I've just "downgraded" a bike from 2X9 hollowtech to 3X8 square taper
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My 19 year old Giant ATX MTB frame broke after 35,000 miles of daily commuting and one too many crocheted chain incidents (I swear I service my bike properly !) - the last part of Tigger's bike - apart from the handlebar - and I was so desperate, I even asked if I could get the chainstay welded.
I failed to find a suitable frame or knackered bike to pillage, found I couldn't trust the average private second-hand seller, couldn't see myself on anything new in Evans, so went to a second-hand shop with a decent reputation where I was made an offer I found I couldn't refuse ...
It has made me realise that my 2001 Giant was a "mountain bike" only in the sense of having 26 inch wheels and (seized up) suspension fork (that might as well be a couple of bedposts - I had plans to buy a sensible Surly fork - eventually)... despite which I've done regular 20s, quite a few 50s and even a couple of flat 70 mile day rides - plus some modest overnight camping trips on it ...so it had a touring rack, comfy saddle, Sputnik rims
and similar to the OP, gearing of 28/38/48 with 11-34 megarange cassette.I went to the shop hoping for a cheap replacement aluminium frame, but they had none - but pointed me to this amazing orange,
steel mountain bike that I could actually ride home ... by this time I realised I could do with a more forgiving fork, and brakes that worked - and confess I thought it looked "cool" too ..
(In my wild "biker" days I'd hankered after a lowrider )
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I was sorry to lose the lovely Hollowtech BB, but the bike had come with a dual chainring crank and I need the gearing range I can squeeze out of 3 sprockets.
A new 9 speed triple crankset is over £40, a complete 3x9 setup including SRAM shifters comes to about £120 ... and I have several new 8 speed cassettes and a couple of chains and I wasn't confident I could mix and match ...
If the right parts come my way, I will happily "upgrade" - I love the Hollowtech bearing and hated fitting the square taper kit off my old bike - ... and I'm struggling to find 38 tooth middle sprockets these days - so I suspect I'll end up with a 36 tooth "9 speed" sprocket in any case.
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So I mark my 60th year with a new "touring" bike (I'm very fortunate in that I won't be doing any more commuting) that actually wants to go downhill - but the local roads and paths I ride on are rough and I may find myself going "off-piste" more than usual - who knows, one day I may put on my new spare wheels with their huge nobblies and the wide handlebar and give it a semi-serious try - I'm about to order a dropper seatpost - mainly to make it easier to get on and off and to sit at traffic lights ... it's been something of a shock to realise I need a whole lot of new kit and skills to maintain the fork and hydraulic brakes - so I'm likely to want to justify the effort and expense every now and again - if only by dropping off kerbs with confidence ... I can't see myself "shredding" it at the local "pump track" (I like my teeth and bones the way they are
)
Doubtless one day I may acquire something more sensible - perhaps own more than one bike, but it will be interesting learning what I can do with this new sure-footed device - while annoying those who think it's all "wrong" ...
So the new bike has provided only frame, fork and brakes...
The only ORIGINAL Giant part is the handlebar