Originally Posted by
HillRider
Keep in mind Heine is selling cranks so his analysis can be a bit self-promoting. Also, he never mentions the difficulty of finding a front derailleur capable of shifting the half-step gearing he advocates.
Yes Shimano sells 50/39/30 triples but the current 105 triple (FC-5700) has a 74 mm bolt circle for the granny so you can fit as small as a 24T granny ring in place of the 30. That will give a plenty low gear for almost any rider if combined with a wide enough range cassette.
I'm not going for lower gearing but to optimize my gearing for a better shift pattern and better chain line. I'm trying to achieve a 46/40/30 or 46/40/26 gearing so that I can have true crossover gearing for my outer and middle rings. This would allow me to avoid double shifting since I like to use down tube shifters. Do you think an Ultegra 6800 double front derailleur would be compatible with this gearing?