Originally Posted by
Paul Barnard
Wow, I really appreciate the time you put into providing that response. That is close. I will need a clamp on vs braze on FD. I'd like to drop the crank down a few notches. If there were a path to a 42-26 and 11-36, I think that would be close to ideal. I'd need substantial chain wrap capacity in my RD for that. I could make do with a 40-26 and 11-34. That puts a lot of Mid cage derailleurs into play.
Gevenalle just announced that they are expecting a shipment of new products in May. That means I could pair them with a Shimano Mountain drive train. That opens a lot of doors.
From what I understand SRAM Apex 2x10 will work with any of their exact actuation derailleurs. That brings their mountain derailleurs into the picture.
As far as I can tell, those are the only two paths for a the kind of gearing I want with mechanical road drop bar shifters.
I am a fan of super-compact doubles for all-around bikes. I am not riding in a pace line at 30 mph so I don't need a 50T chainring. As such, when I did a vintage frame rebuild I used a 2x10 set-up with a SRAM x5 39-26 crankset - affordable and effective.
It works well for me and I don't spin-out until well over 20 mph - plus lots of hill-climbing gears. I ride in the 39T most of the time and can run up/down the 11-32 cassette - except for the 39-32 combo where I can hear the chain complaining. This x5 uses an external, threaded BB - a simple install and no problems in about 2000 miles of riding.
Since the FD is friction with the Gevenalle shifters you should have many FD options that can be made to work without compatibility issues. I suggest that you call Gevenalle to inquire about the specific drive train that you want to use before you buy anything. You may need to adjust the chain line a bit using shims - a call to Lynskey with your specifics would help answer this question.
I don't know if SRAM still makes this particular 39-26 crank set - but there are plenty of possibilities when you search. The 42-28 below might work for you - $150.
https://www.amazon.com/Truvativ-X-0-.../dp/B004HNVERE
