bikemig 

The sugino xd 600 is an excellent choice for touring. A triple with 110/74 bcd was the standard for a long time for touring and mountain bike. Chainrings are widely available and you get very sensible gear ratios with a triple like this. There are good reasons why the overwhelming majority of touring bikes are set up with triples (not that I haven't been tempted to try out an mtb double from time to time as well).

robow

This is one of those instances where you get what you pay for. The fit and finish is superior on the IRD FD and it seems to shift smoother for my triples. Was easy to set up as well. IRD products tend to be very well made or not made at all. Their brakes and cranks are also well done. Nothing wrong with the Tiagra, and I agree with Cyco when he says you don't get what you pay for if you climb the ladder of Shimano triple FD's, as the Tiagra is easier to set up than say an Ultegra triple FD. (at least it used to be that way since the Ultegra cage was thinner, but I haven't checked out more recent models so take this with a grain of salt)

nun

I went the rear cassette route rather than going to a triple when adapting my bike for long steep hills carrying an extra load. The cassette was originally 12-25 and I went to a 12-36 and a new long cage derailleur. It was a bit easier than changing the crank, FD and a brifter and I just far prefer riding a double than a triple. I also went from a 50t to a 46t largest crank ring and that allows me to do a lot of climbing in the big ring.

raydog

Nun, of course many folks prefer doubles over triples, I totally get that. My response would be the following however, first, my triple bike is my third in line roadbike and only use it for real steeps, heavy loads(panniers, etc) andsuch. Second, I can't believe you are happy with a 46t for your largest front! I actually went to a 53-39 in front AND 11-28 rear so I could have some high gears! If it works for you, great. AND third....there is almost no appreciable weight gain with a high end triple and it not only gives the rider great stump puller low choices but also 53-11 top speed gears, I think they are wonderful and have always been suprised how few you see. (part of it, I think, is the machismo thing about "real men" use doubles.)

nun

My 104" top gear is enough for me. The fastest I can maintain on the flat for any respectable amount of time is 20mph and I can do 25mph at 80rpm with a 104" gear. I'll spin out going down hill above 30mph, but I don't worry about that. The 46t chain ring gives me a great range for 90% of my riding when combined with the 12-36 cassette. If I get fitter it's a simple matter to go back to the 50t ring and change the chain.

robow

Nun, I hear ya. Even on my "road bike" which is actually a cyclocross I built up, I have a 46-34 up front and an 11-34 in the rear. That 46 X 11 will allow me to hit 30 mph on the flats and I can sit in in the big ring 90% of the time as a flatlander. It's a shame I can't get a 32 or 30 ring to work on that particular crank or it would be Nirvana.

mijome07

Kinda old thread, but what I post is relevant. Just bought a Sugino triple crankset (42T-32T-20T/175mm arms/110-74 BCD) for my bike conversion project. I'm looking at a 11-32T out back.

I'm not running 4 panniers, so there will not be a ton of weight. And I weigh well under 150 lbs. But if I ever do decide to add more bags/weight, the low gears will be there.

djb

if ever you need to buy replacement chainrings, note that this crank would be a 94/58 bcd, not a 110/74

but yes, a mtn crank and a 11-32 gives a nice set of low gears, very useful and as you say, they will be there. If you find it is just too low for most of the time, you could put a tighter cassette on that would be nicer for day to day riding, as your 20t would still give a very good low even with a 12-27 cassette for example.

Sharpshin

Going from San Antonio TX to NY State, my 44/32/22 crank and 12 (??) - to 34 cogs were plenty low even with 40lbs of gear and water until I hit two different hills in Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio. Didn't have to get off and walk again until some hills on NY Bicycle Rt. 17 south of Deposit.

The first time I got off and walked in Ohio it was on a section so steep I was hopping the front wheel with every downstroke on the cranks. That stretch was just a 70 yard walk, I could have made it but it occurred to me that working that hard I was likely gonna pull a muscle or irritate a knee any moment and end up grounded, at least for a period of time.


I gotta say that, compared to the whole 2,000 miles, the total amount I had to walk was minuscule. But, even at, there were a number of hills that were more of an unpleasant ordeal than they needed to be.

This at 17 gear inches....

Looking at a 20 tooth crank (I bought 'em for both my bikes just ain't installed them yet) and a 36 tooth big cog... 15 gear inches!

....if that makes me a weenie I'm OK with that.

Mike

Sharpshin

Going from San Antonio TX to NY State, my 44/32/22 crank and 12 (??) - to 34 cogs were plenty low even with 40lbs of gear and water until I hit two different hills in Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio. Didn't have to get off and walk again until some hills on NY Bicycle Rt. 17 south of Deposit.

The first time I got off and walked in Ohio it was on a section so steep I was hopping the front wheel with every downstroke on the cranks. That stretch was just a 70 yard walk, I could have made it but it occurred to me that working that hard I was likely gonna pull a muscle or irritate a knee any moment and end up grounded, at least for a period of time.


I gotta say that, compared to the whole 2,000 miles, the total amount I had to walk was minuscule. But, even at, there were a number of hills that were more of an unpleasant ordeal than they needed to be.

This at 17 gear inches....

Looking at a 20 tooth crank (I bought 'em for both my bikes just ain't installed them yet) and a 36 tooth big cog... 15 gear inches!

....if that makes me a weenie I'm OK with that.

Mike

mijome07

Thanks for the info.

robow

Not a weenie but rather enlightened I would say.

djb

I forgot to ask, how many speeds are you running? I ride a 42/32/22 with 8 speeds and a 11-28 a lot and if I were ever to change it to 9speed, for commuting and general riding I would use a 12-27 or even a 12-25 for closer jumps between shifts. Ive toured with it with two full rear panniers and a handlebar bag in very steep hilly areas and the 11-28 worked well, but wouldnt have minded a 11-32 a few times, and definitely if front panniers were on too.

mijome07

Seeing as I'm still building this bike, I may go with 8 speed (or 9). I've looked at older Suntour components as well. Will this even work with 7 speed?

mijome07

This is the crank set I got. Not the exact one, but similar condition.



That chain sure looks close to the bottom of the FD.

djb

you know, Im not sure. I do know that I have taken an old 28t chainring that I took off a touring bike of mine back in 1991 or 92 (to put a 24t on) and put it on my wifes 9 speed bike a few years back and it worked fine.
I need to find more out about this sort of thing cuz I have thought of changing my mtn bike with the 42/32/22 and 8 speed to a 9 speed setup, but I need to find out if the crank would work well with 9 speed chains. Probably yes from my experience with that old granny gear working well with 9, but I need to ask at a bike store.