Calfee Tetra - Getting Rid of my triple... help!
10-12-15, 02:22 PM
#26
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We are in the middle of a 9 day supported tour of Croatia and completed about 5k of climbing today. As my fitness level was down from normal and I knew this was a hilly trip I wanted a lower gear ratio for our Tetra. I installed a 11-40 XTR 11 speed cassette on our Ultegra DI2 equipped bike with a K-edge cage and it has been flawless. We have compact 50/34 front chainrings. The climbing has been rather steep here with sustained 7-10+% grades and not a lot of rollers, just put in lower gears and grind. The only mod I made was to add a new longer chain and a bit more b screw adjustment. We have not missed a shift even under some significant load. You can get the ratios you need with a double just fine. BTW I brought my charger but seriously doubt I will need it.
10-15-15, 01:25 PM
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Hello,
I have a Calfee Tetra Tandem purchased in 2009. The drivetrain is: FD-Shimano Ultegra 9 speed triple (53,39,28), RD-Shimano XTR(11-34). Shifting the triple has never been easy. It is basically pick the two chainrings you'd like to shift reliably and pray you can get into the other ring. I'd like to replace the triple with either a double (Di2 ?) or something like a Sram 1x. Last year I contacted Calfee and I am due to call them make after our season ends here in Massachusetts. As of our last conversation, aside from internal frame routing modifications there would be issue for me with the rear cassette. I'd need probably a 36 tooth or larger low end so we can get our butts over the hills here in Western Massachusetts. As you know, the Di2 road shifters won't shift a MTB rear derailleur. In summary, this solution would be very expensive. So I'm not sure this is the way to go. Now I just read some articles about Sram's 1x drivetrains with an 11 speed 10x42 and a wide range of front rings. Would this work? Has anyone tried this solution? Would it be less expensive? Thanks for any help.
I have a Calfee Tetra Tandem purchased in 2009. The drivetrain is: FD-Shimano Ultegra 9 speed triple (53,39,28), RD-Shimano XTR(11-34). Shifting the triple has never been easy. It is basically pick the two chainrings you'd like to shift reliably and pray you can get into the other ring. I'd like to replace the triple with either a double (Di2 ?) or something like a Sram 1x. Last year I contacted Calfee and I am due to call them make after our season ends here in Massachusetts. As of our last conversation, aside from internal frame routing modifications there would be issue for me with the rear cassette. I'd need probably a 36 tooth or larger low end so we can get our butts over the hills here in Western Massachusetts. As you know, the Di2 road shifters won't shift a MTB rear derailleur. In summary, this solution would be very expensive. So I'm not sure this is the way to go. Now I just read some articles about Sram's 1x drivetrains with an 11 speed 10x42 and a wide range of front rings. Would this work? Has anyone tried this solution? Would it be less expensive? Thanks for any help.
One of the cool things about SRAM is that their 10-speed road and mountain stuff was compatible, but as a bonus it is also compatible with the 11-speed road. What this means is that you can run 11-speed road shifters, front derailleur, and crank, then pair it with a 11-40 Shimano cassette and a 10-speed SRAM Type 2 long cage mountain rear derailleur for flawless shifting.
Here are some links to help the research:
HTML5 Gear Calculator
OneUp Components US - Compatibility
10-15-15, 01:48 PM
#28
Senior Member
Not many people on here have experience with SRAM shifting, so I don't see much mentioned. I'm running a full Force 22 drivetrain on our tandem with a WiFli rear derailleur. I have a 50/34 on the front with Devinci cranks and I'm currently running an 11-28 cassette, but the derailleur is rated for 11-32.
One of the cool things about SRAM is that their 10-speed road and mountain stuff was compatible, but as a bonus it is also compatible with the 11-speed road. What this means is that you can run 11-speed road shifters, front derailleur, and crank, then pair it with a 11-40 Shimano cassette and a 10-speed SRAM Type 2 long cage mountain rear derailleur for flawless shifting.
Here are some links to help the research:
HTML5 Gear Calculator
OneUp Components US - Compatibility
One of the cool things about SRAM is that their 10-speed road and mountain stuff was compatible, but as a bonus it is also compatible with the 11-speed road. What this means is that you can run 11-speed road shifters, front derailleur, and crank, then pair it with a 11-40 Shimano cassette and a 10-speed SRAM Type 2 long cage mountain rear derailleur for flawless shifting.
Here are some links to help the research:
HTML5 Gear Calculator
OneUp Components US - Compatibility
In addition, I am using 11sp SRAM road shifters paired with a type 2 SRAM mtb deraileur with a 1x set up on my CX bike (not tandem, I'm just giving the real world experience of mixing SRAM road shifters with a mtb deraileur).
I have come to like the SRAM double tap shifting!
10-15-15, 11:59 PM
#29
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This is true. SRAM road and mtb can be interchanged due to their exact actuation shifting. I have experience with SRAM 10 sp 2x on our tandem utilizing SRAM Red shifters and SRAM X.0 long cage rear deraileur (11-36 cassette)
In addition, I am using 11sp SRAM road shifters paired with a type 2 SRAM mtb deraileur with a 1x set up on my CX bike (not tandem, I'm just giving the real world experience of mixing SRAM road shifters with a mtb deraileur).
I have come to like the SRAM double tap shifting!
In addition, I am using 11sp SRAM road shifters paired with a type 2 SRAM mtb deraileur with a 1x set up on my CX bike (not tandem, I'm just giving the real world experience of mixing SRAM road shifters with a mtb deraileur).
I have come to like the SRAM double tap shifting!
02-16-17, 11:06 AM
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Follow Up
Just to complete the story, I just got my tandem back from House of Tandems where Ric & Marcia did a fabulous job of upgrading the drivetrain of our Calfee Tetra to SRAM eTap. If you look at the dates of this thread my search for a solution began back in 2015. After the year-end shipping rush I sent the tandem to HoT (BikeFlights worked great). We had a 50/34 compact crank installed in the front with a SRAM Red eTap FD. In the rear we installed an 11x42 cassette with SRAM Red eTap and RoadLink hanger. We also upgraded to Spinergy HoT TX2 wheels. We have about 20" of snow on the ground so it hasn't been out for a road test (yet). Everything works great on the stand. We're looking forward to our first ride this Spring. Once it has been on the road I'll follow up with a complete report. In the mean time, back to the fat bike.
02-16-17, 11:53 AM
#31
Clipless in Coeur d'Alene
Just to complete the story, I just got my tandem back from House of Tandems where Ric & Marcia did a fabulous job of upgrading the drivetrain of our Calfee Tetra to SRAM eTap. If you look at the dates of this thread my search for a solution began back in 2015. After the year-end shipping rush I sent the tandem to HoT (BikeFlights worked great). We had a 50/34 compact crank installed in the front with a SRAM Red eTap FD. In the rear we installed an 11x42 cassette with SRAM Red eTap and RoadLink hanger. We also upgraded to Spinergy HoT TX2 wheels. We have about 20" of snow on the ground so it hasn't been out for a road test (yet). Everything works great on the stand. We're looking forward to our first ride this Spring. Once it has been on the road I'll follow up with a complete report. In the mean time, back to the fat bike.
02-16-17, 01:57 PM
#32
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Our 2003 Speedster with 9-speed triple (52-39-26) works well, always did. We run 12-34 in back. I've had more problems shifting the RD than the FD, always cable/housing issues.
Of course you realize that your Ultegra triple is supposed to be 52-42-30, right? The chainring modifications change how the rings interact with the FD cage, which makes adjustment more critical. Also, the 39 ring needs to be intended for an Ultregra 10-speed triple. A ring intended as the inner ring for a double won't work. The correct part number is FC-6603, like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-FC-66...dp/B001AYQ82Y/
The outer ring doesn't need to be a special triple ring.
I'd replace all the rings. I replace my middle and outer rings at least every other year. The rings get burred and the pins and ramps on the rings get worn. I don't have to replace my granny ring anymore since I went with a SS ring. It doesn't become worn.
On our tandem, after redoing all the cable and housing with an Alligatorlink Cable Kit, the shifting became even better. I've had fewer problems with worn cables and adjustment since going to the Alligator stuff. Plus it looks sharp. After replacing the rings and chain, if you still have shifting problems, replace the cables and housings with this stuff. Besides the tandem, I have 3 bikes using Ultegra triples, two 9-speeds and one 10-speed. They all work fine. The 9-speeds have the same chainring configuration as our tandem.
Of course you realize that your Ultegra triple is supposed to be 52-42-30, right? The chainring modifications change how the rings interact with the FD cage, which makes adjustment more critical. Also, the 39 ring needs to be intended for an Ultregra 10-speed triple. A ring intended as the inner ring for a double won't work. The correct part number is FC-6603, like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-FC-66...dp/B001AYQ82Y/
The outer ring doesn't need to be a special triple ring.
I'd replace all the rings. I replace my middle and outer rings at least every other year. The rings get burred and the pins and ramps on the rings get worn. I don't have to replace my granny ring anymore since I went with a SS ring. It doesn't become worn.
On our tandem, after redoing all the cable and housing with an Alligatorlink Cable Kit, the shifting became even better. I've had fewer problems with worn cables and adjustment since going to the Alligator stuff. Plus it looks sharp. After replacing the rings and chain, if you still have shifting problems, replace the cables and housings with this stuff. Besides the tandem, I have 3 bikes using Ultegra triples, two 9-speeds and one 10-speed. They all work fine. The 9-speeds have the same chainring configuration as our tandem.
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