Haven’t ridden a MTB since braking my collarbone two years ago. With a new baby and work pressures I’ve only just got back into the garage to finish the two half built bikes that have sat there since summer 2013.

Back then I’d have considered myself a family techie bike fan, but in those two years 26ers seem to have all but disappeared, 10 speed is the norm and chainset gearing has all gone double (or single) with a variety of ratios.

So, questions to help me finish my build:

1. What chainrings/chainset? Currently have a middleburn triple that needs a new middle ring, do I replace like with like or jump to an slx double? If so what gearing?

2. If I do stick with the triple, which front mech will work with the swift? The ikd SRAM mech I have fouks the rear tyre when in the granny ring position.

3. Can I go with a triple front mech (that doesn’t foul the tyre) and dial in the screw so it runs as a double mech?

TIA

CSFL

‘Fairly’ techie, not family techie!

10 speed is the norm

Shimano’s going 11 speed for retail in the next few weeks 🙂

SRAM’s been offering 11 speed for 4 years too, you’re more out of it than you think!

It’s all personal at the end of the day, there’s no inherent reason to ditch the triple unless you want to. Ratios are similarly personal. A lot of doubles are 22/36, personally I went double because I never used the inner ring, rather than never using the outer ring, I liked 28/42, but I like single ring a lot more once cassettes got wider.

Personally I’d keep the Middleburn – much nicer and more adaptable than an slx. Not sure on the availability of tripple front mechs / shifters – shimano are still producing them so they must be out there. If it were me I’d go with a nice one piece Middleburn narrow wide single ring.

1) SLX double works great
2) & 3) Front derailleur will work fine if you wind the lower limit screw in, I’ve done that on a few occasions with shimano and see no reason why the SRAM should be any different.

I use a triple crank with a single ring. Not an issue. (Still on 9 speed, may actually be 8 I can’t remember what shifter I managed to find / trade to build the current drive chain).

I’d keep the middleburn and set it up as a single or double ring as desired. Mainly because I’ve always wanted middleburn cranks.

The trouble with using the current mech is that when dialled down so that it doesn’t foul the tyre, its aligned with the middle ring,not the granny, am thinking I need one if a subtly different design? Maybe a double specific one designed for a 40t rather than a 44t will have a slightly smaller cage?

Re running a double setup on the middleburns I have the compact 5 arm spider, so unfortunately the smallest inner ring i could get is 30…

Sounds like a chainline issue. I use a standard XT front mech and a triple on my Swift with no issues.

replace the spider!

You can buy replacement spiders – they’re splined on with a lock nut. You can swap for a double spider or a single ring. If Middleburn do a narrow/wide single that’d be the best option.

Here you go – very modern.

Middleburn RS7/8 Sqr Taper or ISIS Thick/Thin Ring/Spider

Might get myself one – was only thinking the other day I ought to add some gears to my other bike and this’d be ideal.

Run the middleburn as a double or even a single – the 27/40 combination is very nice.

You can shutdown the triple shifter to work with a double – a touch fiddly but doable.

CSFL – Member
…Back then I’d have considered myself a family techie bike fan, but in those two years 26ers seem to have all but disappeared…

Everything you knew still works.

Fit the stuff you know, it will be discounted, and by the time you wear it out, you’ll have caught up. 🙂

Thanks for all your help, I’d like to keep the triple running if I can, but with 2 mm clearance it doesn’t seem sensible. These pics might help explain the issue better:

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That can’t be right can it? Is it just a rubbish mech or something else? I can move the cranks round a bit because of the EBB but I can’t see that it would help…

If you’ve got clearance it’s fine – it’ll just act as a mud scraper when you’re grinding up something. It’s only if it’s touching you’ve got to worry.

(IMHO)

Ditch the front mech unless you live somewhere really hilly. Swift mk1 always had tyre/mech issues, but it was designed as a SS primarily. Put decent wide tyres like those in the pics & it’s always going to be close. I run mine 30×12:36 which’ll get up most things. With a direct spider you might go 28t but it will be very skinny on the flat