10 speed triple 48-36-26 ?

[hipvelo]

I'm thinking about a new lightweight tourer for my wife, based on a Van Nicolas Yukon. Does anyone know if there is a 48-36-26 or, even better, a 46-36-24 triple chain ring set that would be compatible with one of the Shimano 10 speed road groups - 105 or Ultegra? In particular, I'd like her to combine with a 12-30 or 11-32 10 speed cassette to give very low gears for climbing steeps (we live in the North York Moors).

I know it can be done with 9 speed (if the parts are still available?) but the gaps between adjacent gears are rather big.

We have 53-42-30 with 9 speed 11-34 on our present tourers and could easily lose the top gear in favour of the low end and smaller gaps.

Thanks,
Steve

[iandriver]

I beleive the inner chain plate spacings are the same on 9 and 10 speed chains. Shouldn't be a problem using a 9 speed chainset if you're convinced you need 10 at the back. My experience is 9 to 10 on the rear is hardly noticeable gear spread wise and the reliability of 10 speed chains is suspect due to thinner plates.

PS latest 105 and up is 11 speed.

[bryce]

I'm running a 9 speed front mech and chainset with a 10 speed chain and cassette. It's fine. If you want 105, try to get the shifters in the sales as 105 is going to 11 as mentioned above.

Why not run 48-36-24? I'm running 50-39-26. It means buying a new inner ring as well as the crank-set but does provide a decently low gear while still having a tighter spaced cassette.

10 speed road mechs often are specified to go to 32 cog cassettes these days. One of the great improvements of the move to 11 speed, roady gear now takes bigger cogs.

[Valbrona]

You need a 110/74 BCD triple chainset, like the ones Spa Cycles do, ie. Stronglight Impact Triple and Sugino. Both these fit to regular threaded bottom brackets, and the assumption is that the Yukon takes one of these.

Note that the LH shifter needs to be a triple one and the cage on the RD needs to be long enough to cope with a triple set-up.

[Keezx]

"Normal"road triples have 130/74 or 135/74 BCD but Sugino/Stronglight make 110/74 BCD triples which work fine with
9 or 10 speed whatever you want.
With a 26 or 24 you don't need big cogs either, so no huge gaps.

[freeflow]

I have successfully used a 9 speed deore xt 44/32/22 chainset with ultegra 6703 front mech and 6603 sti, 9 speed xt sgs rear mech and 11-36 cassette. The front mech sat a lot higher than recommended by shimano to avoid hitting the chainstay when on the inner chainring.

[hipvelo]

Thanks for the speedy replies.

Regarding Stronglight Impact cranksets, I was unclear about the outcome of this discussion:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25489 I've also seen question marks about the availability of Stronglight 38mm middle ring replacements.

I was aware of the new 11 speed 105 and am considering this to replace my SRAM Apex 10 speed (which I don't like, particularly the FD which either overshifts or does not shift on going from 34 to 50 rings) on my day bike (Van Nicolas Mistral). I'd need new 11 speed wheels too.

I do notice that the SRAM 10 speed 11-32 spacings are smaller than the 9 speed (11-32 or 11-34 - I've had both) on my audax bike. 11 speed should bring another improvement.

I don't suppose anyone has worked out a triple/11 speed solution using matching shifters? I guess 11 speed may be a bit too delicate for a tourer!

[Keezx]

Leave the 11 and 12 out (useless on a touring bike) and all you need is 9 speed.....
10 years ago I refused to "upgrade"and still use 9 speed (on racing bikes)
Cheap cassettes and chains still plenty available.
I even use chainrings from the 6 speed times without any problem.

[bryce]

11 speed shifters or an 11 speed cassette?

I'm running a triple with 11 speed shifters and a 10 speed cassette. Campagnolo shifters work with triples even the ones that aren't triple specific. Shimano 10 speed cassette spacing is very close to 11 speed. If you want to upgrade to 11 speed then you can wear out your 10 speed wheels using 11 speed shifters and mechs.

[samsbike]

Am I correct that the stronglight cranksets are not hollowtech? Therefore any change from shimano road will involve a new BB?

[Valbrona]

Yes. Stronglight are mostly Neolithic-style JIS cartridge BBs, at least if you want to use one of their 110/74 BCD triples. They do have their own ActiveLink integrated axle bottom bracket system but at the moment do not have a 110/74 BCD triple to fit it.

[Brucey]

Leave the 11 and 12 out (useless on a touring bike) and all you need is 9 speed.....
10 years ago I refused to "upgrade"and still use 9 speed (on racing bikes)
Cheap cassettes and chains still plenty available.
I even use chainrings from the 6 speed times without any problem.

I am of this view also.

You can get an 11s triple setup if you go campag but you won't be able to use a current campag triple chainset, 30T inner ring is it. Same goes for a lot of current shimano designs. The previous generation of shimano 'road' triples uses a 74mm inner BCD and will take down to 24T.

As Keezx says all you 'gain' with 10s and 11s setups is usually just a load more tiny cogs you won't use on a touring bike except very occasionally when going downhill. If you think you know what gears you use most often I am sure that someone can figure out a really useful set of ratios using 9s or 8s parts; you can't avoid a mighty overlap between the ranges offered by those (or indeed any, pretty much) chainrings...

cheers

[mercalia]

Yes. Stronglight are mostly Neolithic-style JIS cartridge BBs, at least if you want to use one of their 110/74 BCD triples.

Ouch. That cant be right must be aleast Iron Age? I cant remember digging up any stone BBs from eg Grimes Graves in Norfolk lol

[reohn2]

Yes. Stronglight are mostly Neolithic-style JIS cartridge BBs, at least if you want to use one of their 110/74 BCD triples.

Ouch. That cant be wrong must be aleast Iron Age? I cant remember digging up any stone BBs from eg Grimes Graves in Norfolk lol

But I can remember a lot of people complaining of the 'new age' out board BB system not lasing very long though.
BTW they still build houses from stone,not many complaints there ......

[hipvelo]

Can I get this discussion back on track rather than continue the pre-historical cycling theme please

For those of you running a 9 speed crankset (e.g. 48-36-26)/FD with 10 speed 105 STIs - could I ask if there's a problem with adjusting the front derailleur to overcome chain rubbing for the extreme gears of the rear cassette (I'm thinking 11-32 to give a bottom gear of 21 inches)?

My LBS is suggesting 10 speed 105 STI/RD with 9 speed LX FD and crankset though they have warned there may be some chain rubbing (on up to 3 gears). They don't seem too keen on the Stronglight route (perhaps they've read the Neanderthal descriptions in this thread ) Incidentally, the BB on the VN Yukon is a standard 68mm English thread.

The alternative is to keep to 9 speed as some of you have suggested.

Thanks again for your responses.