AN "ALMOST" GREAT IDEA
#1
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AN "ALMOST" GREAT IDEA
With more time on my hands, than good sense in my head.
I decided that I would be happier with my Ultegra triple crank if I switched the chainrings from the factory 52-42-30 to a better fatboy 53-39-30, using an Ultegra double crank that I had.
I guess what? the 42 is no where near identical to the 39! The 39 is a flat ring, just like I have seen a thousand times. The 42 from the triple has pins, ramps, bumps and lumps all over it. I assume to help with the dreaded middle to low ring shifts.
I know that I could have made the change and it would work, but I have enough trouble keeping the mid-lo shift workings as it is.
I decided that I would be happier with my Ultegra triple crank if I switched the chainrings from the factory 52-42-30 to a better fatboy 53-39-30, using an Ultegra double crank that I had.
I guess what? the 42 is no where near identical to the 39! The 39 is a flat ring, just like I have seen a thousand times. The 42 from the triple has pins, ramps, bumps and lumps all over it. I assume to help with the dreaded middle to low ring shifts.
I know that I could have made the change and it would work, but I have enough trouble keeping the mid-lo shift workings as it is.
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You would need to find a 39 that is designed to be a middle ring. SInce the one from your double was designed to be the small ring, it has no need to ramped and pinned. It would work, but not as smoothly.
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Na, I ain't going to put any money into this...just thought that it was interesting that there was such a difference.
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#5
Former Hoarder
It will work fine - just not as smooth as possible. It's how gears were shifted before ramps and pins were invented - only a short while ago. Certainly worth the effort.
55/Rad
55/Rad
#6
Licensed Bike Geek
Originally Posted by 1oldRoadie
Na, I ain't going to put any money into this...just thought that it was interesting that there was such a difference.
#7
Former Hoarder
Originally Posted by Davet
Another problem that might arise is that the Ultegra front dérailleur probably won't have enough lift to bring the chain from a 39t middle ring to the 53 outer ring.
55/Rad
#8
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Originally Posted by 55/Rad
My Ultegra double doesn't have a problem getting from 39 to 53, even without pins and ramps - why would a triple have that problem?
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1oldRoadie,
You're not alone. A 39 small/mid chainring suits my style and rear cogs to a tee. So when I swapped back to a triple, I wanted to retain my normal 39-52 setup and simply add a 30T bailout gear. I had most of the parts on hand so it seemed simple. I use an older DeoreLX FD. Getting this to shift with STI seemed to take forever so I started looking. I think Davet may have a point here. Check out Peter White at
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/chainrings.asp. I haven't tried the DA as its not exactly a budget-conscious, commuter bike solution. If anyone has experience with various FDs on a 53-39-30 or even 52-38-28 chainring setup, I'd like to hear, good or bad.
You're not alone. A 39 small/mid chainring suits my style and rear cogs to a tee. So when I swapped back to a triple, I wanted to retain my normal 39-52 setup and simply add a 30T bailout gear. I had most of the parts on hand so it seemed simple. I use an older DeoreLX FD. Getting this to shift with STI seemed to take forever so I started looking. I think Davet may have a point here. Check out Peter White at
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/chainrings.asp. I haven't tried the DA as its not exactly a budget-conscious, commuter bike solution. If anyone has experience with various FDs on a 53-39-30 or even 52-38-28 chainring setup, I'd like to hear, good or bad.