I'm going to put together this winter, will be more focused on LD. It'll get a 46/34 compact with a 13-30 9sp, also from Harris.

I just ordered one of these. Too good of a price to pass up.

http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/SHI0140/Shimano-America-FC-R700-Hollowtech-II-Compact-Crankset.html

That's a good price on a good crankset. It's just too bad that most double cranksets limit the small ring to 38 or so teeth. Most of us aren't bike racers and could use more versatile cranksets -- whether we know it or not!

Granted, 10 and 11 cog cassettes begin to allow us to compensate for limited chainring sizes without forcing us into huge jumps between ratios. I have a 14-32 five speed freewheel in a box somewhere...

I have a couple.
My lightweight bike has a compact double 50x34, which combined with a 12-25 cassette provides a wide range of gears. I use this bike for 200k & 300k brevets as long as it's dry. My "randopottamus" (fenders, dyno, etc., etc.) has a Campy Record triple with 50x40x28 rings and a 12x28 cassette.
I did ride a 200k on my 46x18 fixed gear this year.

I'm considering swapping the compact back to a standard 53x39 as the 16T drop on the compact remains problematic for me. I've used the 53x39 in the past with a 12x28 cassette with good results. Anyone interested in a lightly used Chorus compact crankset should PM me.

GtB

My main ride (a Lynskey) has a SRAM compact double, 50/34, usually with an 11/28 or 11/30 cassette. Good for everything from the Death Ride to long flat, fast rides.

My back-up bike (a carbon Kestrel) has a Shimano triple, 53/39/30, with a 12/27 cassette. The overall spread of gearing is really close to the SRAM setup (the math says there's a difference, but for all practical purposes I can't tell on the bike). The triple setup has way more overlap, so you don't have to shift the front derailleur as much if you are planning ahead. Ironically, I've been able to dial in the triple so it shifts a bit better up front than the compact double (I've only had the new bike for 7 months, so I might still find a way to dial in the compact better!).

JB

Shimano Exage Bio-Pace triple. Not sure of the tooth counts. It works, so I'm not going to worry about it. Bike is a 1989 KHS "Montana Summit". One of these years I'll get around to putting slicks on it. :D