I've run several of the combinations seen in the article.\n \n(I was amused to see my photo of my Soma Double Cross with 3x10 gearing used in the article: see the photo under "9/10 Speed Option: Shimano Road Triple Groupset with a 24/26t Small Chainring")\n\nThey all work but each has it's own issue.\n\nTriples;\n\nI find triples are the most versatile, offering a deep climbing range on the smallest chainring while providing tight cog spacing. However, triples require operator finesse and can't always provide quick chainring shifts.\n\nI've used a 48, 36 & 22 Deore nine speed crankset with a 12-27 nine-speed road cassette with Tiagra STI levers , a Tiagra triple front derailleur and a Deore nine speed rear derailleur. Most of the time the 22 inner chainring is never used. When needed, the inner chainring provides a 60rpm cadence at 4mph. \n\nI've used a 50, 39 & 26 Shimano 105 10-speed crankset with a 12-27 ten-speed road cassette with 105 STI levers , a 105 triple front derailleur and an Ultegra 10-speed long cage rear derailleur. When needed, the inner chainring provides a 50rpm cadence at 4 mph. \n\nMy double combination was is not listed but works with economical Shimano components and a Sram cassette.\n\nI'm using a 46 & 33* Shimano CX50 ten speed crankset with a 11-36 eleven speed cassette with Shimano 11-speed STI levers , a 5800 front derailleur and a 5800 long cage 11-speed rear derailleur. When needed the inner chainring provides a high cadence at speeds less than 10mph and can climb at 3.7 mph while seated with a 50rpm cadence. \n\n2x11-speed drivetrains can offer the range of a triple but the wide range cassette create larger changes in cadence with each gear change. This can be a minor issue on flat sections or against headwinds. For example, the Sram 11-36 cassette includes the following cogs: 11,12,13,15,17,19,22,25,28,32,36. The gap between the 13 and 15 cog is particularly noticeable.\n\n*A 33 5 bolt 110bcd chainring is available from TA Specialties\n
Rotor 46/30 crankset myself. Originally running 11-32, now running 11-28. I guess an inverted gear of 30/32 is good at bike-packing but I found it to be silly to spin that, I felt that walking was always more efficient. I just felt like there was enough resistance and go on the 28 that I always preferred that spot, on the cassette I wasn’t getting enough use on the 32. Some day I might end up giving an 11-30 cassette a try.
As the original owner of 1950 legs, I've gone with the 3x to 2x conversion. 38/28-32 up front and 11-36-40 depending on the terrain. FD is a braze on so it was a bit tricky, but it works.
Crossbones - very cool, I was wondering if that conversion was possible and I don't think I've seen photo proof of it till now. Any lower and that FD cage might hit the chainstay!
Thanks. If I could get the FD a little lower I would. There is about 4mm clearance and it might be better for the shift up to the 38 to be a bit lower. The LBS said the chain might overthrow to the 38. It didn't on the first test ride, but I mounted the guard ring anyway since it's a gravel ride. The shift to and from the 28 has been bulletproof so far. I had this set-up on a Redline with a clamp FD and had more vertical adjustment. It worked great at Black Fork in central Ohio in '17 so I had to have it on the Trek. If the CX70 FD braze-on had 2 mounting holes like the old SRAMs it would have been duck soup. Really happy it works on the Trek braze-on mount.
I've been running 46/30 up front with a 12-32 rear (customized Shimano cassette) and I like it. I don't need a huge top end for dirt/gravel, but the low end comes in handy in the really steep stuff around New England (12-15% grades on dirt roads are common), especially toward the end of rides. As someone who's primarily a roadie, I like to keep the gearing jumps reasonable, which is why a 1X is not in the cards.
Ive gone even lower with a sram mtb 42/28 crankset and 11-36 cassette. Also live in the northeast ( hudson valley,ny) and the gravel roads here are steep and rough. Very happy with the gearing, no probs shifting.
I would have done the same, but our bikes require cranks with road chainlines. There are a lot of really nice MTB cranks out there at bargain prices. We do a fair amount of riding in VT and I imagine the road are similar. Then again, in many cases the dirt roads are better than the pave roads.
bnystrom wrote:I've been running 46/30 up front with a 12-32 rear (customized Shimano cassette) and I like it. I don't need a huge top end for dirt/gravel, but the low end comes in handy in the really steep stuff around New England (12-15% grades on dirt roads are common), especially toward the end of rides. As someone who's primarily a roadie, I like to keep the gearing jumps reasonable, which is why a 1X is not in the cards.
+1 on the 46 being tall enough for mere mortals. I'd like to get a 46/30 matched with an 11/32 11 speed cassette. But I'm not sure if my eTap wifli gear shifters and derailleurs can has sufficient capacity to handle the 16+23=39 tooth spread. Right now I'm running a 6800 46/36 matched to an 11-36 cassette a 10+25= 35 tooth spread. The 35 tooth capacity exceeds the SRAM limit; but it works with some cheating on the "b" screw. Because of the longer chain, and wider spacing on the jockey wheel, the shifting on the smaller sprockets is a little hesitant, though. You really need a longer cage mountain bike rear der. with a stronger spring to efficiently handle the larger gear capacity. One solution - all be it expensive - would be to switch to Di2 which works with XT, or XTR derailleurs.
The shifters don't make any difference, it's all in the cage. If you don't already have the longest cage, perhaps you can get a longer one for your existing derailleur. SRAM is good about making spare parts available. All you would likely need is the inner and outer cage plates, so it shouldn't be too expensive. There may even be some aftermarket options.
I have Ultegra Di2 on a Niner BSB9 RDO. I would prefer an MTB rear derailleur with a clutch, but Shimano - with their typical money-grubbing attitude and lack of customer focus - doesn't allow you to mix MTB and road derailleurs on the same bike, so i would have to replace a perfectly good front derailleur, which adds substantially to the cost. This is ridiculous considering that both are compatible with the levers. Between that and the horrible ergonomics of of the lever hoods, I wouldn't buy Di2 again.
I really wish Campy would start making off-road derailleurs, but that's probably just a pipedream. They've got the best ergonomics in the business.
bnystrom wrote:The shifters don't make any difference, it's all in the cage. If you don't already have the longest cage, perhaps you can get a longer one for your existing derailleur. SRAM is good about making spare parts available. All you would likely need is the inner and outer cage plates, so it shouldn't be too expensive. There may even be some aftermarket options.
I have Ultegra Di2 on a Niner BSB9 RDO. I would prefer an MTB rear derailleur with a clutch, but Shimano - with their typical money-grubbing attitude and lack of customer focus - doesn't allow you to mix MTB and road derailleurs on the same bike, so i would have to replace a perfectly good front derailleur, which adds substantially to the cost. This is ridiculous considering that both are compatible with the levers. Between that and the horrible ergonomics of of the lever hoods, I wouldn't buy Di2 again.
I really wish Campy would start making off-road derailleurs, but that's probably just a pipedream. They've got the best ergonomics in the business.
Thanks for the heads up on Di2 der. compatibility. I was aware that if you use an XT or XTR Di2 rear der., then you had to match it with an XT or XTR specific front der. As far as I know, you can't even mix XT and XTR Di2 front and rear der's. I also noticed that there are limits on the max. chainring size for XT Di2 front der. is 38 teeth! Forget running a 40+ large chainring. What we ultimately need is a longer cage road der. compatible with Di2 or eTap. I guess the major manufacturers still see distinct markets - road bikes, or mountain bikes. They design their products to be either/ or. Mixing the demands of both is not in their product design plans.
Well, Ultrgra Di2 with the GS rear derailleur does work on a 46/30, 11-32 setup, which is what I had before I modified the cassette.
I don't know if you've seen any of my posts about the programming I did on it, so I'll reiterate it briefly, as it's the reason I got Di2 in the first place.
I enabled for Synchroshift for the front derailleur, then reprogrammed the buttons so that both left buttons shift to lower gears and both right buttons shift to higher gears. That way, no matter how badly I'm getting bounced around or whether I'm wearing heavy gloves, all I have to do is find either button on the appropriate side and it shifts the way I want it to. The front shifts happen automatically. For the type of riding I do, it's ideal.
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