Below some images for the change from 30T to 24T, so now I have 52-39-24 in the front and 11-32 in the back. The chain is kept the same length, so the behavior on the middle (where most riding is made) and big ring is unchanged. The 52 to 32 gear is quite extreme still, the derailleur officially supports 30 as max on the cassette. I think I still could shorten the chain 1 - 2 links, but I kept it to keep shifting performance on the two larger rings optimal.

When dropping down to the 24T and 11 in the back the derailleur cannot wrap the chain fully. The chain will actually not go slack, but it will rub on itself on the front roller on the derailleur. Of course not optimal, but it still works. There is some rubbing on the three smallest cogs, no problem on the easier gears. As the rubbing gears still work and you get suitable audible noise feedback that you are crosschaining I think this setup is a perfectly acceptable hack .

The front derailleur can shift fine up and down from the small ring. Probably it's a little bit larger risk of chain drop and general mess, but I have a chain catcher there. I've only tested it briefly, we'll see over time how it works in panic power shifts etc.

So the non-rubbing range on the 24T front is 24 to 16 - 32 (11,12,14 cogs rub). The easiest gear on the middle ring is 39 to 32 so there still is plenty overlap of non-rubbing gears. Total range from 24->32 to 52->11 is 630%, more than most mountain bikes.


52 to 32

24 to 11

Changed from 30T to 24T inner