12/15/22 10:37 PM

I was running a 28/42 on the Pro CX Lynskey Gravel Mongrel. But I sold it early in the year with the 28/42.

So may cobble another sub/compact and thinking about that again or.... Just some 30/46 rings you can get for 4 bolt asymmetrical Shimano cranks.

I have those and though of trying something different as I liked the 28/42 better by a margin.


What do you have and why do you like it?

12/17/22 7:39 AM

Must be a lot of people. Seems like cranksets with, what i consider to be, standard gearing (53/39) are weirdly hard to find these days.

12/17/22 11:46 AM

You've ridden around my house. Granny bail out gears only used on steeps make them possible for me. I am even slower and fatter that last time we rode here. ;)

12/17/22 3:58 PM

I have that sort of setup on multiple bikes. In fact, except for the tandems, there's not a single bike in our garage with a large chainring bigger than 42t:

Sugino PX crank with TA 40/28 chainrings
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cyEKbjh4a9nJ0RAv2ki4YklDkZ86EY96EBP-C1BfydaCIQIngbQZiVWj_O0AB25S3Oo3M6B7lu6ri1xJP-iJOmosHexNKbBE8LVbNjOoka0WOEzJYzJ_StSFhP9L3EEh3CvAVzBs03E=w2400?source=screenshot.guru"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cyEKbjh4a9nJ0RAv2ki4YklDkZ86EY96EBP-C1BfydaCIQIngbQZiVWj_O0AB25S3Oo3M6B7lu6ri1xJP-iJOmosHexNKbBE8LVbNjOoka0WOEzJYzJ_StSFhP9L3EEh3CvAVzBs03E=w600-h900-p-k" /> </a>

Sugino OX 601 crank with 38/26 chainrings
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iPmN2wGHp-44m0KrUrNYfK7nbL0idJY2QMm3XBywKIqufDx73P3x52H7lX14IkkATJWlG8uYs2BjDLJno72SfSjcpnf9q0dhX545-cxQJ6h6WNJ-hRmwmqg_70UoePC3K0gIyTaTTR0=w2400?source=screenshot.guru"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iPmN2wGHp-44m0KrUrNYfK7nbL0idJY2QMm3XBywKIqufDx73P3x52H7lX14IkkATJWlG8uYs2BjDLJno72SfSjcpnf9q0dhX545-cxQJ6h6WNJ-hRmwmqg_70UoePC3K0gIyTaTTR0=w600-h900-p-k" /> </a>

TA Carmina crank with 94BCD spider and 42/29 chainrings
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iXrywbrtd7ovwPTfwEvKTIzlJRPos38ysEcx1RtMEMFSzq9aebAK1v_12JBv42o6DXSqNTDGdmxDI-aM4n8SRenx7OpDL7gV5kKueHfd2bPd_PDQ_Y4464dTaQO1r_MIw3_-HxvyJJk=w2400?source=screenshot.guru"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iXrywbrtd7ovwPTfwEvKTIzlJRPos38ysEcx1RtMEMFSzq9aebAK1v_12JBv42o6DXSqNTDGdmxDI-aM4n8SRenx7OpDL7gV5kKueHfd2bPd_PDQ_Y4464dTaQO1r_MIw3_-HxvyJJk=w900-h600-p-k" /> </a>

Middleburn RO2 crank with 94BCD spider and 42/29 chainrings
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tF5Ayc_XNj3VbChhlhfvBUVsXqnLUslureP6YcVyP40UkWeNOLujqQEcBHP4P3m26PhzgNXDTGM0G8tg10D00cYkjt9El0lkgQHRzjLE9vEEhDmisRymWihhgxGUlcZOXpDzTpTvcq0=w2400?source=screenshot.guru"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tF5Ayc_XNj3VbChhlhfvBUVsXqnLUslureP6YcVyP40UkWeNOLujqQEcBHP4P3m26PhzgNXDTGM0G8tg10D00cYkjt9El0lkgQHRzjLE9vEEhDmisRymWihhgxGUlcZOXpDzTpTvcq0=w900-h600-p-k" /> </a>

Deore XT M737 crank with 34/22 chainrings
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6B1CI_fpes9aQ3gKsRdn9YyoaA-wUocXZtDSNiNvvz1cF9-oFbWO6ouWoC8-i2sKmYq8jUMMszWfGoQ04rRrQ0CUEo6lx4zmw8cZsRlsQMBkRk247-f7P6UsacxS583Yo9LEvQOyz3w=w2400?source=screenshot.guru"> <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6B1CI_fpes9aQ3gKsRdn9YyoaA-wUocXZtDSNiNvvz1cF9-oFbWO6ouWoC8-i2sKmYq8jUMMszWfGoQ04rRrQ0CUEo6lx4zmw8cZsRlsQMBkRk247-f7P6UsacxS583Yo9LEvQOyz3w=w900-h600-p-k" /> </a>

12/22/22 5:03 PM

"Must be a lot of people. Seems like cranksets with, what i consider to be, standard gearing (53/39) are weirdly hard to find these days."

Could it be a sign of sanity in the bike market? Nah, that would actually make sense.

12/24/22 10:28 AM

53/39 makes sense for strong recreational riders when the small cog is 13 or 14, but not when it is 11 or 12. Larger chainrings and larger cogs meant slower chain and tooth wear. When "the pros" started using smaller cogs for the big leadout sprints, that became a "hidden message" marketing thing so every bike came with a 12t and then an 11t cassette. From that, people started needing smaller chain rings. Funny how markets evolve.

12/26/22 1:28 AM

So now we're being forced to use smaller cogs and chainrings that have higher friction losses and wear out faster. Brilliant!

It's interesting that in TTs, the pros are using massive chainrings (up to 60 teeth) so they can use larger cogs in the rear and stay in cogs closer to the middle of the cassette, all in an effort to reduce drivetrain friction.

12/26/22 3:25 PM

I always like the most teeth on my chain rolling. I just can't much roll a 53 much unless pushing FTP and trying to go fast. Neither I am supposed to do, especially to meds stealing top 25 BPM away...

So I an content to just be rolling, and getting used to not being fast anymore... As if I was fast before.. ;)

12/27/22 7:46 PM

I set my bikes up so that at normal fairly easy flat ground cruising speed, I'm on the "big" ring and the middle of the cassette. Something like 15-16mph in 42x19. Even when I was racing in masters - with some degree of success - I only used a 48t big ring.

12/28/22 4:37 PM

I did my fastest 10 mile TTs (flat and open to the wind) with a 45/13 top gear. Those were the days!

1/1/23 7:06 AM

My first "nice" road bike was a NOS Cannondale that I had a triple chainring put on. The only one my bike shop could find was a Deore 48-38-28. As I got stronger and more into riding, I "learned" that triples were dorky and changed to a double chainring with a 53. Now I find myself eyeing that 48-38-28 again . . .