Wanting to run a double up front but not with a bash and want a decent chainline. what double specific chainsets are their? any under £100? Am i best of waiting for the new SRAM X7 – if so when will it be out?

Used Middleburn Duo would be about the only choice, but it would be easier just to use what you already have and just take the big ring off.

Why not use a lightweight bashguard just to make it look nice and tidy though? There's loads about. 🙂

I don't need a bash and its extra weight/cost for the sake of it

I've found no problem at all with a standard triple with the big ring removed. Once Shimano and SRAM double specifics are available (not counting XX) I'd go for one of those if buying new but I'd say it's not really worth waiting.

No bash on mine either.

As clubber said, run it like the picture above and it will be fine, not pretty though if that is what your really want.

BTW clubber, WTF is that big lump of front mech?

I have the same sort of set up as clubber – no issues at all. chain line is goodish as you use the whole casette in the bigger ring and the bottom 2/3 of it in the granny

I see a big problem with just taking the big ring off a triple to make it into a double. That problem being the absence of a big ring. Unless you live at the bottom of a well and have to ride out every day I dont see why you would want only a middle and granny set up, especially with that muthaf***a of a rear cassette you have on there.

Unless you live at the bottom of a well and have to ride out every day I dont see why you would want only a middle and granny set up

I have just a middle ring, and I ain't slow.

You could do as clubber does and add an extra spacer on the drive side bb to even out the chainline a bit.

poppa, that isnt a middle and granny set up though is it. Also, saying you aren't slow is a bit of a tosspot comment. I would hazard a guess that compared to a lot of people you are very slow, or very very slow even.

I see a big problem with just taking the big ring off a triple to make it into a double. That problem being the absence of a big ring. Unless you live at the bottom of a well and have to ride out every day I dont see why you would want only a middle and granny set up, especially with that muthaf***a of a rear cassette you have on there.

Normally people will replace the rings with higher teeth replacement, mine for example I run a 40T middle and a 26T inner.

I_Ache – Member

You could do as clubber does and add an extra spacer on the drive side bb to even out the chainline a bit.

Absolutely no need.

You're a real charmer, aren't you? I would hazard a guess that compared to even more people I am very fast, or even very very fast.

Whatever you say Mr Absalon-Peat.

I'm guessing he's quite young poppa, let it go.

Obi_Twa

I run 22/36. 36 /11 top gear allows me to pedal into the high 20s mph which is plenty for me offroad – and it is a mountainbike. I have only lost the top 2 gears from a standard triple set up

Kingtut I know there is no need I run double and bash myself. Its just that the OP was concerned with chainline and putting an extra 2.5mm spacer would move the cranks into more of a specific double chainset chainline.

I took the big ring off all my MTB bikes, because I rarely used the big ring (I do live in a steep sided well of a valley), I'm a leftie and was always impaling my right calf, saved a bit of money and weight. Never bothered putting a bash ring on. The double ring set up rarely seems to lose the chain and for a long time I rode it without bothering to adjust the front mech (looked a bit silly tho). For some reason, on my 1×9 canal commuter bike, the chain is constantly jumping off, so that's going to require some sort of guide device.

So shopping list:
1 x 36T ring
1 x 24T ring
Narrow chainring bolts

Any recommendations for any of the above?

Seems i will have a brand new set of 22/32/44 SLX rings for sale!!

Short chainring bolts £5.50 plus p&p (scroll down): http://www.hubjub.co.uk/etc/etc.htm

If you don't want the front mech to look like this (it works perfectly well tho!):

you might want some new gear cable, unless you've left plenty extra cable on your existing. Also, you'll be shortening the chain (chain tool?)

deore chainrings ftw.

So shopping list:
1 x 36T ring
1 x 24T ring
Narrow chainring bolts

Any recommendations for any of the above?

If you want light weight and long lasting you'll want TA Specialites Chinook chain rings from SJS Cycles.

I run 22/36. 36 /11 top gear allows me to pedal into the high 20s mph which is plenty for me offroad – and it is a mountainbike. I have only lost the top 2 gears from a standard triple set up

Mr TJ, he speaks da truth. 🙂

Seems i will have a brand new set of 22/32/44 SLX rings for sale!!

I might be interested at the right price, email in profile. 🙂

KINGTUT – muppet 😉

BTW clubber, WTF is that big lump of front mech?

It's an SLX double mech – works much better than a triple IMO. It's not particularly chunky though – I think it just looks that way because the cage is smaller than a normal triple one.

Obi_Twa – Member
I see a big problem with just taking the big ring off a triple to make it into a double. That problem being the absence of a big ring. Unless you live at the bottom of a well and have to ride out every day I dont see why you would want only a middle and granny set up, especially with that muthaf***a of a rear cassette you have on there.

It's been endlessly discussed on here already. For most people it's just not an issue as the top gear is plenty for normal off road riding and fitness will dictate whether the 'muthaf***a of a rear cassette' is necessary or not. Currently I'm not very fit so it's necessary. Back in the day when I was completely the opposite, no doubt I'd have been running an 11-28 cassette with larger chainrings and that's what more racy people are doing.

EDIT – I should probably mention that while mine is a standard chainset, the 'big' chainring is a 36, not a 32 though for most riding I don't actually think even that would be a huge issue.

Finally, chainline. I've had a good look and I did think about moving spacers around before fitting it all but the chainrings are actually exactly where I want them for a double and I reckon adding a spacer to the driveside would actually give you a worse chainline.

I don't need a bash and its extra weight/cost for the sake of it

But you're willing to spend £100 on a crankset, when all you need to do is get a £13 Deore ring and a £20-£30 lightweight bashring! (NO short bolts needed either!)
😀

Presumably he'd be able to sell the existing chainset though…

I still don't see why you'd add a bashring if you don't need one.

It's an SLX double mech – works much better than a triple IMO. It's not particularly chunky though – I think it just looks that way because the cage is smaller than a normal triple one.

Fair enough, ugly brute though ain't it.

SP CRxFW GI GIdf DI diff DF PRPM RT
—————————————————————————
1> 24×34 19.41 13.33% 60.98 8.13 5' 0.98" 1038.96 1:0.71
2> 24×30 22.00 15.38% 69.11 10.63 5' 9.11" 916.73 1:0.80
3> 24×26 25.38 13.04% 79.75 10.40 6' 7.75" 794.50 1:0.92
4> 24×23 28.70 1.47% 90.15 1.33 7' 6.15" 702.83 1:1.04
5> 36×34 29.12 13.33% 91.48 12.20 7' 7.48" 692.64 1:1.06
6> 24×20 33.00 0.00% 103.67 0.00 8' 7.67" 611.16 1:1.20
7> 36×30 33.00 15.38% 103.67 15.95 8' 7.67" 611.16 1:1.20
8> 36×26 38.08 1.96% 119.62 2.35 9'11.62" 529.67 1:1.38
9> 24×17 38.82 10.87% 121.97 13.26 10' 1.97" 519.48 1:1.41
10> 36×23 43.04 2.22% 135.22 3.00 11' 3.22" 468.55 1:1.57
11> 24×15 44.00 12.50% 138.23 17.28 11' 6.23" 458.37 1:1.60
12> 36×20 49.50 2.56% 155.51 3.99 12'11.51" 407.44 1:1.80
13> 24×13 50.77 14.71% 159.50 23.46 13' 3.50" 397.25 1:1.85
14> 36×17 58.24 3.03% 182.95 5.54 15' 2.95" 346.32 1:2.12
15> 24×11 60.00 10.00% 188.50 18.85 15' 8.50" 336.14 1:2.18
16> 36×15 66.00 15.38% 207.34 31.90 17' 3.34" 305.58 1:2.40
17> 36×13 76.15 18.18% 239.24 43.50 19'11.24" 264.83 1:2.77
18> 36×11 90.00 0.00% 282.74 0.00 23' 6.74" 224.09 1:3.27
—————————————————————————

I still don't see why you'd add a bashring if you don't need one.

It's a fair point, but I did it simply because it looks neater, that's all. Then, when I had one, I found I started using it! 🙂 VERY handy!
I just bought a used alloy FSA one for about £12 off Ebay the first time.

KT – yeah not pretty and I'd replace it with an XT or XTR one when it dies.

clubber – Member

KT – yeah not pretty and I'd replace it with an XT or XTR one when it dies.

I'm eagerly awaiting the new XTR double.. 8)

See, neatness! 😀 (Well, IMO, anyway…)

And this Truvative one even matches the bike! 🙂

Nah, it's just grarlcore-ness. I prefer the look of being in the 'big' ring all the time 🙂

Nah, it's just grarlcore-ness. I prefer the look of being in the 'big' ring all the time

**cough** 36T is a big ring? **cough** 😉

It's the big ring on my bike 😉

Depends where you ride dunnit. I don't use the big ring much at a lot of trail centres or on big techy stuff but I use it lots in the Peak because the DHs are faster and longer and there's lots of road. I'd never use a bash in't peak for this reason.

with a 36t luke you only miss out on the top 2 gears according to TJ though

Well 36/11 is equivalent of a 44 chainring and between your 13 and 14T sprockets so you effectively lose the 11, 12 and sort of but not really the 13.

That may or may not be an issue depending on where you ride. Most people rarely use the top two gears to any really effect though I reckon – at least not offroad.

Nah, not off road, but on road linking which is a bit of a peak neccesity.

For the last year and a half I've een running a smaller cassette- 11-28. I like having small differences between gears see.