|   2X9 on 03 Epic | placilla
Dec 31, 2003 3:56 PM | | I am thinking of going to 2X9. Has anyone done this to an Epic? What do I need to get or replace? |
| re: 2x9s | GregR..
Jan 1, 2004 5:38 AM | | What sort of gearing do you want, and what is your goal for 2x9? I can be as simple as removing the big ring from your crank, or elaborate as replacing the entire drivetrain.
I run 2x9 on my bike, removed the big ring and replaced with a bash ring (110/74 crank with 36/24t rings). Sure I don't have a lot of hegh end gears, but I never used the big ring anyway. And the main goal for going 2x9 was ground clearance and durability.
G |
| re: 2x9s | placilla
Jan 2, 2004 12:42 PM | | I was planning on using a 44/29 for racing. I never use my small ring. |
| re: 2x9s | GregR..
Jan 3, 2004 6:48 AM | | The only thing I think you may have a bit of trouble with is the FD.
44/29 is a big jump. I dont know of any FDs that are designed to handle that big of a jump. You may run into some trouble with the front shifting not being as crisp as it should be (upshifting), and overshooting the 29 (on downshifts).
A 44t ring gives you a pretty tall pretty tall gear ratio. What cassette are you looking at using? The jumps in gear ratio are going to be high on the 44t ring in lower gears. The only place on a course that you would use a 44/11 would be a long fire-road descent.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of average speeds are you getting right now on the course, plus high and low?
G |
| re: 2x9s | placilla
Jan 4, 2004 9:44 AM | | I am averaging around 10 to 14 MPH depending on the course. |
| re: 2X9 on 03 Epic | sclyde2
Jan 5, 2004 10:59 PM | | the "standard" XC 2x9 setup is 44/29 front and 12-34 rear.
it'll work with a short-cage or long-cage rear derrailleur.
you could also use a standard 11-32 rear cluster, or probably a 12-32, if that's possible.
not sure of the required front derraileur, but I reckon most should work.
the main expense will be in the crank/bb department. depending on your crank, you might be able to get away with buying another 2 ring spider and a 29t ring (use the existing 44t). but it may not be possible to get a 2-ring spider for your crank. also, be aware that there may be some fiddling with chainline required, necessitating a different bb length. you may want to try (ie test ride) a few different bb lengths, if your budget and/or LBS allows.
have a look at cannondales, where 2x9's are common (or were). i've got a '99 model 'dale with a 2x9 and have done 15,000km on it, about a third of it off road. i rate it very very highly. it still has the original rings (the top of the range 7075 CODA rings are great, and I keep it clean) on it, and shifts much better than my '03 XTR setup on my new ellsworth (not happy with it at all). i'm actually in the market for a new drivetrain, and will very likely get another 2x9 setup. also, i am so unhappy with the '03 XTR (chainline sucks), that i think i'll be changing to to a 2x9 & SRAM rear setup.
2x9 is really good. there is much less changing on the front. also, there's no middle ring that gets a workout, so there's more even chain ring wear.
the only disad, is that you usually have to reverse shift the rear der at the same time as the fd shift, so a too reduce the big difference in gear ratio - i'm pretty used to it. also, you simply do not have the range you had before (low range), so the unfit need not apply.
if I were racing only (no fast road use or slow trailriding), i'd get a 42/29 (if possible) and a 11-32 rear, or 12-32 for courses with no long straight downhill/smooth sections. |
| |
