Hi – wanting to go 2×10..Would you convert a xtr m970 crank (with Turbine or TA rings etc)or buy a specific 2×10 chainset?

I could sell the m970 to cover a good chunk of the cost. But are there advantages to using a specific 2×10 crankset?

The XTR cranks are obviously a nice bit kit (and are in good nic) so there wouldnt be any or much of a weight saving to be made by changing them. But I’m just trying to figure out if the converted setup would be at all less preferable, for whatever reason (chainline, shifting performance etc I guess?)

Thanks

Convert, no need to do anything at the front other than sort out the ring size choice.

Convert. M8x2mm washers needed to offset the inner ring, otherwise it’s fine. This was mine with 28/40 TA rings:

+1 for convert.

You have good crank arms already and once you swap out the chainrings and have a few differing sizes, you are able to pick and choose ratios to suit anticipated rides.

Do people actually do that?

Why, what are you actually going to save and/or gain?

I’d just stay with the 3×9. And have you seen how much 10-spd cassettes weigh?

b r – Member
Why, what are you actually going to save and/or gain?

Can’t speak for the OP but gaining a clutch mech was the biggest benefit of going to 10 speed fo me. I dropped the big ring because I never used it and the 11-32 10 speed cassette gets rid of the step in the middle of the 9 speed cassette. I went with 36-22 up front.

And ratios that better suited my riding style was what I gained from going for a double. 22t was too small to be of any use, 44t slightly too big, somewhere in the middle… perfect.

I am keen to change because I don’t use the big ring either and new ratios should stop so much shifting the front rings (hopefully). A clutch mech sound great too. I was interested to see if a dedicated 2×10 chainset might have other benefits such as chainline, q-factor, neither of which I know much about – but just to weigh it all up..

Thanks for the replies.. Am keen on keeping the cranks as they are nice!

2×10 works for me. Just bought a clutch mech after the chain attempting to leave the building about a million times on very rocky terrain. Which is why I also bought a stinger 😉 Got to say even living in Malverns where it’s pretty steep, 2×10 is fine. Never used the big ring other than as a bash/tension the chain.

Bought new with a new bike so easy to justify over 9. still got 9spd on the HT tho.