Well I want my bike to be beautiful too. I want indexed shifters, not bar end as I am used to them. I am thinking about going to a double crank. From everything I have read here is would be lighter, and I could still get a good gear range for touring,a lthough I would have to get a rear MB derailer. It is hard for me to conceive that with a 42 front ring that I could get a high enough gear for flats to cruise on.. but from what i can tell it seems that you all think a triple chain ring in the front is very repetitive. Am still not sure if I have to replace my 105 Shimano indexed shifters if I just decide to change to a double crank and different rear cassette. Can you clarify please.? What is a brifter?I think the first thing to decide is double or triple crank and rear cassette and then figure out if I have to replace my current derailers and shifters if I do that. The rings were the reason that I took the bike apart in the first place, as they were the only parts that were really worn out.. now here I am with half my bike sitting next to this computer desk in a big pile and this is turning into a million dollar project. I can probably afford to redo the whole thing, but do not necessarily feel the need to do that. I kind of like to use things up and recycle etc.
On Apr 6, 9:17 am, islaysteve <alkire...@verizon.net> wrote: > dr (original poster): I agree you have a lot to consider and digest here. > You a debating compact double vs. triple cranks, for one thing. As for > myself, I've always had a double, and used 105 STI 'brifters'. They have > performed so well for me that I see no reason to leave them. The mainline > Rivendell philosophy favors non-indexed bar-end shifters, and lots of folks > here go that way. However one good thing about Riv and this forum is that > there's a wide tolerance for individuality and using what works for you. > Along those lines, I'd suggest that you may first want to decide on your > shifting system. I believe that you have been using STI? If you like it, > you'll likely not want to change. I've heard (and not confirmed, and > others here may correct me) that triples are a bit more finicky for > brifters. But you were running a triple anyway, so would have your own > experience. As Jim and others have mentioned, you can go to a compact > double and still have a wide gear range. That's what I am going to work > toward on my bike. I also admit to considering it an object of "beauty" > and consider that when choosing parts. I got a very nice-looking Sugino > Alpina compact double and that's what I'm sticking with. You may not be > able to keep your 105 RD if you opt for a larger cassette; but as mentioned > above, you can get a good Shimano mtn derailleur that will handle the > larger cogs and should be just as reliable as what you are used to. Good > luck, Steve -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.