MTB Crankset on Road Bike for Touring

blackwater

Hi,

My wife's road bike current has a Tiagra 4600 10 speed set up with Compact Double 50/34 upfront and 11-32 rear cassette. For normal riding this is plenty enough gearing but we are going touring and laden up she is struggling up the hills and that is in Essex.

Can I get a way with fitting a MTB Shimano Deore M615 Hollowtech II Double 26/38 crankset and would it work with her road shifters?

Also would I need to change the current Tiagra 4600 FD or would it cope? Or would I need to fit a Tiagra Triple FD which has more range?

Anything else I need to consider with this other than shortening the chain?

Many thanks in advance.

arlowood

Have a look at MontyDog's post about 2/3rd's down this related thread about lower gearing.

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=13042263

Seems you might be able to fit a MTB double chainset with the addition of some spacers to compensate for the narrower road bottom bracket. That may mean fitting a medium or long cage rear derailleur but it could get the lower gearing you need.

There are also 11-40 MTB cassettes but they're not cheap

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/praxis-works-11-40t-wide-range-10-speed-cassette-p282704?gclid=CjwKEAiAws20BRCs-P-ssLbSlg4SJABbVcDpIOFyDcDSHKO1sgWu97wwf3CHPWnD8X2uUs1S6KmSxxoCJcTw_wcB

and I don't know if they would work with the Tiagra shifters

Monty Dog

XT chainset and triple front mech, otherwise regular road transmission:



During this trip I took the bike around the black runs at Glentress and Inners (descents were a bit more challenging), rode to the top of Drumelzier Law (2,000ft of steep, stony track) and then spent a week on Mull including this ride by Glengorm Castle.

blackwater

Thanks everyone for all your feedback.

Monty Dog, I will give it a go with a mtb double crankset and a tiara triple fd.

Blackwater.

dnrc

i really doubt you would even need to change the front mech

just move it down a bit.

Monty Dog

Changed mine because a regular double wouldn't swing wide enough plus the deeper cage of the triple meant no chain drag when in the small chainring - I did try it with a regular mech first