Chainring ratios

[Richard]

In process of building up a cross bike for next season and would like knowledgable answers on chainset ring sizes.

* is there an argument for just having one chainring set-up for only riding West Mids cyclo-cross league events?

* assuming running two ring set-up do I go:

39/44
39/46

or

42/46
42/48

Reason is the chainset I've got has a 42 already on and I don't fancy having to buy 2 new rings, ie, a 39 and an outer

I'll be running a 12-27 9 spd Shimano cassette so really if I can't get up a bank on 42 x 27 I'll be running anyway.


This ties in with thinking of changing my winter/commuting bike to a 48 outer anyway as I'm not rr'ing so why do I need a 53 anyway?
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[foxy]

Question.....why only limit to 39 inner ring. Why no go Compact and run with 46/36 or something similar instead ? You might find a better selection of ratio's. Just a thought....
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[Emyr42]

Shimano road minimum is 38.

If you're gonna buy cranks, I'd say some shimano mtb cranks'd be your best bet.

[LS]

38/44 with 12/27 cassette. Sorted, covers everything I've come across.
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[Iffacus]

Rich, I'm currently using 39-48 with a 13-28 cassette, but am thinking about changing the outer to a 46 as I've never had the need to use the highest gears (and still manage to lap Lee).

Have also thought about a compact chainset with either 34 or 36 inner but sticking with a 46 outer, but feel that the gearing will be a bit too much on the low side.
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[Richard]

[Richard]

[foxy]

[Richard]

Nah, I've got Ultegra on Mavic Open 4CD laced with DT's. The Ksyriums are the business because they've got sealed bearings which is a biggie for 'cross and they are strong as anything. Steven Roach used a pair to win the National 'Cross series a couple of years ago and his dad and brothers still use a few pairs of them now. They are a modern classic and although I've found a rear one on Ebay it's campag not shimano
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[joxster]

[Richard]

[Richard]

ok finally got it sorted - ordered a cheap campag compact c/set (34/50) for my winter bike which means I can swap the Ultegra c/set and b/bkt off my winter bike, put it on the new 'cross bike and, due to buying an ancient but brand new Stronglight 44t c/ring for a fiver from my LBS , will be running 39/44 as my 'cross set-up. I can't see me using the 44 unless I'm warming up on the road so it's redundant anyway.
This way I've can run any 9 spd cassette on my winter bike and the bail-out gear will still be lower than anything I've had before
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[mattr]

i use a 38/46 (needed new rings anyway) on a 12/27 cassette and i do tend to use the 46 quite a bit (on the flat bits) on the larger sprockets - stops the chain flapping quite so much and also when the cassette gets clogged with mud the big sprockets don't suffer so much as there is room for the mud to pack down.

[TOMSKI]

I got dura ace road cranks with 39-42 gebhardt chain
rings work well with 12-27 which covers mostly nefin

[Ride it]

Compact 34x46 with 12x25 cassett. Nice close ratio for cross.

If people are weight saving it saves on smaller chainring and smaller cassett !! lol

[Canonised]

I use 36x46 and 12-25 or 13-25 cassettes. Rarely use the little ring, even in the mud - 46x19 feels so much better (nice tight chain) than riding the smaller ring further down the cassette.

[Chrissylaa]

55 x 11 fixed!!
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[Lil Gascoigne]

I use 34/42 with an 11-23 road cassette. Really close ratios so there is always the right gear for the conditions - you've got the granny gear for the walls and a big rouleur gear for the dry stuff. Plus, it's really light weight - which is important when you have a gut like mine!!
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[JimmyRay]

38/44 on 12-27 for me too... I'll generally use every gear an all...

Actually thats a lie, I can't remember the last time I used the big ring and anything bigger than the 14, but hey ho

[mattr]