I need your experienced advice, on the best set up, for "Me"!

drwelby wrote:The FSA cranks won't fit your bottom bracket because the spindle is too big - 30mm. Same with the Rotor cranks. But you should be able fit the Sugino cranks which use 24mm spindles. You probably have to change your bearings to the Shimano BB90 set.

Incorrect. It's because the spindle is only 86mm wide and the Trek bottom bracket is 90mm wide. If the bottom bracket were 86mm wide (like a more common BB86 meant for 24mm spindles that are 86mm wide), there's easily bearings to cram a 30mm spindle in there. It just means the ball bearings are a little smaller.

Old Guy wrote:

Great info coming in from every where...which is great!
If nothing else, we are all sure learning a lot about Cranks and Gear Ratios! lol
The Front Derailleur has been mentioned a few times, and I have changed mine, from the stock brazed on one.
I have all Sram components on my bike, including the Front Derailleur which easily slides up and down, to adjust for any Crank.
That problem solved.
Here is a question for you guys.
Like WTF....is wrong with the Bike companies?
WHY is it soooooo insanely difficult to run any gears that you want or need on your bike, without re inventing the Wheel?
Like come on guys.....we are talking about "Bicycles" here! LOL
Two wheels....some pedals a crank and a few gears.
How difficult can it be, to make Hills easy to conquer?
Has No One out there....got....the Simple Fix?
We keep going around and around...yet.....No One has actually DONE THIS YET?
No One out there.....has all the answers in how they did it?
I thought that just buying a 46 x 30 was going to be a simple Fix....I was all set, to just buy one.....and change back to an 11x34 Cassette and be done with it.
But.....every time that we come up with the answer....we then learn.....that the Crank will not fit!
Once again.....WTF?
If we can do Engine swaps .....by putting a 350 Chevy into a VW Bug.....or they have kits to drop a 350 easily into a Jeep.....then why the hell.....can we not decide.....the Best method and the best ways for putting Bigger Gears...onto a simple "Bicycle"?
HILLS and Insane Grades......are an issue for every rider at various times......sooooo......why have the Bike Companies or Shimano and Sram not come up with easy Swaps.....in order to make anyone and any bike.... a Hill Climbing Champ?
What will FIT....in order to make this work????
WHO makes something......where do you Buy it....who sells it.....and does it work???
What are the Cross Bikes using?
No.....I do not want to go Single!
No.....I do not want to go Triple!
So.....lets not even mention those Options.
I have a BB90 .....that will not change!
So.....what 46x30 Crank is going to Fit my Trek?
It seems as if the FSA is not going to work.
So.....what will?
We are talking about "Bicycles" LOL......it should not be this difficult!
There is a Crank and there is a Cassette.
What combination is going to work and "FIT"?
Going to a 48 Crank .......is No Big Change....from a 50 Crank.
46X30.......is what I am looking for.
Does anyone ....have the Know ow, Skill and Experience .....to make this work?
Better yet......has anyone done this yet?
It should not be this Frustrating! LOL

We just told you how to get the gearing you're looking for, fix your excess chain problem and have also mentioned the Shimano Metrea crank which is 46x32 (not quite a 46x30) and the only (known) current option to fit the BB90. Are you here for a solution or to complain?

NoCoGreg wrote:

And along the same theme of "they won't work"...
Mountain FD's which are designed for smaller chainrings do not necessarily have the same cable pull as their road cousins.  So depending upon which brand and model of shifter and FD indexing may not work.  The SRAM 10spd road and mountain shifters and derailleurs are compatible but as others pointed out SRAM changed the cable pull for 11spd mountain shifters.   And what about Shimano?  Their road and mountain gear is simply incompatible.

So for an 11spd drivetrain using a 46t chainring, a SRAM setup with 11spd road shifters, 10spd mtn derailleurs, and 11spd cassette (SRAM or Shimano) should work.  This setup would also allow one to swap to a road FD if shifting on the 46t was problematic.   The one limitation of the SRAM 10spd RD is a 36t max cog.

Cheers,
Greg

Well written!

Sometimes there's not a ton of difference in cable pull for the FD between brands and speeds because they are all working with the same constraints of how long the arm can be and such. While I'm all for using the FD that matches, some may be surprised as to what will work because FD/front shifter cable pulls are somewhat similar. The direction the cable pulls from is often the main difference.

Old Guy wrote:

WHO makes something......where do you Buy it....who sells it.....and does it work???
What are the Cross Bikes using?

"True" cross bikes use single and double cranksets with narrow ranges.  The doubles sold on cross bikes are 46/36 or 50/34.

Yes this can work and as Dangle point out, you have solutions.

A good LBS can order and install all of the parts and make it work.  The mechanics at the shop may have additional solutions and options.

dangle wrote:

Incorrect. It's because the spindle is only 86mm wide and the Trek bottom bracket is 90mm wide. If the bottom bracket were 86mm wide (like a more common BB86 meant for 24mm spindles that are 86mm wide), there's easily bearings to cram a 30mm spindle in there. It just means the ball bearings are a little smaller.

\n \nSorry, that's wrong. BB90, BB86, and BSA external cups all have the bearings in the same place. Trek is a big OEM but they're not getting Shimano and Sram to make them slightly wider cranks. Check the Problem Solvers bottom bracket compatibility chart PDF. \n \nThere are teeny bearings that let you run 30mm spindles in BB86 shells but they have terrible durability problems. The bearings are just too small for the loads.

There are teeny bearings that let you run 30mm spindles in BB86 shells but they have terrible durability problems. The bearings are just too small for the loads.\n-- but remember OP has a BB90/net-mould Trek. I don't believe there is a bearing for 30mm crank spindle to fit this frame. Actually BB90 bearings are of same/similar dimensions as hollow tech ll outboard bearings or PF86.5/91/92 bearings BUT without any cup or nylon sleeve.

Skldmark wrote:There are teeny bearings that let you run 30mm spindles in BB86 shells but they have terrible durability problems. The bearings are just too small for the loads. -- but remember OP has a BB90/net-mould Trek. I don't believe there is a bearing for 30mm crank spindle to fit this frame.

Correct. The bearing OD is small on the BB90 frame and I don't think something with a 37 OD and 30 ID exists. Even the 24x37x7 size would make for some small bearings. Another reason to not like the BB90 Road. I haven't heard of 'terrible' durability problems with a 4630 bearing in a BB86 frame though. You'll also notice that the 'teeny' bearings of a 4130 would be awfully close to the ones used for a BB90 Road setup due to a 37mm bearing OD on the Treks. 37 OD - 24 ID = 13. 13/2 = 6.5 mm to work with. 41 OD - 30 OD = 11. 11/2 = 5.5 mm to work with. I don't know the actual ball sizes for either one. This CyclingTips image helps explain. (Edit: It looks like you added a section. I don't see how the balls could be the same size in outboard bearings. There's no reason to make them smaller since larger bearings would last longer and have less drag. Then again, the newest Shimano outboard bearings are smaller on the outside and require a new tool...)

PF 86/92 and PF30 bearing have nylon sleeve added to their dimension. Subtract that (4mm) and they measure the same as BB90 or BB30,respectively. 37+4=41, 42+4=46. 👍

ljsmith wrote:Old Guy, I wouldn't be so quick to completely blame the bike industry for your lack of choices.  They will make and sell anything if they think they can make a profit.  The gravel market is still small, though it is growing.  To make good profit the parts really need to be useable on road bikes also.  Component companies make most of their money off OEM sales, so unless bike companies want to spec a lot of bikes with a certain part, then it is unlikely that they will make it just for aftermarket sales.  Unfortunately most roadies are much more skeptical of new things than mountain bikers.  I still regularly hear roadies complaining about compact cranks, disc brakes, tires larger than 25c, carbon handlebars etc.  In the mountain bike world people are ready to embrace anything new, but in the roadie world tradition and myths about what is fast cloud what they think about new things.  You can show up to the trail for a mountain ride with just about any bike and any equipment and its cool.  Try showing up for a road ride on a disc brake bike, with 35c tires, mountain pedals/shoes, wearing a hydration pack and you will be made to feel like a moron.

LOL......sooooo True!
Because I am not a Tour de France Wannabe, and I have no interest in Group rides or clubs, I know exactly what you mean, about having to be a Poser, in order to ride a Road Bike.
Before I got into Road Bikes.....I was Hard Core into Harley's, and everything that went along with that Lifestyle.
You name it....we have it!!!....everything from His and Her's Harley's , to a Ford Special Edition Harley Davidson Truck.....to numerous HD watches, HD Belts, HD Back Packs, HD Travle Luggage, HD  Beach Towels, HD Hats, 50 million Leather Harley Davidson Jackets, to the standard Worlds Largest collection of Harley Davidson T - Shirts, from all over the World....HD etc! lol
Harley riders scorn anyone..that does not ride a Harley.
There are lot sof Bikes a million times better than a Harley could ever be....but....if it was not a Harley.....you were looked down up on.
I was a Harley Davidson Poser for 14 years, and still am......and I guess, that was the attraction of Road Bikes.....now I am a Road Bike POSER! LOL
Hey.....don't get me wrong, I Love riding....but..... wearing the Kits and wearing  the Clip In's ...and then being frowned on, if you run anything bigger than a 11x28, along with a Full Size Crank.....its a little much.
Hey...I still wear the Kit...just to Protect my Ass, from the insanely uncomfortable seat...but.....I wear Cargo Shorts over the Kit.....as I feel kind of stupid.....looking like a Lance Armstrong clone.
I want to just Ride and do K's......I do not want, to be made to feel.....as if.....I have to look the part as well.
Do you remember that scene in Dumb and Dumber.....where Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne....were at Aspen....and Harry came walking into the Hotel Lobby wearing that Down Hill Speed suit....with his Aero Speed Helmet and Skiis still on?
Just a little Over Kill! LOL
Well.....that is how...I feel.....when I am riding my Road Bike.....wearing my Kit and every thing else, that goes with it.
If I am going for a Long Ride.....then.....it is OK.....but.....when ever doing short rides of 12 Ks or less......I would rather wear my Cargo Shorts and some Nikes and be Comfortable.
Road Bike guys are exactly like Harley guys.
Most of them are just POSERS......who wear the Uniform, in order to just Fit In and look the part.
Thats why I like MTB guys....they just do their own thing.....and NO ONE..Gives a F#@K!
OK.....enough said about "US" POSERS! LOL
Lets talk about the Bike Industry missing the Boat!
The Older Guys...like me......have just recently discovered, how much FUN riding can be ( Again)!
We all rode as Kids, but.....now....as we are all getting Older...we now realize that Golf SUCKS...and Harley's are soooooo Frigging Dangerous, what with everyone Texting  on the roads, and Non Stop Texting while driving at 100 MPH!.....so what better way, to stay in shape, or get into shape..than  by doing it on a Bike!
Having said that....at least the Texting Car Drivers,  could HEAR my Harley beside them, ...where as riding a Road Bike, is probably 4x as Dangerous as riding a Motorcycle could ever be!
May be?....we should put some Baseball Cards in our Wheels of our Bikes.....they might Hear that? lol
So there is a Big market out there, for BIGGER Gears.... for the Older and Younger riders out there.
Every One is wanting to Climb....but....do we all have to SUFFER while doing it?
If the Bike companies were to actually WAKE UP, to the fact, that the Older generation is wanting to get back on their Bikes, and Ride and Tour and hit the Trails and the Gravel Roads and Explore...while spending their Money on their Bikes and their accessories and their Parts.
Not everyone is wanting to enter the X Games or do the Giro Italia, some of us...MOST OF US.....are just wanting to Ride, and enjoy the Ride...no matter what type of bike it might be on!
At one time.....Roadies would Laugh ..if you ever told them, that they would be using an 11x34 Cassette in the Tour de France.
Alberto Condator does, and so do the other Big Names, on the Big Climbs.
So....if a Highly Trained Pro Tour Rider, can use an 11x34 cassette on their Pro Tour  Climbs, what is wrong, with some Old Goof....using an 11 x 46 or MUCH BIGGER cassette for their Local Hills and Steeps?
I am sure, that by the time, that I am Dead and Gone.....that they will have every recreational rider out there, Climbing Grades of 20 Degrees and Steeper, with Ease.....with Bigger Gears that are made for Climbing.
I am not asking for it to be Super Super Easy.....BUT.....No One..should have to SUFFER and Kill themselves, by trying to get up a Steep Grade.....on some Gears, that ONLY a Pro Rider could climb that hill on.
Hey.....if you are in your Teens or in your Early Twenties....and all you do is Ride....than F%#K  YA.......you should be embarrassed if you can't climb most grades with your 11x34.
But.....us 60 year old guys......are needing some much BIGGER Gears .....that will let us and want us to do it again, and again and again and again.
Very much like Viagra does for us, NOW! LOL
Ya......lets "all" get a piece of the action, before the Bike Industry jumps on "MY" Idea.
You heard it hear FIRST!
We will call them "VIAGRA" Gears!
They will "GET YOU UP".....and make you want to do it ....Again and again and again!
The warning on the packaging will say.....If you find yourself  wanting to GET UP another Hill, after 4 Hours....consult  your Doctor or Physician or your Bike Mechanic.
"Viagra" Gears......"MY IDEA"!!! LOL
Here is another question for you experienced riders out there.
I have been looking for an 46x30 Crank for my Trek.
I have had a million suggestions,  and equally as many ideas on what will work and not work on my BB90 Frame. 
I was told originally that n FSA 46x30 would work, that turned out to be not true.
Then  I was directed over to White and some other brand .....which were all Helpful ideas.
How come.....Not even the guy, who happens to work in a Trek Shop???....has never ever mentioned or suggesting .....just staying with my 50x34 Crank, and just replacing the 50 with a 46.... and replacing the 34 with a 30????
Doh!
Would that not solve a lot of problems, and grieve.... in trying to find a crank that will fit my BB90 Trek Frame?
That way.......if it works GREAT?........I can then look at, replacing my Crank with something else.
I can not believe that no one has suggested just keeping my crank and just switching out the 50 and the 34?
They do come off.....do they not?
You can replace them.....can you not?
If so......I think ...that we have solved, one of the issues.
Would that not be a very simple and easy quick Fix....for now.
That way......I can just throw my old 11x36 back on the bike......and see......if that Fix's my Sloppy Shifting problems, while still giving me lots of Gears to climb with?
Can I not.....just convert "My Stock" 50x34 Crank to a 46x30 Crank and avoid searching for another Crank to fit my bike?
That would seem, like an Obvious Quick Fix.
If....it doesn't help.....I have not wasted any money on a New Crank....for nothing.
I would like to know....why Mr Trek Shop guy.....did not suggest this, in the first place?
Bikes seem to be, so Prehistoric..... when it comes to New Technology, and people having the answers to everything, when it comes to what works and what doesn't work.
I took my Trek into one of the better Bike Shops in our area......they deal with Racers etc.
Well.....when I asked them to stick my 11X40 cassette on the Bike, and get it to work with my Sram RED Shifters......it was like, I was asking them to build me an Atomic Bomb or something!
Like WTF!
They work on Bikes 24/7 and yet.....they had no frigging idea.....how to do it????
Seriously, we had to send them a You Tube clip, to show them how the Vegan Rider did his!
The had never ever heard of a Road Link before?
Once again.....Like WTF????
I would be embarrassed, if I was a Bike Mechanic, and made my Living by working on Bikes.....and I had some Old Goof......having to tell me, how to do it ...and how to make it work! lol
It seems as if these HOT SHOT Bike Mechanics, only know how, to put air in tires and Bells on Bikes!
The Bike industry seems to be so Stagnant and behind the times.... on New Ideas and New Products and very little shared Information?
I would think, that any Good Bike Mechanic should be able to figure out, how to put an 11x52 on a Road Bike..and make it work.....Perfectly!
I would think, that any Good Bike Mechanic should KNOW......Exactly......what MAKE and Model of a 46x30 Crank Set, will fit a Trek with a BB90 on it, and what Size Cassette will work on it...to make Climbing..... a Breeze!
So far......we have gotten lots of GUESSING......so far we have gotten Lots of Bad Advice......but as of yet......we have not gotten even One Reply ...from anyone.....saying......this is what they did.....and this is how to do it....and this is why....it will work!
Like I was saying, I would look for another Job......if I was a Bike Mechanic.....and I did not have all the answers to any questions that came up, when it comes to a Bike and gearing.
Anyone can stick a tube in and pump up some tires.....anyone can put a Kick Stand on a Bike.....anyone can put a chain on a bike......but......I can't believe that NONE of these Bike Mechanics, know F#%K ALL.....when it comes to Gears and Crank Sets....and how to do it.... and where to get the parts.... in order to do it.
Its just a Bike people!
2 Wheels......a Frame.....some Pedals......a Crank and a Cassette, and of course....Front and Rear Derailleurs!
How Frigging difficult does this have to be?
I tell ya......My "Viagra" Gears......will be on everyones Bike, in the next 2 or 3 years!
See.....the Bike Industry, is totally Brain Dead!
Even they, couldn't see the $$$$ signs......that "CUM".... with my "Viagra" Gears! LOL
You are probably asking yourself......what is the Name of our Company, that will be making the "Viagra" Gears?
Of course...it will be called......the ....."GET IT UP" Gear company!
"MY" idea! LOL

 




 

 

NoCoGreg wrote:

"True" cross bikes use single and double cranksets with narrow ranges.  The doubles sold on cross bikes are 46/36 or 50/34.

Yes this can work and as Dangle point out, you have solutions.

A good LBS can order and install all of the parts and make it work.  The mechanics at the shop may have additional solutions and options.

The 46x36 does not help at all.......as I already have a 34....soooo.....why would I go Up?
Im looking for Climbing Help.....the 46 would be an improvement, but the 36 defeats what I am looking to do.
46x30 is the way to go.
Thanks for your take on things, but......we haven't really found the solution to date, we just have a few ideas.
But do appreciate them all.

OK... who's gonna esplaine why this cranks crankset won't accept a 30t chainring...

Oh, Ok.

Old friend, you cranks use the 110mm bolt circle pattern. Because of the where the bolts are, the smallest chainring you can fit on the inside is 34 teeth. Stronglight makes a 33 chainring that they managed to make work, but it's probably not worth the 3% drop in gearing.

So in summary:

Since you have the Trek with the BB90 bottom bracket you're limited to a 24mm spindle crankset, which would be GXP from Sram or Hollowtech 2 from Shimano. They're slightly different so if you switch to a Hollowtech 2 crankset you'll have to change to the correct bearings.

There seems to be only one off-the-shelf option for 30/46 and that's the Sugino OX601D. It uses Hollowtech 2 bearings.

You could also try the Shimano Metrea. It's 32/46, but it looks like you can swap the 32 for a 30 from the XT triple (cross your fingers). The chain guard is removable. It's also Hollowtech 2. As far as I know you'll have to mail order it from Europe.

The other option if you can go another 10% lower in gearing would be to try a Sram X5 or X7 28/42 GXP mountain crank. Caveats are that the you'll need to add some spacers, chainline will be a little off, and it's not 11 speed so the shifting won't be as good. But they're cheap, usually in $100-150 range these days.

This thread makes my head hurt.

Old Guy, I remember the days of 52-42 and 12-17 straight blocks, I still have some, lol. You would have loved that!

Seriously, maybe you can adjust your riding routes to have less climbing until you gain some fitness and you have the right gearing. I agree that the manufacturers will start to make smaller cranksets in the near future, it is already starting. A few years ago the gravel tire selection was really limited, now it seems like every week or so a new tire comes out. 

More coffee? lol!

Most of us here,I bet, have more than one bike. Bikes with different setups. I'd (me myself)would look for a nice used triple chainring 9or10 speed bike. There are some older bikes, '90's early '00's, that I like better than some of the brand new stuff, both big manufactures and smaller builders (Serotta,CoMotion,etc). \n--60something/ex-bike mechanic/tire pumper/bell installer --Cheers.

Skldmark wrote:PF 86/92 and PF30 bearing have nylon sleeve added to their dimension. Subtract that (4mm) and they measure the same as BB90 or BB30,respectively. 37+4=41, 42+4=46. 👍

You're absolutely right. I can't believe I let that slip, especially after the amount of 6806 bearings I have bought. My hatred of BB90 (and the only reason I don't own a Trek even though I live just south of them) must be clouding my memory. Thanks for the correction. I deleted my sentence above.

OldGuy,
I think there is a misperception or misunderstanding that bikes are somehow simple and one should be able to do "anything".  There often are kludges to work around limitations, because as you found with your current setup you fixed one problem but introduced another (poor shifting).

Simplest solution, replace the Trek with a bike that has a triple crankset.   There are lots of options for very high end bicycles with triples and these will be setup with the looooow gears you desire.  Yes they'll also have gears higher than you'll normally use, but when slaloming down a mountain road with a tailwind you just may learn to enjoy that top gear.

Don't want a triple?  Then find a new bike which already has the 46/30 or one of the other "new" smaller cranksets, or replace the Trek with a bicycle that has a bottom a "more standard" bracket and have the shop replace the cranks.  

Sadly there is no true "standard" bottom bracket but the PF30 and English threaded bottom brackets are probably the closes there is to a "standard"...  The same lack for no standards holds true for so many other parts of bicycles. There's lots of history (aka legacy), market forces, and physics which drive the choices that manufacturers make.  I might not agree with the decision to move to the 12mm threaded front wheels, but I understand the argument for why this is happening (Disclosure: I'm a retro guy and am happy with old school quick release wheels). 

As for the comments about "Posers", you're painting with a very broad brush and from your comments and questions it's clear you're new to cycling and have little experience and knowledge of the details and goings on.  So here's a bit of info...  Some "posers" are of the same cloth as the Yankees baseball fan who likes to wear a Yankees jersey or hat.  Other "posers" are in clubs or amateur teams where corporate sponsors provide $$$ and in return the posers ride in their kits.  I have a friend who sometimes wore a team Motorola pro kit (helmet, down to the socks) and even rode on a Motorola bike.  Sure, he wasn't on the team but this was all gear he was given while racing with the Motorola team in Europe.  C'mon out to Colorado where on a nice day it's likely you'll see current pro's and semi-pro's as well as other elite athletes trying to make that next step up.  (For example I met another former Euro pro on my last GG) You'll also see posers who like the fact that the high end gear really is comfortable on a long hot ride.

Cheers and keep the rubber side down,
Greg

Just got confirmation that the XT 30t chainring does fit on the Metrea crank.

So I live here in rural Pa. with lots of hils/short mt but are steep. I have never owned a double bike. I am 66 and in fair shape but my bike excels on hills against people half my age when we start climbing because of the triple. I can't tell you my gears but I know I have a 12 x 27 casette on now and am going for a 11 x 32 or 12 x 32 to climb Pikes Peak with some friends the end of July. I really don't use my top set of gears unless I am in a pace line around 25-30 mph or going downhill. From what I read the triple sounds like the best set up for you. You didn't state how much you weighed but any weight you can lose will for sure help you climbing. I have a heart rate monitor I wear while riding so I can monitor myself on how hard I am working on the bike. I don't know muh bout bikes but know that you have to have what they call a long derailer to get the 12 x 32 or 11 x 32 cassette on your wheel. 

Keep riding and good luck
Zman

moe53 wrote:This thread makes my head hurt.

Old Guy, I remember the days of 52-42 and 12-17 straight blocks, I still have some, lol. You would have loved that!

Seriously, maybe you can adjust your riding routes to have less climbing until you gain some fitness and you have the right gearing. I agree that the manufacturers will start to make smaller cranksets in the near future, it is already starting. A few years ago the gravel tire selection was really limited, now it seems like every week or so a new tire comes out. 

More coffee? lol!

All kidding aside, You have hit on one of the main issues, for everyone involved in any sport.
Being "FIT" is the key, to anything that you are wanting to do, in any sport.
Whether that be Snow Skiing - Bare Foot Water Skiing - or Running etc.....being "FIT" is where it all starts and ends.
That is no more apparently clear, that when it comes to Cycling.
I just want to also say, that I really appreciate all of the advice and feed back, that all of you guys, have supplied.
Your information ...has been so much more on Target....than any of our Local Bike Shops could have ever given or provided.
I sincerely appreciate your help.
Having said that..sometimes......things are misread, as to the way....that they were intended at the time, and I apologize ...if any of you thought that I was being disrespectful to anyone group ( Posers ) or to any of your ideas or suggestions.
When I refer to Posers.....I am meaning people like "ME" lol.....who have all the Gear and all the Top end products and the "LOOK" ...yet....they truly SUCK, at  the Sport that they are participating in.
Riding Harley Davidson's is the best example of Posers.
Everyone that rides a Harley.....are all Wannabe "Hells Angels"..but in Truth.....they are all that Nerdy Kid that we all grew up with....who are now Accountants and Pencil pushers for the most part.
I am not referring to the REAL Cyclists who Live and Breath the Sport.....the guys who Train and Ride......and who are committed to the Sport.
What I am referring to, when I mention Posers.....is guys like "Me".....who wear the Kit and have the Top End bikes and the latest products...who just expect to be able to do it all....without putting in the Time and Training required to Climb the Steepest Hills and Grades.
We want to compensate for the lack of our Climbing Fitness, not by getting Fitter.....but....by going with Bigger and Bigger gears!
You are absolutely right.
I might as well.....just get an E Bike or a Quadruple Crank ( after a while, even the Quadruple will not be BIG Enough! lol ) ...or may be just go back to my Harley...if....I am not gong to work on getting Fitter and Fitter and Fitter!
Once again......you are so Right!
It is all about Fitness, for the most part.
Fitness when you are Young....just happens, for the most part...and is so much easier to acquire.
Fitness as you age, is something that you have to dedicate yourself to....24 / 7.
Yes.....having the Big Gears is "helpful" at times...but...I am seeing more and more, and "Feeling it" lol  more and more......that "Fitness"... is the Best Gear....that Money can buy.
Thanks for saying it like it is.
Till I started this Post....I had no idea.....how limiting the BB90 is on the Treks.
I just assumed....that Trek had it all figured out....guess ...I was wrong about that?
I also assumed, that it would be easy.....to just swap out gears and Build or do what ever you wanted, when it came to Cranks and Cassette's?
Once again.....you guys opened my eyes, to how it really works....and WHY.
I appreciate all of your suggestions and advice.
Forums like this....is where you get to talk to the Real Riders out there, and that is why I knew...."you guys".....would have all the answers to my Issues, with my own Bike.
Having said that though.......you would think....that it would be so much easier to do....what ever it is .....that you are wanting to do...with your own bike? lol
The Industry....sure has a long way to go, when it comes to R and D....when it comes to making Bikes.....so much better, for what ever type of Riding a person is wanting to do.
I get passed, all the time......by guys ...on OLD Steel 3 Speed Bikes.....seriously.....these guys are just Flying up the Hills.....yet.....I am struggling.....with my 11x40! LOL
Yup......being FIT......is what it is all about.
Thanks for Slapping some Reality into me! LOL
Thanks again for all the advice and Info.....all of you guys have been Great...and so helpful!
Keep any ideas coming....but.....I think.....that I will be steering clear of Treks, when I am looking for my Next Bike.
Thanks again guys!










 

Here's another option to get 30/46:

Get a Shimano 105 5703 Triple crank. Take off the 39 and 50 rings and replace them with a Sugino 46t inside position ring and shorter bolts. 


More wacky ideas:

Get a triple crankset, take the shifty bits out of the left shift lever or get the 1X version, and run a friction bar-end shifter on the left side.