Dawes Horizon Tour

[RyanOP]

Best to stick to the same series unless like me you're an inveterate 'fettler' but the advantage with Shimano DT shifters (bar end too) is you can switch the indexing off and use them in friction mode.

Hmm, sounds good! What about the crankset then? I'm gonna replace that and get a new BB too

Apologies if someone already mentioned this or it sounds a daft question (still very new to this). I want to keep the triple crankset and I assume it'll be 9 speed too? What about teeth on it?

 

[RyanOP]

Hmm, sounds good! What about the crankset then? I'm gonna replace that and get a new BB too

Apologies if someone already mentioned this or it sounds a daft question (still very new to this). I want to keep the triple crankset and I assume it'll be 9 speed too? What about teeth on it?

28, 38, 48 I think??

 

[raleighnut]

SJS Cycles

you may need a new BB

 

[Vantage]

This is one of those 'depends on' questions.
What rings do you currently have? Are you able to use them easily? Do you plan on using the bike for actual touring?
Most (I think) tourers are shipped with 28, 38, 48T chainsets. Some folk find that ok, others (like grumpy here) think that's stupidly big. 22, 32, 42 I think is the lowest you'll find. Unfortunately, finding the right chainset can be dependent on what type of BB you have. The big names (Shimano, SRAM etc) are mostly providing for newer BB designs (Octalink etc) and square tapers are a niche market. Here's where shops like Spa come in handy. You can piece together your own chainset.
I've limited experience in doing that so I'm unfamiliar with other BB types and chainsets, but being a shortar*e I opted for Spa's 165mm TD2 triple touring cranks and Spa's 24-34-46 rings. The 24t is the smallest that'll fit those cranks so I paired them with an 11-36 cassette. The Deore rear mech I have is listed as being able to handle a 34t sprocket but it's coping with the 36 just fine.
If you're just pootling to work and back or going on day rides then 28-38-48 might be ok for you.If you plan on loading everything but the kitchen sink for touring through Scotlands mountains then the lower the better.

 

[RyanOP]

This is one of those 'depends on' questions.
What rings do you currently have? Are you able to use them easily? Do you plan on using the bike for actual touring?
Most (I think) tourers are shipped with 28, 38, 48T chainsets. Some folk find that ok, others (like grumpy here) think that's stupidly big. 22, 32, 42 I think is the lowest you'll find. Unfortunately, finding the right chainset can be dependent on what type of BB you have. The big names (Shimano, SRAM etc) are mostly providing for newer BB designs (Octalink etc) and square tapers are a niche market. Here's where shops like Spa come in handy. You can piece together your own chainset.
I've limited experience in doing that so I'm unfamiliar with other BB types and chainsets, but being a shortar*e I opted for Spa's 165mm TD2 triple touring cranks and Spa's 24-34-46 rings. The 24t is the smallest that'll fit those cranks so I paired them with an 11-36 cassette. The Deore rear mech I have is listed as being able to handle a 34t sprocket but it's coping with the 36 just fine.
If you're just pootling to work and back or going on day rides then 28-38-48 might be ok for you.If you plan on loading everything but the kitchen sink for touring through Scotlands mountains then the lower the better.

I’m using 28/38/48T at the moment, they’re what came fitted to it. I’ll have to check what size mine is, I’m about 6ft.

so I could either swap out my current (worn) 28/38/48T for a new one of the same size or drop to a 24/34/46? And match with a 12/36 cassette?

 

[RyanOP]

SJS Cycles

View attachment 533550

you may need a new BB

I need to dedicate a few hours this weekend to trawling SJS, Chain Reaction, ROSE & Spa Cycles and saving some parts that I could get

 

[raleighnut]

I need to dedicate a few hours this weekend to trawling SJS, Chain Reaction, ROSE & Spa Cycles and saving some parts that I could get

Any reason why you can't change the rings on your original crankset.

 

[RyanOP]

Any reason why you can't change the rings on your original crankset.

I haven't looked into that properly yet, it's an old suntour, kinda wanted to get a nice new one or a new Shimano crankset wasn't sure which.

 

[Blue Hills]

If you are after going Shimano (may prove simpler in the long run for fitting spare rings) Ryan I'd consider this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Ace...911681?hash=item4b79bc0241:g:Xw4AAOSwFxNeu93B

(note - I don't know that seller)

I wouldn't worry about the apparently humble Acera level - I've seen an acera chainset fitted to an expedition bike listed at £2,000 a few years ago.

Re @Vantage 's post above, for touring/loaded touring I'd really look at 44/32/22 or 42/32/22.

Alternative to above is a second hand Deore 510 crankset - there are a few around.

Both of those cranksets can use the justly fabled UN55 square taper BB.

 

[RyanOP]

If you are after going Shimano (may prove simpler in the long run for fitting spare rings) Ryan I'd consider this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Ace...911681?hash=item4b79bc0241:g:Xw4AAOSwFxNeu93B

(note - I don't know that seller)

I wouldn't worry about the apparently humble Acera level - I've seen an acera chainset fitted to an expedition bike listed at £2,000 a few years ago.

Re @Vantage 's post above, for touring/loaded touring I'd really look at 44/32/22 or 42/32/22.

Alternative to above is a second hand Deore 510 crankset - there are a few around.

Both of those cranksets can use the justly fabled UN55 square taper BB.

Yeah that’s what I was thinking too I’ll compile a shortlist of ones I look at over the weekend and post here for everyone’s verdict.
As in my first post, I’m very much the beginner at this so am taking advice from you all, I’m so glad I started this thread because I wouldn’t have a clue where to start otherwise and would’ve splashed out and probably bought the wrong parts!

 

[RyanOP]

Here is the offender. Just goes to show you can dodge the piles of shattered glass but pick up a puncture off the near invisible shards

 

[raleighnut]

Here is the offender. Just goes to show you can dodge the piles of shattered glass but pick up a puncture off the near invisible shards

Aye they get embedded and then the action of 'cyclic'pressure as the wheel rotates pushes em further in til psssst.

 

[DCBassman]

Shimano released a series of rear mechs that had an extra hinged plate which places the top jockey wheel lower in order to clear the sprockets of these huge cassettes (36t upwards) now common.
For some stupid reason they neglected to fit barrel adjusters to them. Probably because most modern shifters have adjusters built into them.

The Alivio RD-M4000 Shadow has a barrel adjuster exactly as normal...
It's not black.
But neither is it all shiny.
It's happy with 36t.
It's not too expensive!

 

[Blue Hills]

The Alivio RD-M4000 Shadow has a barrel adjuster exactly as normal...
It's not black.
But neither is it all shiny.
It's happy with 36t.
It's not too expensive!

Some of the current alivio 9 speed stuff is i believe not too dissimilar from deore, at least the deore of not too long ago. Alivio is fine for a tourer.
On the shiny, shimano has in recent years moved to a more matte silver finish. It's all just finish.

 

[Vantage]

re Shadow barrel adjusters...
I stand corrected