a person known to the world as 'Frank Tompson said:I have fallen in love with my Trek 7300 - I'm a simple soul. I have made a
few modifications, including 'upgrading' the 11-32 rear cassette to an 11-34
cassette. Where I live the mountain goats use crampons. I would like to
change my Shimano Nexave 8 speed 48-38-28 chainset to a 48-38-26. However, I
can't locate one. The nearest match I can find is the Shimano Deore, which
is a 9 speed. May seem a stupid question, but grateful if anyone could
confirm (or otherwise) that I cannot, indeed, use the 9 speed Deore for my
purpose. Does anyone know of a 48-38-26 8 speed, or do I need to upgrade
both ends of the operation (cassette and chainset) and buy a new chain?
VMT
Hi Frank,
I modified a Campag 32-42-52 set to 26-39-46 just by swapping the chainrings
(it was a road bike triple on a touring bike, and so too high-geared). You
have to be careful about the range - that is, the difference in tooth number
between the smallest and largest (in your case, currently 20). The front
mech won't tolerate your widening the range too much, although you can
nearly always use a wider range than the one specified (so I'm certain that
changing the 28T chainring for a 26T and thereby making the range 22 would
be perfectly ok).
With a drop as large as mine, from 39T to 26, I had problems with the chain
falling off when I shifted down to granny gears, but an Ngage Jumpstop put
and end to that.
Ian Walker
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