Cheap solid transmission bits

rockmonkeysc

I need to replace the chain, cassette and chain rings on my commuter Boardman road bike. I have got the absolute maximum miles out of the bits I currently have and it's completely dead now!
I need a 9 speed cassette 11t-28t, 9 speed chain and pair of chain rings 50t & 34t to fit FSA cranks with stupid 5 bolt fitting.
I'm not worried about weight, maximum miles is far more important to me but I have no idea about road bike bits. My commute is 17 fairly hilly miles so I don't want flexy chain rings or a weak chain.

imposter2.0

Tiagra or SRAM cassette, KMC X9 (or SRAM, or Tiagra) chain, Stronglight or TA 110bcd chainrings - all can be had fairly cheaply. There's nothing particularly 'stupid' about 5-bolt rings - it's a standard road pattern, and standard means lots of options and a good choice of price points.

rockmonkeysc

Thanks, I thought 5 bolt was an odd fixing.
Is xxcycle.com the only shop that sells Stronglight rings? I'm a bit confused by the options. What's the crankset position all about? Is the SRAM/Shimano/Campagnolo compatibility for the crankset it's fitting to or the chain I will run on it?
Sorry, I'm fairly clueless about road bike bits.

keezx

Any 9 speed chain will run on any8/9/10 speed crankset and 9 speed cassette
Any 110BCD chainring will fit on your crankset (exept the ones for Campanolo cranksets)
Any questions left?

rolf_f

Spa Cycles sell Stronglight (and TA) chainrings and are UK based.

rockmonkeysc

Thanks for the advice.
One more thing. Do you use wet lube on road chains through the winter? I have tried it but it just seems to turn to a thick black gunk.

MichaelW

Imposter wrote:

Tiagra or SRAM cassette, KMC X9 (or SRAM, or Tiagra) chain, Stronglight or TA 110bcd chainrings - all can be had fairly cheaply. There's nothing particularly 'stupid' about 5-bolt rings - it's a standard road pattern, and standard means lots of options and a good choice of price points.

Stronglight do std Dural, or Zircal which has much better metal and longer lasting. TA are all Zircal grade.

term1te

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Thanks for the advice.
One more thing. Do you use wet lube on road chains through the winter? I have tried it but it just seems to turn to a thick black gunk.

Yep, but after you apply the lube clean the chain with a Jay cloth or similar. I hold the cloth around the chain and turn the cranks untill the chain has gone round a few times, turn the cloth around to a clean bit and repeat. That should remove the excess lube that attracts the black gack, leaving enough on the chain to keep it smooth. Pack of Sainsbury's own-brand Jay cloths 50p or something, best bit of winter kit you'll buy.