Originally Posted by
KirkBeiser
Do you find cross-chaining to be an issue? I was running the numbers for a 24-40 and even though the ratios work I found it inevitable that I would be using the wrong half of the cassette frequently. I agree that 93+" is not needed but I would need to get to around 20" because the 25" that I currently have is inadequate (requiring the 24 or 26 on a double). I like the simplicity of a double but cross-chaining seems inevitable and with a 36 middle front ring I can ride almost directly in the middle gears most of the time.
I have no problems running this combo, because this combo happens to be similarly configured as a 53/39 in a higher road biking configuration or as a 50/34 cross biking scenario both of which do not offer a low 20" gear like a 40T/24T does with a 11-36SLX cassette. Notice a 16 tooth difference between 50/34 and 40/24 and a 14T difference on the 53/39T, but some strong riders put a 55T in place of a 53T making it a 16T difference. What people do not realize is that, all 40T/24T with a 10 speed 11-36SLX does is to gain 1 top gear and 1 low gear over a 2x9 system. If the OP is running a 9 speed, by all means run a triple.
For example on a 46-36-26T stock Sugino triple crankset on a 11-34 9 speed cassette, you get a high of 116.8" on 11 and 98.8" on 13 matched with a 46T, but with a 40T and 11T on the 11-36SLX, you get 97.3", but you also gain a 17.8" gear lower than a 11-34 on the 9 speed cassette. In this case, the SLX 10 speed double setup offers all the benefits of the triple, plus a much lower gear at the expense of 1 top 116.8" gear.