52/36 chainrings?
 

I inquired a few weeks back about a compact(?) crank used by Ivan Basso on one of the Giro mountain stages. It wasn't a traditional compact crank as the chainrings were 52/36 compared to a compact which has a 50/34

The responses I received is that it was a compact crank but the chainrings were different.

I've not seen 52/36 chainrings anywhere. I've searched a few online retailers and catalogs but to no avail.

Are these chainrings available somewhere that I have not found? Or is this a special custom crankset made for team CSC?

Im currently using a traditional 53/39 but occassionally, I could use one extra gear on extended climbs. I've tried a 50/34 and I don't like loosing the top end.

Sheldon Brown's shop sells chainrings in pretty much every conceivable size... http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/chainrings.html
They don't seem to sell 52T chainrings in the 95 mm BCD...

Perhaps what Basso used was a 110 mm BCD crankset? That's a standard size for touring cranks and 52/36 chainrings are available in that size from Sheldon Brown.

AFAIK, Basso rides on FSA compact rings which have a 110mm BCD and are available in 46/48/50/52 tooth outer rings and 34/36/38 tooth inner rings as listed on the FSA website: http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fly.as...axid=25&pid=67

Many of the pro teams use Specialities-TA rings which are available in just about any tooth count and BCD and are particularly hardwearing.

There is no 95 mm BCD.

Standard "compact doubles" are 110 BCD except for the oddball Campagnolo system that uses 4 bolts at 110 BCD and one at some other random distance, just to force you to use Campagnolo chainrings.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/110 for 110 BCD chainrings

Sheldon "We've Got 'Em" Brown

Oops, I meant 94 mm BCD.

I was trying to say that you didn't carry any 52/36 chainrings in the 94 mm BCD size. Sorry for the mistake.

We don't stock them, but I believe TA makes them. There's very little call for such sizes, because the 94 BCD is mainly used on mountain bikes, and these don't commonly have sufficient chainstay clearance to allow a 52 to be fitted with a decent chainline.

Sheldon "Glad To Special Order One If You Can Use One" Brown

36 & 52 tooth chainrings
 

peugeots & gitanes used come stock with these chainrings, the clusters were 14-26 teeth. between the chainrings was a piece of sheet metal to provide a ramp to aid shifting from the small to large chainring. with the pushrod simplex front derailleurs (design that was kept in production 15 years after it was obsolete), so the upshifts were not lighting fast.

I put together a 52-36 combo 20 years ago . the crankset Gippiemme
a special triple, outer ring, a Campag chainring guard. nice, posh , classic and available..