Hi, probably going to end up buying a 2013 Croix de Fer…but the “Shimano Tiagra FC-4650 Compact 50/34T” is so ugly its unreal.

I’m new to bikes so my question is… could I replace this with another chainset? What would I need to make sure of, I dont want to change any gearing. So would any “chainset 50/34T” do the job?

Anyone recommend a replacement?

Campagnolo Carbon Chorus Ultra Torque 50/34 would be a significant improvement.

Do the diameters matter? The Tiagra is compact at 110m most others seem to be around 170mm?

EDIT:
ignore that question, i think im getting confused with crank length and I’m not sure where i got 110 from!

If you’re buying a complete chainset you don’t need to worry about the BCD of the chainrings.
You do need to decide about the bottom bracket and crank length though if you’re going to buy a different brand of crank.

Nice bargain Ultegra upgrade 🙂

I think you might have got some of your measurements mixed up? 170mm probably refers to the crank arm length. Not sure what the 110 refers to.

‘Compact’ just means it takes smaller chainrings such as 34/50 rather than the traditional road double sizes such as 39/52.

thanks everyone, as long as its possible ill get round to changing it at some point. Why they have to make it so ugly I dont know. I actually prefer the sora…

not really sure what the problem is…

(it’s not as if it’s been roughly smashed out of a defect billet by a blind coalminer using only a brick)

anyway, Lee – it’s a nice bike, good choice! 🙂

Yes, compared to Sora, there’s minimal difference – a few slight different curves…

The problem is the OP not the chainset

Not a fan of Sram really, but I do like the Rival chainset.
Looks far nicer than Shimano for me.
Got one on my cyclocross.

I have tiagra on my winter bike and I haven’t seen it for months with all the crap on it.

How can a chainset be ugly, or indeed beautiful. It’s just a chainset. It sits on your bike and makes the wheel go round.

How can what it looks like have any bearing whatsoever?

confused

How can a chainset be ugly, or indeed beautiful. It’s just a chainset. It sits on your bike and makes the wheel go round.

How can what it looks like have any bearing whatsoever?

confused

To a certain point yes. I do like the look of nice chainset as it can make or break a bikes looks, however I spend hours on my bike and from that angle I can’t see the chainset. If you have time to admire the bike then you are not riding it enough.

I’m with the OP on this one, Shimano road chainsets are FUGLY!

I’m with the OP on this one, Shimano road chainsets are FUGLY!

The old 7800 ones were good. I think the Tiagra one looks fine though, much better than the Sora.

The Tiagra looks okay in a Teutonic way. But I’ve always liked the classic spindley look like the Force and most Campagnolo offerings.
As above some Dura Ace versions are lovely ^

I think you might have got some of your measurements mixed up? 170mm probably refers to the crank arm length. Not sure what the 110 refers to.

110mm will be the BCD of a compact chainset.

that sora looks properly cheap (colour and finish makes it look like stamped out of junk metal). Tiagra isn’t aesthetically that different to 6700 Ultegra so if the OP doesnt like Tiaqra I assume he doesnt like shimano road cranks full stop.

For a discussion of the aesthetics of cranks, see

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/crankporn

Beauty is only skin deap, kinda curious to know just how good looking the OP is, usually the ugliest part of a bike is the ride IME. 😉

i think the ultegra is the ugliest out there… bluurrggggh

You don’t think it spoils the appearance of the bike? I do. Of course that’s just my opinion.

I thought you were all posting pictures of the same chainset until I actually read the posts. Meh.

Hardly a good looking bike anyway, it has disc brakes to start with. And the god awful “nodder brown” bar tape and matching saddle.

The tiagra 50t Chainring looks cheap (because it is) but the actual crank arms are the best looking thing on the bike by a mile! .

Buy a prettier Chainring and hang the bike in your shed, occasionally have a look at it but don’t even think about riding the thing, have you seen how ugly bikes are when slightly dirty?

Duirdh, you really are a sad little man. Mind, I expect nothing less from someone called “Derek”.

Truth too hard to swallow?..

diddums!

Duirdh, you really are a sad little man. Mind, I expect nothing less from someone called “Derek”.

To be honest I agree with him, I think the bike is gopping, and yes the big ring looks crap, but it’s a cheap chainring. If you want to throw money at it then go ahead, I’m not really bothered what my bike looks like when I’m riding it though 😕

It’s not his opinion I have a problem with. Its his pathetic trolling of every post on this forum. Sad little man.

It’s not his opinion I have a problem with. Its his pathetic trolling of every post on this forum. Sad little man.

without being quite so confrontational…

The outer chainring is the ugly bit. I’d say that the cranks themselves are ok actually. The chainrongs don’t last all that long though ime so it’ll then be fine.

Though I have to agree that the bike is no looker anyway.

Or get some Campags (IMO…)

fwiw this is how Tiagra looks with a different chainring

Yes you’re right, its just the 50t ring which looks cheap. Easier to just replace that.

The bike might not be everyones cup of tea, I really like it though. I think it has a nice retro feel to it.

Lee, By starting this thread, you have asked for opinions. is another forum members honest opinion really too much for you to handle? insult me, scream Troll all you want! just realise it’s rather pathetic, and many others actually agree with my opinion!

you can Email me your appology if you’re too proud to type it here. 😉

Does kind of ruin the bike, I think it looks nice apart from that.. and the brown bits.

duirdh, “the problem isnt the chainset its the op” is hardly constructive is it? Let’s face it – its trolling.

I really don’t mind if people hate the bike. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s how you present your opinion which is important.

_tom_, I love the brown. Best bit of the bike. I did slightly prefer the 2012 white version though!

I think the new Volant 10 is the best looking bike on the market though! 🙂

edit: double post

tsk tsk, Lee.. Please don’t cry “trolling” as a get out!
lets face it if the problem is not entirely in your head, can you at least explain what the actual the problem is with the chainset?
As you said.. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s how you present your opinion which is important”.

The sooner you admit the truth, the sooner you’ll be able to do something ‘constructive’ about it instead of insulting strangers from the safety of your keyboard for simply expressing their honest opinion.

It’s a low-end sows ear of a bike, debating an ugly chainset that graces this mediocre bike is a bit moot.

That green and white looks good. Agree with others its the ‘solid’ big ring that looks gash, not the crank itself. Cheap enough to replace.