Originally Posted by
David McCreary
Does the 60t chainring come near the chainstays? I have an 82t chainring. Unfortunately, it rubs the chainstays and can't be used. I have thought about putting on a 65t or 73t from a recumbent (sold at Hostel Shoppe). I replaced the stock chainring with a 56t on the outside and mounted a 39t on the inside. I then got a 41mm pipe and pounded the clamp of a front derailleur to fit the outsize seat tube and mounted the shifter on the seatstay just above the derailleur. Pretty simple and it works great. With a larger chainring, I would probably put an idler pully at the back end of the cage to maintain the trapezoid when shifting from one chainring to the other. Sheldon Brown says a 69t chainring will match gear inches with a 700c wheel with a 53t, so my Swift can do major road riding. I have gone on a 300 mile trip with my current modifications and came back only slightly more tired. I replaced the rear cassette with an 11-32t 8 speed. David
I have 1/3 inch clearance from the chainring to the chainstay. With bigger chainrings you also have to worry about chain /seatstay clearance near the cassette area. Do a thread search on that.
Originally Posted by
mtalinm
beauty. have a very similar setup - same shfters, derailleur, similar (105) crankset.
so how are the cantis? I put an avid shorty ultimate on front and it just wouldn't grab enough for my liking. you able to pedal with those wide brakes in back?
The canti's don't grab so well on my setup either, but it was a compromise I was willing to make. My feet are very close to hitting the canti's and I do occasionaly strike them but not when I'm in my normal rhythmic pedaling motion.