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Old 07-16-13 | 05:43 AM
  #9  
Tourist in MSN
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Madison, WI

Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.

It looks like you are trying to get road gearing but also some low granny gears for when you really need them.

I have 52/42/24 chainrings on both of my derailleur touring bikes. The 24t is aftermarket, the 52 and 42 were stock. The upshift from the 24 to 42 is a bit slow and requires patience, but it gives me the ability to run road gearing for the 97 percent of the time that I want road gearing, and the granny gears for the 3 percent of the time I want really low gears. I however use a bar end friction shifter on the front, I think an indexed shifter would not work with this wide a range. Some front derailleurs might not like that big a range, I have an 80s vintage Suntour derailleur.

I however am using an 11/32 rear cassette, not the narrow range racing cassettes you are considering, but I do not race. I also use an 8 speed rear, you are looking at a 10 speed system.

Go for it. But, get a really long cage for the derailleur so that later if you need to install a larger cassette, you have the ability to take up that much chain. And, when you install the chain, use as much chain as you can with the derailleur taking the slack, if you cut your chain too short that would limit your ability to put on a bigger cassette later.

Also, be ready for finicky front shifting. Consider getting a front friction downtube shifter, that may help with finicky shifts. Years ago, all front shifters were on the downtube and were friction, any bike shop that has a box of cheap vintage old parts will have an old shifter that they can give you.
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