double to triple trouble

rickn said:

Last year I converted an older Bianchi from a double to a triple crank
and it worked out nicely.
This year I purchased a brand spankin new steel frame Serotta Fierte
with, you-guessed it, a double crankset.
Even though I now have a sweet new ride I still have cranky old knees
and still live in a hilly area.
I am thinking of taking the components I used to convert the Bianchi and
installing them on the Serotta. (Sorry purists.)

Since the Serotta has a 10-speed cassette and the Bianchi has an 8-speed
cassette I am concerned about compatibility issues.

Here is what I have:
Rear Der: Centaur with long cage, labeled 10-speed. I am assuming that
this will be OK.

Front Der: Box is labeled: Centaur Triple front der 9s brazed-on

Triple crank set: Racing T, not labeled 9-speed or 10-speed, but it
worked on my 8-speed.

Here are my questions:

A. Can I use front Der. which is labeled 9 speed on a 10 speed drive?
B. Can I use the triple crankset (that is not labeled) on a 10 speed
drive even though I have been using it on an 8 speed drive?
C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

Yes you're fine with all that stuff. Generally ignore
"X-Speed" labels on chainrings and you'll be OK.

Specifically, A) sure your front derailleur will work fine,
especially if there's a braze-on mount on the Serotta frame
and B) There's no problem with that crank with a Ten chain.[*]
To know if your BB is correct, you'll need to tell us what
it is. Or what crank is in the Serotta now. Racing T cranks
like 111 BBs.

[*] Ten chain is prone to wedging between the chainrings of
early ( 5/6 speed) cranks.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

rickn rickn said:

Here are my questions:

A. Can I use front Der. which is labeled 9 speed on a 10 speed drive?

Yes.

Quoted message said:

B. Can I use the triple crankset (that is not labeled) on a 10 speed
drive even though I have been using it on an 8 speed drive?

Yes.

Quoted message said:

C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

If the length is correct for the crank that you are installing, no.
Pull both crank pairs and measure the spindle length. If it's the
same on both BBs, there's likely no problem. I'd test-fit the cranks
with the Serotta's current BB still installed before making any
changes, however.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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"A Muzi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

rickn said:

Last year I converted an older Bianchi from a double to a triple crank
and it worked out nicely.
This year I purchased a brand spankin new steel frame Serotta Fierte
with, you-guessed it, a double crankset.
Even though I now have a sweet new ride I still have cranky old knees
and still live in a hilly area.
I am thinking of taking the components I used to convert the Bianchi and
installing them on the Serotta. (Sorry purists.)

Since the Serotta has a 10-speed cassette and the Bianchi has an 8-speed
cassette I am concerned about compatibility issues.

Here is what I have:
Rear Der: Centaur with long cage, labeled 10-speed. I am assuming that
this will be OK.

Front Der: Box is labeled: Centaur Triple front der 9s brazed-on

Triple crank set: Racing T, not labeled 9-speed or 10-speed, but it
worked on my 8-speed.

Here are my questions:

A. Can I use front Der. which is labeled 9 speed on a 10 speed drive?
B. Can I use the triple crankset (that is not labeled) on a 10 speed
drive even though I have been using it on an 8 speed drive?
C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

Yes you're fine with all that stuff. Generally ignore
"X-Speed" labels on chainrings and you'll be OK.

Specifically, A) sure your front derailleur will work fine,
especially if there's a braze-on mount on the Serotta frame
and B) There's no problem with that crank with a Ten chain.[*]
To know if your BB is correct, you'll need to tell us what
it is. Or what crank is in the Serotta now. Racing T cranks
like 111 BBs.

[*] Ten chain is prone to wedging between the chainrings of
early ( 5/6 speed) cranks.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Don't forget the BB threading on the Bianchi is Italian
-tom

rickn said:

Gents:
Last year I converted an older Bianchi from a double to a triple crank
and it worked out nicely.
This year I purchased a brand spankin new steel frame Serotta Fierte
with, you-guessed it, a double crankset.
Even though I now have a sweet new ride I still have cranky old knees
and still live in a hilly area.
I am thinking of taking the components I used to convert the Bianchi and
installing them on the Serotta. (Sorry purists.)

Since the Serotta has a 10-speed cassette and the Bianchi has an 8-speed
cassette I am concerned about compatibility issues.

Here is what I have:
Rear Der: Centaur with long cage, labeled 10-speed. I am assuming that
this will be OK.

Front Der: Box is labeled: Centaur Triple front der 9s brazed-on

Triple crank set: Racing T, not labeled 9-speed or 10-speed, but it
worked on my 8-speed.

Here are my questions:

A. Can I use front Der. which is labeled 9 speed on a 10 speed drive?
B. Can I use the triple crankset (that is not labeled) on a 10 speed
drive even though I have been using it on an 8 speed drive?
C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

Thank you for your help,

Rick

Have you considered a "compact" chainring setup instead of a road
triple? Presuming the road triple is 50-something/40-ish/30-ish, if you
set up a gear chart and compare the difference you'll see that a triple,
using the same rear cluster, yields only one lower gear than an
equivalent 50/34 (and a half-step change at that!). That's an
insignificant gear change. So, why go to the complexity of a triple
when you can run a double that serves your purpose?

If you need lower gears and can accept wide spacing between gears, you
could always move to Shimano and run an mtb rear end ....

To answer your questions, you shouldn't have any compatibility problems
other than, as someone else mentioned, you'll need a new (english) bb.
If you go this route get the new Centaur 111mm.

Robin Hubert

rickn rickn said:

C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

If the largest of the triple chainset hits the frame with the present
BB, yes, you need a wider BB.

I'm sorry, I don't know a way of calculating without mounting the
chainset, and check.

Hapy riddings,

BigBen

Only real issue is, will the inner ring clear the chain stay. Even
though there appeared to be sufficient clearance on my IF, there was
still a bit of paint chewed off the stay.

I've since switched 2 of my bikes, both with short stays, to compact
cranks. I don't miss the 3rd ring at all. Oh yeah, I'm in my mid-50's,
live in flat soybean fields, but frequently go ride in the relm of
15-20% grades. The 34x23 does fine.

rickn said:

Gents:
Last year I converted an older Bianchi from a double to a triple crank
and it worked out nicely.
This year I purchased a brand spankin new steel frame Serotta Fierte
with, you-guessed it, a double crankset.
Even though I now have a sweet new ride I still have cranky old knees
and still live in a hilly area.
I am thinking of taking the components I used to convert the Bianchi and
installing them on the Serotta. (Sorry purists.)

Since the Serotta has a 10-speed cassette and the Bianchi has an 8-speed
cassette I am concerned about compatibility issues.

Here is what I have:
Rear Der: Centaur with long cage, labeled 10-speed. I am assuming that
this will be OK.

Front Der: Box is labeled: Centaur Triple front der 9s brazed-on

Triple crank set: Racing T, not labeled 9-speed or 10-speed, but it
worked on my 8-speed.

Here are my questions:

A. Can I use front Der. which is labeled 9 speed on a 10 speed drive?
B. Can I use the triple crankset (that is not labeled) on a 10 speed
drive even though I have been using it on an 8 speed drive?
C. Will I need to change the BB? (I did NOT have to change the BB when I
converted the Bianchi.)

Thank you for your help,

Rick

richard said:

15-20% grades. The 34x23 does fine.

You were able to get a 23 teeth chainring'?? I though the smallest you
could get was a 39 teeht?

Regards,
BigBen.

On Tue, 10 May 2005 08:59:18 +0100, BigBen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

richard said:

15-20% grades. The 34x23 does fine.

You were able to get a 23 teeth chainring'?? I though the smallest you
could get was a 39 teeht?

Regards,
BigBen.

I think he means a 23t rear cog, part of the cassette. The chainring
would be the 34t listed.

Life is Good!
Jeff

"Jeff Starr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 10 May 2005 08:59:18 +0100, BigBen <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

richard said:

15-20% grades. The 34x23 does fine.

You were able to get a 23 teeth chainring'?? I though the smallest you
could get was a 39 teeht?

Regards,
BigBen.

I think he means a 23t rear cog, part of the cassette. The chainring
would be the 34t listed.

Life is Good!
Jeff

Just thought I share my experiences with you going from a double to a triple
this year.
I love climbing hills, and I've been riding double chainrings up until now.
I have done the Markleeville Death Ride, and Mt. Hamilton Challenges in the
past along with other hills around my area with a 53/39 and 12-27 cassette
and before that 52/42 with a 12-24. Usually I have to get out of the saddle
and stand on the steep climbs, which isn't a problem unless the climbs are
long.
I'm also hooked to a Polar heart rate monitor so I could not only chart my
HR, but my times, speed and cadence.

What inspired me to change to the triple was watching Lance Armstrong's
technique on the mountain stages in the Tour de France. Although he rides
with a double chainring, he has a very fast cadence in the mountains,
unlike his rivals like Jan Ullrich who would rather grid up the
hills...nothing wrong with that, just different styles. I also saw the
interview with Lance's trainer Chris Carmichael and his reason for
Armstrong's higher cadence.

So I thought I give it a try, of course not with a double, but with a triple
crank 52/42/30. I did have to also change the front and rear derailleur. I
always did like the 52/42 combination on the flats, but preferred the 53/39
in the hills. With the triple I mostly ride with the top and middle
chainring and use the 30t in the hills. I had to get used to the higher
cadence, felt like I was learning all over again, but it didn't take long to
learn the technique and charting my HR, time, speed and cadence, I've found
I'm riding more efficiently. Since I've been riding the same training rides
every week for the past 10 years, I'm able to do a good comparison. My
training times are about the same, speed is also about the same, but my HR
is lower and I also found I'm not as spent or tired after a good climb with
the higher cadence. I also can stay seated longer which really puts my HR in
check. As far as weight of the bike is concerned, I can feel the difference
when I pick up the bike (mental), but when I'm riding, there seems to be no
difference, at least I can't feel it. A few of my friends tease me about
riding with a triple crank, some call it a granny gear, but I really don't
care what they say, I'm enjoying my climbs even more now.
fwiw,
-Tom