I’m buying a 2011 Specialized Cirrus Elite Disc for a rain bike and I need a 22 up front. But using Sheldon Brown’s gear calculator, I believe I can still make this a double. (Making it a 2 x 8 with a Shimano HG-40 8sp 11 – 32.) Here’s where I’m dumb. Since I’m swapping cranksets, – and since I want to start reducing weight and upgrading quality, - what do you recommend for a crankset? As to ring gears, close spacing “sounds†good. But to match the downhill speed of the 1998 Trek 970SHX that I am very familiar and comfortable with in downhill traffic, I’d need a 36 up front, making it a 22 – 36. Does that spacing present issues? One other thing regarding the crankset. A friendly mechanic told me that if I want crisper shifting up front ( I DO ! I DO! ) an upgraded FD might not buy me anything, unless the crankset was purchased to match that in some way? Can anyone explain that? Make any sense? Recommendations? (What FD comes with the bike? A Shimano Altus. What shifters? EZ Fire for flatbar.) To keep the $$$ under control, I’d rather not upgrade the shifters at this point. Nor the handlebar. Nor the wheels. However, this would be the time to upgrade the RD to a Shimano Deore XT with medium cage. Do I have that right? All input welcome!! I’m a caregiver, so circumstances often just push me out the door even if there is heavy rain. That’s what this bike would be for - joy riding in the rain. But here’s the problem. I now have a nice road bike for dry weather, - very light and very crisp shifting - so , yeah, – after decades, suddenly I’m spoiled. I want everything like that. Tom