[QUOTE=BikingBillVA;23232989]We have a Santana Spirit and we'd like to have lower low gears for loaded climbing. This is our current setup:

Front:
Crankset: Santana Octalink Triple Carbon 53-39-30 (BCD 130)
Derailleur: Microsoft R10 Triple

Rear:
Cassette: Shimano 11-36 10-speed
Derailleur: Shimano Deore XT

We tried replacing the small chainring with a 24T but the shifting was unreliable: sometimes we would lose the chain, sometimes the chain would go between two chainrings.

Our shop mechanic (who I trust) thinks we'd get much better results with Shimano crankset, but although we have not priced it out yet, that seems unnecessarily expensive. Other ideas about where to go from here?
/QUOTE]

130 BCD crank results in much too high gearing for loaded or credit card touring for mortals. Very few FD are designed for a such a huge range.

When touring, we almost never try to speed down big descents. We coast so we can enjoy the scenery. A loaded tandem goes pretty fast down a big hill even if we coast (~80KPH max). On the flats, you aren't like to be pushing that 53-11.

So my suggestion is to buy a quality 110BCD crank. Doesn't have to be Shimano. SPA Cycle in the UK and various other touring specialists have decent ones pretty cheap. Usually made by Sakae with different brands. TA makes very nice chainrings. My preference is something like 48-36-24 to reduce the gap between the rings which makes the FD's task a little easier. 48T-11T gives you a too high gear already for loaded touring.

I always had problems shifting between the granny and the middle ring. It has never been a slam dunk due to the angle. Maybe Shimano cranks can do better but I haven't had a Shimano triple crank in 20 years. Now days the nicer Shimano cranks are all 2x or 1x.