need some new gears for my tourer.
the whole lot, cassette, bb, chainrings or chainset, chain and rear mech.
stuff i use is 9 spd deore with a Spa triple chainset on a sq taper bb.
thing is, this lot has only been on a year, and it is all done for. about 5000 miles or near.
so thinking about a swap. shimano cues ? or good old budget shimano acera off Bikeinn for not much cash.
what are you using on your tourers ?
Square taper BB knackered in a year? That's terrible lifespan for that... Do you pressure wash the bike? I get 10 years out of a squate taper, used for commuting, unwashed... Probably not that kind of miles, but all weathers.
Ebay is your friend here. 9 speed only seems to be availabe at the cheaper end these days. HG400 cassette, I go for KMC chains, though SRAM always uesed to be my go-to. Back to Spa for individual rings I'd guess.
You sure about the rear mech too? How are the jockey wheels?
Do the cables too if you are doing all that... May make the biggest difference.
The newer Shimano linkglide stuff is really good for durability, as it's made for e-bikes (and big fellas like you!) - it's a bit heavier but on a loaded touring bike you won't notice the extra. I've got Cues 1x11sp on my Surly and it's been faultless since May, plenty of range for steep climbs but if you want more top end speed the maybe 2x would be better?
You can have the (unused) chainrings from this chainset for postage if you want them (I run it 1x on my commuter/utility Lava Dome):
https://www.merlincycles.com/sunrace-m914-triple-chainset-9-speed-249995.html
Not sure what's going on there Ton. We're running 3x9 on the tandem fully loaded and also on my tourer fully loaded. Even on the tandem, we're getting many, many more miles than you. The tandem has old TA Zephyr with OE rings. I get north of 20k miles out of the final drive rings (more from the timing rings). Cassettes, I'm getting at least 7k-8k miles from them, chains mebbies 4k-5k. Everything else, lasts ages. I'm on the original Deore DX derailleurs with well over 50k miles on them.
Are you sure your cleaning/maintenance process isn't killing your kit?
@montgomery pm sent mate. thanks.
@boblo no change on what i do cleaning wise. maybe a little lazier since retiring but back when working a whole set up lasted me a good couple of years or more.
@ton I’ve got an XT 9S 11-34 cassette and a chain you can have for the cost of postage, brand new. I had this idea when I retired that I’d be doing massive mileage. I’ve got enough good 9 speed stuff to last me until I’m 150!
@ton Something ain't right. You shouldn't be killing a complete transmission in 5k road miles - unless that road is in the Atacama desert or some such. It must be your Amazonian/Hoy like thighs... 🙃
Square taper BB knackered in a year? That's terrible lifespan for that...
I've got play in a UN300 after only 4 months in my MTB. Those basic Shimano BBs (that are all they offer now) aren't anything like the old UN72s.
Linkglide for durability seems a good bet, with a higher-end Thun BB perhaps.
I must confess to being a squirrel. I bought up loads (mebbies half a doz?) of those UN52/72 BB's for 'stock'. Plus 9 speed XT cassettes and matching front/rear ders plus Sora STI's to make them work. I suspect I have enough spares to last me until I'm 201... 🙄
They do others, too, e.g. Stronglight, but this is working well on my commuter:
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m16b0s110p3233/FIRST-COMPONENTS-DX-30-Bottom-Bracket
Get the long variant of these, more secure:
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m8b0s173p3395/SPA-CYCLES-Cro-Mo-Crank-Bolts-%28pair%29
Linkglide for durability seems a good bet, with a higher-end Thun BB perhaps.
If he's going CUES throughout, it'll need new shifters which will only do a 2x, not a 3x. I'd agree that it would be worth going for the full CUES groupset inc chainset and then upgrade the BB as you've suggested.
5000 miles to wear out a 3x9 groupset is quite impressive!
I don't think I could stomach Cues. It'd need to be GRX or bastardised 105 if 'modern' ie 11 speed. Ton might succeed in getting transmission life down to low thousands of miles with 11 speed tho...🙃 As above, 2x with a dinner plate on the back. That's why I bought 3x9 stock. For me it's peak touring kit.
I've still got 3x9 on all my tourers and despite being pretty light don't think I've ever got over 5000km out of a chain let alone 5000 miles. I usually change the chain at about 3000 km then middle chain ring, cassette, jockey wheels when the second chain gets sloppy.
I think it's down to riding a lot on griity paths and no cleaning when actually touring.
I'm quite impressed with 11s kit on other bikes, XT and KMC chains, Shimano and SRAM cassettes last as well as 9s and 10s. I'm now using 11s e-bike rated XT chains on10s transmissions, all good. Just one disappointment: cracking and fast wearing 11s SRAM chains which has been covered on here.
Starting from scratch I'd go 11s GRX with a small single ring. I'm quite happy to freewheel beyond 35kmh when touring.
My old commuter rather than tourer, '20 Voodoo Marasa is 3x9. Tiny bit of play in the square taper BB now, its had at least one new 12-36 cassette and at least two new KMC chains.
But its only done ~3500 miles total, having not commuted for over three years, went out in all weathers and had an accidental drowning to BB level when River Itchen flooded the SUSTRANS path between Horseshoe and Northam Bridges more than I realised!
Only discovered the other day that KMC now make some cassettes of their own.
9 speed triple here on a spa tourer. I ve got 5k miles on in 2 years and only replaced chain. A free hub failed which is a first.
I m chain waxing though and rotating chains...I also stocked up on cheap 9 speed stuff, I reckon it will outlast me.
Love the spa tourer I d get another.
I had Acera on a bike once and yeah, for light riding it was fine, but loaded touring all day it wore fast. Deore or Tiagra felt way more durable on long trips.
Cues
You get the simplicity, low cost and good performance of old 9/10s Deore drivetrains, but with the longevity of the modern stuff.
Depends on the budget, I'm guessing 2x12 GRX isn't an option. I'm 2400miles into my 12s 105 in all weathers and it's not even registering on the chain wear gauge.
Cues
You get the simplicity, low cost and good performance of old 9/10s Deore drivetrains, but with the longevity of the modern stuff.
CUES isn't just low tier kit though, CUES U8000 is supposedly the direct replacement for the XT T8000 trekking kit (which I think has been quite widely used amongst touring cyclists) and still technically XT level (there are even Di2 options). Obviously the cost is also comparable.