Crank success!

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ISAAC_J

Saddle up and ride like the wind!
Location
Bretagne, France
So far so good .... For my older steel touring bike, the crank has been changed from 52/38 steel chain rings (130) BCD to a stronglight impact (110) BCD 49/36 (TA specialities very hard alu chain rings). The front mech had to be moved down and adjusted but appears OK. The bottom bracket is square tapered and the new crank appears to be sitting very well both sides!
The reason for the crank change was a prior rear cassette change 12/32 was just barely getting me up the steep hills. Has anybody else changed over to a 'compact' type crank on an older frame?
This morning, I am going out for a good test ride ... results to follow.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Yes, I put a 50/34 on a 1990 Harry Hall. It suited my amateur legs well enough but the bike was still punishingly stiff to ride and left me feeling beaten up. I'm sorry to say this; those venerable steel frames may have had a magic quality about them but in the 1990s frame geometry was not sympathetic towards for amateur riders. It was the arrival of smooth-riding lightweight carbon in the mainstream, along with compact gears, SIS, comfortable compact bars and well-shaped saddles that drove the massive growth in road cycling. People who had rediscovered cycling thanks to the ease and comfort of mountain biking were ready to move over to the road in their forties and fifties and those plastic bikes arrived in the shops just at the right moment.
 
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smudger-sws6701

Regular
Location
HEREFORD
Yes here's mine. Works well ( with only a link removed) from my 10 speed Campag set up. 53/39 to 50/34. 107mm UN55 BB fits fine with my old 1990's Roberts frame.
 

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youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Not a 50/34, but changed the Biopace chainrings on my early 90s Peugeot 525 to standard 'non Bio' 48/36, and changed the cassette to give me an easier ride. New chain at the same time. Repositioned the front mech too.
 

smudger-sws6701

Regular
Location
HEREFORD
And on my Condor Italia. UN55 107 mm BB. 48/54. This is the new eco version with 5 crank arms. Seems to sit a few mm out from the 4 arm version above, but still changes up & down without having to make any adjustments. ( Except removing 1 chain link). I have heard some people are having BB issues with this, JP 400 107mm are apparently too short?? 11894303_10153611032734490_5757321359714571545_o.jpg 11953496_10153610696204490_1180872242423365582_o.jpg
 
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