Originally Posted by
DropBarFan
I'm using the Shimano Deore FC-M590 48/36/26 crankset + 11-34 cassette, works pretty good. For loaded hilly touring a 22-tooth chainring would probably help a bit; OTOH I'd like to have a 50 (or even 52) tooth for descents. Anyway the FC-M590 is 9-speed but supposedly it's compatible w/10-speed chain. Price is reasonable at ~$65; middle & inner rings are steel which is sorta kewl old-school. & Shimano also offers it in 44/32/22.
Is it pretty much determined that the 4-arm Shimano cranks are MTB cranks and the 5-arm cranks road cranks? Very rarely am needing to get down a mountain faster. I'll sacrifice that part of my options to get better uphill options. I like the option suggested on the FC-M590. Right now I'm thinking of having 50/39/26 on mine.