Thank you all for the information. It helps a great deal.
I've found a source of shims, both for cranksets and for front derailer clamps. I expect it's old news on this forum but here's the link:
http://branfordbike.com/product/le-t...p-shim-878.htm These should make it possible for me to stay within the x.9 family and look at all cranksets.
Just a couple of questions remain (for today!!):
1. What factors determine if you need a a high mount or low mount FD?
2. Is a 10s chain significantly weaker than a 9s chain? (I'm big and can seriously stress a drivetrain)
3. At a modest price point, ($100-$150) are the crankset, chainrings & BB typically separate items or should I be expecting a complete set?
Thanks, again.