Readily available alpine chainset?

[pioneer]

Ah, that's more like it.

[Valbrona]

Believe it or not, the alpine double is back! Many modern MTB groupsets now have a double crank, common chainring sizes are 38,24 38,26 and 40,28

These have MTB chainlines though.

[andrew_s]

The Sugino OX601 is available from Hubjub.
It's a road chainset with 110 and 74 bolt circles, and comes as 44/30

[531colin]

Knew I'd seen one.....from Andel......don't know a retailer, though....down to 24T apparently, but they suggest 42/24, which seems a bit of a graunch, I'd want a nice 30T in between those......http://www.andel.com.tw/products/products_show.php?language=_eng&pid=40&cid=18#

[SimonCT]

The old Stronglight 86mm BCD sets are pretty good, especially with the later cranks (Escape and Escapade?) They often come up on Ebay and at cycle jumbles. I recently bought some new 40 and 28 tooth zicral rings from Spa, so perhaps it could be done that way?

I've been using doubles of 40/28 and 42/30 since about 1990 and see no reason to change despite owning triples and IGHs. Fortunately I got a small stock of parts in while I could.

[pwa]

531colin

I like the clean, retro look of those cranks. I would choose something like 40/28 for use round here.

[reohn2]

Ah, that's more like it.

Why is that more like it?

[reohn2]

The Sugino OX601 is available from Hubjub.
It's a road chainset with 110 and 74 bolt circles, and comes as 44/30

Sorry but I have to laugh,£160 for a double with EBB.

[reohn2]

Knew I'd seen one.....from Andel......don't know a retailer, though....down to 24T apparently, but they suggest 42/24, which seems a bit of a graunch, I'd want a nice 30T in between those......http://www.andel.com.tw/products/products_show.php?language=_eng&pid=40&cid=18#

But are such unusually configured chainrings readily available at something like a reasonable cost?

[robc02]

Velo Orange (http://www.freshtripe.co.uk/freshtripe/Drivetrain.html) make a replica of the original TA / Stronglight 49D cranks. The originals offered a lower Q factor than any modern arrangement I have seen by having assymetric BB axles and reducing the gap between the chainring and crank. The small gap makes them unsuitable for modern front derailleurs and even the old ones with flat outer cage plates had to be adjusted carefully. Nevertheless, they were very popular - offering double and triple chainrings from 26T upwards. I see the Velo Orange ones have a wider gap between crank and chainring so the Q factor will be a little wider than TA/Stronglight, but should still be less than a modern triple or MTB double.

These are still expensive compared to a converted Stronglight Impact Triple or MTB triple but I suppose that is the cost of buying a niche product - the same applies to the modern TA / Sugino mentioned above.

[pioneer]

Colin, that Andel set looks good. Velosolo in London deal with them (A very good fixed wheel and single speed kit supplier). That is the sort of thing I was thinking about. So far the TA Carmina and Andel are in the lead. So much modern stuff looks naff. Sugino is nice too, proper classic looking bike kit.

[531colin]

Colin, that Andel set looks good. Velosolo in London deal with them (A very good fixed wheel and single speed kit supplier). That is the sort of thing I was thinking about. So far the TA Carmina and Andel are in the lead. So much modern stuff looks naff. Sugino is nice too, proper classic looking bike kit.

Seen the price of the Carmina?
And those splines to locate the loose spider.....do you Locktite them so they last, or leave them clean so you can swap spiders?

[LuckyLuke]

Hi, I brought a second hand, good condition TA Pro Vis 5 aka 'Cyclotourist' crankset for ~£70.
Spa do replacement rings.
I tried 46,30 with an 8 speed 13-30 cassette on an audax-style bike.
I also tried 42,26 with a 9 speed 13-28 cassette on the same bike.
Nice low Q factor. Looks lovely if you have a retro bike too.
Most of the time one is in the big ring, with occasional forays into the little ring for hills. But on hilly rides I found the jump from the big ring to small too large.
Next up is to try 42,30 with an 8 or 9 speed 12-30 or 12-32.

Sugino used to make a copy of the Pro Vis 5, unfortunately I can't remember the name of the model. Had the same bcd adn takes the same rings though.
On another bike I have a compact chainset 46,34, plus 8 speed 13-34 custom cassette.
This might be an option for you, if you don't mind some biggish gaps between sprockets on the cassette?
e.g. I have 26,30,34. You could reduce these gaps with 9 speed or 10 speed cassettes.

Best wishes,

Luke.

[BigG]

531Colin's worry about the wide gap in a 42/24 chainset is unnecessary. I use a 46/42/24 half step and granny triple with no problems - and no pins or ramps on the 42 as I have been unable to locate one as a middle ring (fixing bolt recess on the inside). I don't index, but a 42/24 double does not need indexing as the limit screws will do the job.

[531colin]

531Colin's worry about the wide gap in a 42/24 chainset is unnecessary. I use a 46/42/24 half step and granny triple with no problems - and no pins or ramps on the 42 as I have been unable to locate one as a middle ring (fixing bolt recess on the inside). I don't index, but a 42/24 double does not need indexing as the limit screws will do the job.

I'm not worried, it just isn't what I choose to do.
I run very standard triples, 24/34/46 or 22/32/44, with 12 or 13 to 34, 8 or 9 speed.
No big gaps, no double shifts, no searching for exotic cranksets or obsolete front mechs.
Some of my rings are pinned, some not, and I can't tell the difference, and no front index.
Like everybody else, I used to run wide doubles when that's what you had to do to get wide ratio gearing, before pinned chainrings and indexing were thought of.