After decades of riding my DA 7400 crank, I finally decided it was time to add a granny gear. I had already taken it to a 38/46 with a 13-32 and I have been able to ride it without many problems on the local terrain. But, I just didn't want to get to the point where I couldn't make a climb.

So, I picked up an NOS Ultegra 6503 and my old 7400 goes in the old parts bin. The crank I got is 172.5 and the old one is 170, but so far no issues. My mountain bikes are 175.

I do have to get the hang of proper shifting into the middle gear with downtube shifters. So far so good, although not as smooth as I would like.

I'm running a 30/38/46 setup so I can still run the old gearing and have a bail-out just on case.

John

Excellent! Congratulations. I recently put an Athena-11 triple on my old Bianchi, and I am not ashamed to use it. The shifting, FWIW, is nearly flawless.

You posted this yesterday so I'm guessing you probably have the knack by now. If not, tomorrow for sure. It'll come.

I like the small step size of close ratio rear gears. The only way to to that is with a triple. Once I made the switch, I never looked back.

I only started riding about 5 years ago. Built my bike with a triple (at my wife's insistence), but on the terrain I ride I don't really need it. But I did employ the small ring when I rode with my brother in North Carolina and he took me up one hill that was much more stern than I can ever find at home. Even if I never use it, I haven't switched out as I like the reassurance that it's there if I need it. (And why spend the time and money to convert it back when I may find more use for it as time passes.)

I am heading in that direction, too as some of the hills on my commute seem to be getting steeper every year. Must be soil erosion...yeah, that's it. My MTB-based commuter has a triple, and I have grown very fond of this "Tripple"...

Ah, the endless debate about 3 or 2. Make mine 3 too.

Triples offer the ultimate in versatility. The 42t middle ring can be used exclusively for most of my local riding, I tend to stay in the 10 to 24 mph range and never touch the big ring or small ring. If I'm riding with a fast group and we have a little help from gravity or a tail wind, the big ring can take me to 30mph or more. If I come across a steep climb, the little ring can bail me out.

Campagnolo 10 speed Chorus rear derailleur, Crankset, Ergo levers and brakes

Campagnolo 13-29 ten speed cassette and chain

It will come as I had used friction shifters for years. But I am one of these left hand (FD) right hand (RD) shifters, and my left hand (right brain... lol) isn't trained well enough. I'm riding tomorrow so that will be another learning session.

John

Oh my goodness. Now you've gone and done it. You mentioned the "T" word. Good that you didn't make the mistake of posting this in Road Cycling.

Everyone knows that you'd be 10 to 20 miles per hour faster with a compact double, not to mention they are several pounds lighter than a "T", and "Ts" can never be properly adjusted and you'd win the TDF if you'd just use a compact double etc.

I've been unashamedly using "Ts" for years and love the versatility.

I have done two close-ratio triples.

Back in the early 1970s, when anything more than 5 cogs in back was rare, I built a couple of third-step triples:
50-47-44/14-16-19-23-26 and 49-46-43/13-16-19-23-26. The first provides 13 ratios without any cross-chaining, whereas the second provides 14 ratios while still avoiding large-large cross-chaining.

When I converted the Peugeot to a triple, I went with a more conventional half-step-plus-granny:
48-45-34/13-15-17-19-21-24, which worked out extremely well.

I said yes to a Triple crank, ditched my compact double with no regrets. But down tube shifters? Oh, the horror. Please say it isn't so.

Two triples:
22/32/44 w 11-36 (commuter)
22/42/45 w 11-36 (road bike) The road bike gearing is half-step plus a granny (used to be popular & I like it).

I live in a hilly area, am 75, fat & out of shape. One of my rides climbs 1300+ feet in 6.3 miles and the ratio of climbing feet to miles traveled is typical of conditions around here.

Both bikes shift flawlessly with their Shimano long-cage “Shadow” RDs and appropriate FDs. The road bike is an aluminum Cannodale Synapse (2014 model) with brifters. The commuter is a ‘roaderized’ Gary Fisher 2008 “Hi-Fi Deluxe” MTB.

When I have the bux I’m gonna convert my Giant MTB from 2x10 to 3x10 with 22/32/42 w 11-36 (& maybe even 11-42 to pull a trailer on tour). I really appreciate the advantages of the extreme gearing range 3x10 allows.

Joe

I got so tired of messing with the balky RapidFire thumb shifter on my mountain bike I switched to a cheap Sunrace friction thumbie a month ago. Works great, no more chain rub on the triple.

Only a bit less convenient, but good enough. Still keeping the RapidFire thumbie for the rear derailer. Works fine, and quick RD shifts are more important for my riding.

I like it so well I'm going to swap out the RevoShift twisty grip on the other bike's front derailer for another Sunrace friction thumbie. Never could dial out the chain rub on that bike. But as with the mountain bike I'm keeping the original RevoShift for the rear derailer since it works fine.

I raced in the '70s and fell in love with the 42 combined with 13,14,15,17,19. Still in love with those gears. But 42-19 won't get you up everything. First thing I did after my racing bike was add a 28 inner. Then started adding cogs around that core as FWs and cassettes grew. Rode one season on a racing bike using a double with a smaller inner ring. Hated it. Went triple on that bike. I still have a sweet Campy double ten years later, but absolutely no desire to ride it.

Ben

Yeah, I switch to my 12-25 11-speed cassette if the hills will be reasonable. My Ti long-day / ride everywhere bike is 52-39-30. That 30-25 low gear is comparable to a 34-28 low on a double. I'll ride my 12-29 cassette if the hills are steep (and I want an even wider range).

(I got the slick Crombie cassette tool, dual sided for my Shimano or Campagnolo bikes. It's quite expensive, but cassette swaps are very fast and easy, I don't even remove the quick release.)

The 52-39-30 and 12-25 has close ratios everywhere. And I spend much of the time in the middle ring. I've never had a road bike with a 39 ring, it's very nice on flat to rolling terrain.

I have a bad left thumb, so I can't use a RapidFire for the FD very long. Tried a few things like Gripshift but I grip it well enough. Then I picked up an old XCD 6000 left shifter. It is so massive I can shift with my palm. Works great. My mountain bike is a 2x so I can't say how well it works on the middle gear, but for me it is great.

I also still use a trigger shifter for the RD, but I run it as a rapid rise. Thankfully they never caught on, so I have aquired an adequate supply pretty cheap.

John

That's where I'm heading w/ my road bikes, have the hardware stashed away to install.
The same difficult routes that I rode > 30 years ago on 48GI then now 36GI will demand less GI this season if not next.

Gearing for the low on the toughest local climb one encounters w/o undue stress and the highest one is willing to run out on the downside is proper gearing regardless of what the mfgs are selling as "the new thing".

Back when we built triples for experienced club riders doing big miles in challenging terrain: My turn now.

-Bandera

Love my highs and my lows! 30/42/52 on my Raleigh. I've been thinking about putting a trip on my Anyroad as well.

Your preferences may differ, but I detest RapidFire, particularly on the front. I run old SunTour thumbies in friction mode on the mountain bike and either friction downtube or non-indexed ratchet barcons on the road bikes.

I switched from compact double to 5703 triple 2 years ago, kept my 12-27 cassette. Love it. The difference is not a deal-maker (or breaker) as I could get up all my hills on the compact, but it is a bit easier and may come in handy as I continue to age (God willing!). It also shifts better than the compact ever dreamed of. I now don't hesitate to shift the front.

Apparently, you are not paying attention in class.

What we missed is the sudden rash of terrible front shifting, triples, doubles, compact doubles, etc... Nothing seems to work well and even the attempts by Shimano, SRAM, Campy and FSA to correct the front shifting problems with electronics, batteries and wires has not solved the front problems.

Thus we are seemingly all going to move to a single front chainring and a very wide cassette - 11-42 or something.

You have been warned.

I'd like to purchase a classic looking silver triple for one of my bikes. I can only find a couple of options but both are black - won't look good on my older bike.

Any idea where I may find such a groupset?

How many gears in rear. There's a bunch of 6-7-8 comparable cranks, Sugino XD600 is one, Jensen sells them, $120. Rivendell, Peter a White, Orange Bike shop, have others.

Just Google it.

I searched more last night and think the best if not only solution is to buy parts individually.

I like the Sugino crank you mentioned...thanks!