Need a new crankset for my tourer

John77

I need to replace the Deore crankset on my Hewitt Cheviot tourer. I was initially thinking of buying a Deore LX/XT crankset, but while shopping around the net, decided that I prefer the look of the road cranksets. Just wondering if there's any reason why I shouldn't go for a road crankset instead of an MTB one? It seems that most touring bikes are specced with MTB gear - is this because they're perceived to be more able to handle knocks & heavy use?

zonc

what do you intend to do with it?!!!!!!

What is your touring like, how do you ride, what is your set up?

On my touring bike I use fixed, on my road bike I have a 48/34 compact and on th etandem trike we run a 53/38/28.

too much choice!

decide your way of riding then make your choice.....

but above all do what you feel is best for your style, riding and aesthetics!

zonc

andymiller

John77 wrote:

I need to replace the Deore crankset on my Hewitt Cheviot tourer. I was initially thinking of buying a Deore LX/XT crankset, but while shopping around the net, decided that I prefer the look of the road cranksets. Just wondering if there's any reason why I shouldn't go for a road crankset instead of an MTB one? It seems that most touring bikes are specced with MTB gear - is this because they're perceived to be more able to handle knocks & heavy use?

The main reason touring bikes are specced with MTB gear is that MTB gears offer ratios that are more suited to hauling up hills with a fully-loaded bike - rather then sprinting on an unloaded bike.

So if you like the gearing you have then the easiest solution is to go for an MTB crank - but there's nothing to stop you going for a road crank - it just makes things a bit more complicated: the chances are that the BCD will be different (don't ask me what BCD stands for - it's late at night). So you'd need to change the chainrings. You might find it more difficult to get the same size chainrings. If you decide to go for different size change rings you'd have to start faffing around with the front mech.

maddog 2

bcd is bolt circle diameter

using a road triple is fine but there are a number of issues you need to be aware of:

1. The triple may sit closer to the frame than the mtb c/set, depending on which one you buy, which can cause problems when using a mtb f. mech, as it can't move far enough over when on the granny ring, so you get chain rub on the mech cage

2. A mtb f. mech might not shift that well with the bigger rings. Shimano do an XT f. mech which is rated up to 48t but some triple rings are clearly bigger than this.

3. You may decide after #2 to fit a road triple mech instead of the mtb one. But these require a different cable pull than mtb mechs, so you'd need to change your shifters (if you run STI)

pneumatic

I have toured with a guy using road mech and a road block, whilst I had touring mech. Afterwards he admitted that he really suffered on the hills (big ones in France and Spain) because he just ran out of gears and had to strain up them.

Hauling luggage makes a big difference.

I've got the deore front mech with 48, 36, 26 teeth on it (rather than the MTB 44, 3?, 22T set up). It is a good compromise but an absolute bu88er to find in anything other than hollowtech II. SJS got it for me in the end.

vernonlevy

John77 wrote:

I need to replace the Deore crankset on my Hewitt Cheviot tourer. I was initially thinking of buying a Deore LX/XT crankset, but while shopping around the net, decided that I prefer the look of the road cranksets. Just wondering if there's any reason why I shouldn't go for a road crankset instead of an MTB one? It seems that most touring bikes are specced with MTB gear - is this because they're perceived to be more able to handle knocks & heavy use?

Road chain sets might look nicer but you need to be aware that the visual appeal comes at the expense of increase pedalling effort as the chain rings are inevitably larger thus raising the gearing.

I've explored the issues of road vs MTB chain sets and these are the probs that you might come across:

The need to chain front dérailleur to accommodate the larger chain ring
The need to change the bottom bracket to accommodate a different mounting method e.g. splined, hollowtech, square taper
The inability to get small enough chain rings to fit a road chain set
The need to change the front gear changer of you swap from road to MTB or vice versa front derailleur

alan_sherman

The question is: Why do you need to replace your current chainset?

vernonlevy

alan sherman wrote:

The question is: Why do you need to replace your current chainset?

I forgot to ask this question...

Wouldn't replacement chain rings do the job instead of replacing the entire chain set?

pneumatic

vernonlevy wrote:

alan sherman wrote:

The question is: Why do you need to replace your current chainset?

I forgot to ask this question...

Wouldn't replacement chain rings do the job instead of replacing the entire chain set?

In my experience, it proved to be cheaper to replace the whole chainset than to try and buy the rings separately.

PHcp

There's a few chainsets that look roady in a traditional way that are still available with a choice of chainrings suitable for whatever you want.
TA Carmina or Vega if you want serious bling
Or Stronglight Impact if you're on a sensible budget
Both use square taper bottom brackets, an advantage if you plan to tour anywhere where road bikes are less common. I have a Stronglight Impact on my Hewitt, works and looks better than the original Deore.

nun

maddog 2 wrote:

bcd is bolt circle diameter

using a road triple is fine but there are a number of issues you need to be aware of:

I don't consider the standard 130/74 road triple appropriate for touring because it's usually set up something like 50-39-30 giving gears that are just too hight for touring. If you set it up
as 50-42-26 or simply a 42-26 double it would be far better.

Still a 110/74 BCD is the best choice for touring setup something like 46-36-24 or again as a 42-26 double or just go with a MTB triple.

John77

vernonlevy wrote:

alan sherman wrote:

The question is: Why do you need to replace your current chainset?

I forgot to ask this question...

Wouldn't replacement chain rings do the job instead of replacing the entire chain set?

Sorry, shouldn't have said "need to replace". Rather that the bottom bracket feels a bit rough, the chainrings are worn, and the cranks, while still working perfectly, look a bit rough, so I'm going to remove the whole lot from the Hewitt, buy a new bb & middle chainring & put it on my commuting bike. Then I want to get a shiny new crankset for the Hewitt. Having read the comments above i think i'll stick with the MTB cranksets, prob the Hollowtech II LX. Thanks for the replies btw.

pneumatic

John77 wrote:

Having read the comments above i think i'll stick with the MTB cranksets, prob the Hollowtech II LX. Thanks for the replies btw.

If you get the Hollowtech II, be sure to pay the extra money to have the frame "faced". This seems to be necessary to make sure you don't get crud in the outboard bearings. My LBS said they would do it for less than 20 quid. At the time, I wanted to replace like with like, as the BB was quite new. With hindsight, it probably would have been easier to go with the new technology.

zenzinnia

There is a new version of the LX coming along (may already be available) which looks more like a road set but is still basically MTB. It's designed, so they say, for the hybrid and touring market and maybe what you're after. There was a review in the OCtober C+ so it should apear on bike radar as well.

priory

Stronglight impact I have use for several years on my heavy bike.On the shimano bb it fitted a couple of mm further away from the frame, and this caused a problem with my handlebar gear levers/ front changer. Not so bad that I didn't carry on using it, but this summer I realised the bb was kaput, so I replaced it with a (cheap) stronglight one.Same bb tool as shimano. Gears work perfectly again now.