Touring - Touring Crank Options

Building up a Salsa Vaya and am looking for crankset options with gearing in-between typical road and mountain ranges. Something like 26-36-48. Black in color would be ideal.

Shimano Deore is an option, but I'd like something a little nicer. LBS has no advice outside of the QBP book, which doesn't list much in the touring range.

Any suggestions?

I just put Shimano XT on my Kona. Swapped the Mtn. Bike rings out for 48-36-26. You can get the rings in Silver or Black. The upgrade i did was well worth it. Had the stock FSA cranks, they were 50-39-30. This made about a 2 gear difference in my climbing. I was looking to spin more in the hills.

Truvativ Firex was available as a 26t-36t-48t Black in 2010. About the same quality as Deore, maybe a little cheaper.

Older (1990-1995?) Shimano mtb cranks were 26//36/48, but always silver finish.

You can do wonders with a can of Rustoleum spray paint, too. Just let it dry for a month before you use it, otherwise rattle can paint jobs are too soft.

I've been thinking of building a Vaya too. Got any hot tips on a cheap frameset? I can't find them for under $599 shipped.

I just put Shimano XT on my Kona. Swapped the Mtn. Bike rings out for 48-36-26. You can get the rings in Silver or Black. The upgrade i did was well worth it. Had the stock FSA cranks, they were 50-39-30. This made about a 2 gear difference in my climbing. I was looking to spin more in the hills.

I don't currently have a crankset, so I'd prefer to find something that comes with the proper gearing, rather than spend extra money on rings to swap.

Truvativ Firex was available as a 26t-36t-48t Black in 2010. About the same quality as Deore, maybe a little cheaper.

Older (1990-1995?) Shimano mtb cranks were 26//36/48, but always silver finish.

You can do wonders with a can of Rustoleum spray paint, too. Just let it dry for a month before you use it, otherwise rattle can paint jobs are too soft.

I've been thinking of building a Vaya too. Got any hot tips on a cheap frameset? I can't find them for under $599 shipped.

Color isn't a deal-breaker, so I won't be resorting to spray paint, no matter which crank I choose. Firex is an option, but as you said, isn't even as good as Deore.

Chances of finding a cheap Vaya frameset are slim. If you get lucky you might be able to come across a slightly used one.

xd600 seems to be a great choice for touring.

http://www.universalcycles.com/images//products/medium/9824.jpg

around $130 before bottom bracket.

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=9824

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/CR303A00-Shimano+Lx+Fc-M582+Crankset.aspx

I have this on my Fargo and love it although the gearing might be too low for you if you aren't planning on touring with your Vaya. I appreciate the low gearing for dirt roads, big tires and carrying gear (not to mention I am pushing 50).

http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/CR303A00-Shimano+Lx+Fc-M582+Crankset.aspx

I have this on my Fargo and love it although the gearing might be too low for you if you aren't planning on touring with your Vaya. I appreciate the low gearing for dirt roads, big tires and carrying gear (not to mention I am pushing 50).
Gearing is too low, unfortunately. I've been running cranks with the same gearing from another bike on the Vaya, just to test things out and see what I want to spec it with, and I want a higher range. I may just suck it up and put a Deore on there. The thing's a tank, so the extra weight isn't gonna matter much.

Gearing is too low, unfortunately. I've been running cranks with the same gearing from another bike on the Vaya, just to test things out and see what I want to spec it with, and I want a higher range. I may just suck it up and put a Deore on there. The thing's a tank, so the extra weight isn't gonna matter much.

You can get a 48 tooth XT from Europe. Chain Reaction (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23102&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=Google-Products-US) sells one for $219 ($16 shipping). If you can find another $30 in parts from them, they'll ship it for free.

xd600 seems to be a great choice for touring.



+1 great, durable crankset. I've been using mine for years and thousands of miles, zero issues.

Hard to go wrong with a 110/74 crankset. , pick a brand.

I got a Campag race triple , 50,40, 135bcd, came with a 30, 74 bcd,
i swapped it out for a 24.

Deore-level comes with a steel middle ring ideal for touring. Anything "better than Deore" with its stiff hollowtech spindle and larger diameter bomb-proof outboard bearings is verging on fantasy. Sure you could pay more but why?

I run a deore crankset with 26-36-48 rings on my vaya, so far it works great it is paired with a 10spd 12-36 cassette

I also run a deore with normal mountain rings on my fargo works fine there as well

my 29er has a shimano xt crank the only difference that I can tell while riding is that it is 180mm

My Cannondale t1 came with a 50/39/30 crank. I swapped it for a Hollowtech II Shimano LX crank with 48/38/28.
The part number is FC-T661. Really like the lower gearing.

Gearing is too low, unfortunately. I've been running cranks with the same gearing from another bike on the Vaya, just to test things out and see what I want to spec it with, and I want a higher range. I may just suck it up and put a Deore on there. The thing's a tank, so the extra weight isn't gonna matter much.

No such thing as too low a gear on a touring bike. Unless you're not doing loaded touring, or touring in mountains.

gram shaving on the race MTB models makes them less practical for touring..

FWIW, I am still running the same 3 steel chainrings I put on my M730 cranks,
20 years ago. can't perceive wear yet ..

Pretty much all the serious cycle tourists use the Sugino XD (500 or 600) square taper crankset. They last a long long time plus mated to a good square taper bottom bracket will give great service life. 110/74 BCD is a good setup to get custom chain rings. Mountain cranksets are designed to be stiff for drops and mountain riding and are not meant to be used or expected to be used for long distance touring. Not to say you can not use mountain cranksets, but there are better cranksets for touring but just without the bling bragging rights.