Compact Crankset Conversion Questions

Quoted message said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105
double to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact cranks,
and am looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank and front
derallieur? Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any
suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)? Thanks for your help.

An older 8-speed '105 crank will have a square-taper spindle; to the best of
my knowledge, all modern "compact" cranks run either ISIS or Octalink.
However, there's no real difference between a "compact" crank and any 110mm
bolt pattern crank will work. However, you'd still need to find one that
requires the same spindle length.

On the other hand, it's possible that a bottom bracket that old (from her
original cranks) might not be in such great shape anyway. $30-$50 for a new
bottom bracket might not be a bad investment.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

tlarwa said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105 double
to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact cranks, and am
looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank and front
derallieur?

Yes, the BB and crank. No need to get a new front der but probably a
'third eye' chain watcher wopu;d help to keep the chain on the \small ring.

Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any

Quoted message said:

suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)?

Yes it will and the best value is the FSA Gossamer crank/BB combo for $175.
Thanks for your help.

Quoted message said:

tlarwa said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105

double

Quoted message said:

to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact cranks,

and am

Quoted message said:

looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank and front
derallieur? Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components?

Any

Quoted message said:

suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance

Quoted message said:

range)? Thanks for your help.

Nashbar has a couple low cost options for double cranskets and bottom
brackets that will take inner chainrings less than 39 teeth.

First is the normal 110mm bcd compact crankset and ISIS bottom bracket.
$80 for the crank and $20 for the bottom bracket. Might be able to
find various 10% off coupons for Nashbar.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=81&subcategory=1034&brand=&sku=11459&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=73&subcategory=1096&brand=&sku=12779&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

Second option is to use a 94mm bcd mountain bike triple crankset. Just
leave off the inner ring and use the two outer rings. Might have to
cut off the lugs that stick out to hold the inner chainring. Not a
problem. Chainrings as purchased would be 44-32. And Peter White
Cycles sells TA chainrings in the 94mm bcd size from 30 teeth to 50
teeth if you really want to change the rings. Nashbar has some FSA
models in silver for $90 or black for $100 with 44-32 rings. Or just
the arms for $70. These use square taper bottom brackets so I would
bet they would just go right on your double length 105 square taper
bottom bracket. You will use these new cranks as a double, not triple.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=81&subcategory=1031&brand=&sku=13629&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

The advantage of going with the 94mm bcd crank is you can get down to a
30 tooth inner ring, same as a triple. If you decide to buy the 30
tooth ring to replace the 32 that comes on the crank. With a 110mm bcd
crank you are limited to a 33 if you spend the extra $40 for a TA 33
tooth chainring. And don't be too concerned with not having enough
high hears with a 44 tooth outer ring. A 44x13 gear at 90 rpm will get
you 24mph on the flat.

If you go ISIS, make sure to get a bb with three or four bearings.
Apparently the smaller bearings required by the larger spindle
significantly reduce the durability of a two bearing setup.

App

You can get a 110 Sugino triple modified to a double at
yellowjersey.org. These are square taper and work really well. You
should be able to simply take off the Shimano and put on the Sugino.
You may have to adjust the front d down a bit, but I'm thinking this
should work well and be in the $125 range. Harris Cyclery also sells
the Stronglight Impact 110 which is the spitting image of the Sugino
but manufactured as a double---not modified from a triple. I own both
and both work flawlessly. Square taper bb's somehow still seem to work
well...even in the world of isis, octalink, megaexo....

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105
double to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact cranks,
and am looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank and front
derallieur? Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any
suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)? Thanks for your help.

An older 8-speed '105 crank will have a square-taper spindle; to the best of
my knowledge, all modern "compact" cranks run either ISIS or Octalink.

_ You need better knowledge, Stronglight and TA both make 110 square-taper cranks.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/cranks.html#110

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.asp

_ The harder to find in the USA, Miche also makes one
the Miche Grand Route.

http://tinyurl.com/4vncp

I'm not saying it wouldn't be cheaper just to get a Ritchey and a
new BB, but come on...

_ Booker C. Bense

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"Booker C. Bense"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105
double to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact
cranks,
and am looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank and
front
derallieur? Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any
suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)? Thanks for your help.

An older 8-speed '105 crank will have a square-taper spindle; to the best
of
my knowledge, all modern "compact" cranks run either ISIS or Octalink.

_ You need better knowledge, Stronglight and TA both make 110 square-taper
cranks.

As Mike pointed out, if it's a square taper it probably should be replaced
by now anyway. Furthermore, I would change to Ritchey compact cranks and
Shimano bottom brackets.

The disadvantages of the Shimano Octalink is that you have to be careful to
engage the splines cleanly before you start tightening them up. The
advantage is that you can get the BB's cheaply and easily from most bike
dealers. Unlike ISIS which has other problems aside from being expensive and
not terribly reliable.

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:1113309682.8df274b08539c71fc03dd7f7b01a4f3e@teranews...

Quoted message said:

tlarwa said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105
double to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact
cranks, and am looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank
and front derallieur?

Yes, the BB and crank. No need to get a new front der but probably a
'third eye' chain watcher wopu;d help to keep the chain on the \small
ring.

Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any

Quoted message said:

suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)?

Yes it will and the best value is the FSA Gossamer crank/BB combo for
$175.
Thanks for your help.

I will disagree with one slight area - when Shimano makes a compact front
derailleur, buy it. There is a larger incidence of chain drop because the
front derailleur doesn't properly fit the chain diameter.

If you can do your own mods from triple to double and you like the ring
combo, the best deal on Sugino xd 600 may be here:

http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=CR1030

I think that STRONGLIGHT Makes some nice 110 bcd double cranksets,
i.e. :

IMPACT DOUBLE (SQUARE Taper), 70.42 euros, $90.63 dollars
IMPACT DOUBLE (BLACK RINGS) (SQUARE Taper), $92 euros, $120 dollars
Z LIGHT COMPACT (ISIS Taper), 165 euros, $200 dollars (ok, not very affordable)

http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?Screen=lp&MARQUEID=31&PAGE=5
http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?Screen=lp&MARQUEID=31&PAGE=6

The IMPACT cranks seem to be the same thing as the Sugino cranks, so
maybe both companies are outsourcing these cranks somewhere in Taiwan.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

An older 8-speed '105 crank will have a square-taper spindle; to the best
of
my knowledge, all modern "compact" cranks run either ISIS or Octalink.

_ You need better knowledge, Stronglight and TA both make 110 square-taper
cranks.

Sorry, my bad. I should have said that all commonly available compact cranks
are ISIS or Octalink. I'm familiar with the Stronglights, I just wasn't
thinking. However, neither Stronglight nor TA are exactly standard fare at
most bike shops.

As for needing better knowledge, no, what I need sometimes is a
better-functioning brain.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Donald Gillies" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I think that STRONGLIGHT Makes some nice 110 bcd double cranksets,
i.e. :

IMPACT DOUBLE (SQUARE Taper), 70.42 euros, $90.63 dollars
IMPACT DOUBLE (BLACK RINGS) (SQUARE Taper), $92 euros, $120 dollars
Z LIGHT COMPACT (ISIS Taper), 165 euros, $200 dollars (ok, not very
affordable)

http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?Screen=lp&MARQUEID=31&PAGE=5
http://www.xxcycle.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?Screen=lp&MARQUEID=31&PAGE=6

The IMPACT cranks seem to be the same thing as the Sugino cranks, so
maybe both companies are outsourcing these cranks somewhere in Taiwan.

If they're the same thing as the Sugino triple I bought bring a crane to
lift them.

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

An older 8-speed '105 crank will have a square-taper spindle; to the best
of
my knowledge, all modern "compact" cranks run either ISIS or Octalink.

_ You need better knowledge, Stronglight and TA both make 110
square-taper cranks.

Sorry, my bad. I should have said that all commonly available compact
cranks are ISIS or Octalink. I'm familiar with the Stronglights, I just
wasn't thinking. However, neither Stronglight nor TA are exactly standard
fare at most bike shops.

As for needing better knowledge, no, what I need sometimes is a
better-functioning brain.

Another advantage of the Octalink BB is that there is only two sizes so it
is difficult to make a mistake in BB length.

Though I do prefer square tapered spindles because they worked fine when put
together properly, it is getting harder and harder to get a good one that
doesn't say Campy on it.

Tom Kunich said:

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:1113309682.8df274b08539c71fc03dd7f7b01a4f3e@teranews...

Quoted message said:

tlarwa said:

I want to convert my wife's Softride Century with 8-speed Shimano 105
double to a compact crankset. I am not that familiar with compact
cranks, and am looking for advice. Will I need to replace the BB, crank
and front derallieur?

Yes, the BB and crank. No need to get a new front der but probably a
'third eye' chain watcher wopu;d help to keep the chain on the \small
ring.

Will a compact crank work with 8-speed 105 components? Any

Quoted message said:

suggestions for a reasonable crankset (in the 105/Ultegra performance
range)?

Yes it will and the best value is the FSA Gossamer crank/BB combo for
$175.
Thanks for your help.

I will disagree with one slight area - when Shimano makes a compact front
derailleur, buy it. There is a larger incidence of chain drop because the
front derailleur doesn't properly fit the chain diameter.

Slight is correct and why we say use a chainwatcher. A $10 chainwatcher
is a better idea than a $50 front der.