Bunnyman can do anything!

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Why do you need compact cranks if most of your racing is on flats?

Mostly for the 50 chainring honestly. I rarely use the 39 and I don't ride fast enough for the 53x11, so I wanted something with really tight ratios and gearing I could actually use. I spin really fast in races (100-105...it just 'feel's the best...have tried mashing, but legs do better with higher turnover) and I like the ability to have small increment shifts. I actually considered just getting a 50 chainring and running only one up front for my race bike, but didn't find on in a shimano bolt circle pattern..and the aluminum cranks weren't my size (175).

Lance

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

1. You can get individual cogs for a your cassette, but it gets pretty pricy. So I guess you could make any number you wanted. If you wanted to tighten up your ratio you could also get a gear chart and run maybe a 42 small chainring with that 50.
2. You don't need a front derail with a fixed gear or freewheel as the chain tightness won't allow the chain to jump like Millar. You could go 2 ways on the chain . If you don't want a fixed gear they make a chain tightener which is a one speed derailleur, or just run it like a track frame with a short chain. The problem will be unless you get a perfect fit the Litespeed has no adjustment for chain tightness. Most single speeds have the old horizonal dropouts or a track specific system. New one speeds are using an adjustable BB like on tandems. Hope that helps. G

Salsa at least has a 50 chainring with standard 130 BCD..
http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.asp?PART_NUM_SUB='0116-38'

Or Peter White has 130 BCD,
Specialites TA 50 tooth pinned for STI 9 speed compatibility
$ 60.00

Might be cheaper/easier than a whole new compact crankset..

Sheldon Brown says the rivets are unnecessary: "Shimano cassettes that don't use spiders have most of the sprockets held together by 3 small bolts, or, in some cases, 3 long rivets. These bolts/rivets are not essential. Their function is convenience, in allowing the cassette to be installed slightly more easily. To make a custom cassette, you will often need to remove the screws or rivets. Just discard them, they are un-necessary in practice."

I'm thinking of getting a 13-23 and modifying it to be a corncob 13-21, using that with a standard 53/39 front. Of course I'll have to substitute a 13-26 for Boulder Peak, but for most races (Oly/sprint) the straight block would be better I think.

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"It is a good feeling for old men who have begun to fear failure, any sort of failure, to set a schedule for exercise and stick to it. If an aging man can run a distance of three miles, for instance, he knows that whatever his other failures may be, he is not completely wasted away." Romain Gary, SI interview

muchas gracias...should have checked sheldon's site...I already have the crank on my new bike...I might get a new chainring for the other bike however.

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

Okay if experience counts for anything, you will not find anyone who has successfully disassembled one of the rivetted clusters in a Dura Ace/Ultegra cassette in order to add a cog to make a straight block. Never fear - need to reinvent the wheel, just take a look (linky):

http://www.cycle-dynamics.com/index.html

According to Paul Tettamanti at Cycle Dynamics, the cassettes can be ordered directly from the company by phone ( 888-439-1204), email, or fax (604-439-8849). The office hours are quite irregular during the winter months -- and he states that the best times to phone are usually MWF afternoons Pacific time.



Michael

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Thanks..what I meant about the millar thing was that I was considering a rear derailleur only type setup as a second option..which 'might' neccessitate a front deraileur or some other setup to keep the chain on....although since I am not racing on cobblestones it probably would be overkill...just run a 50 up front and a tight cluster in the back

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

I am horrified to even guess what one of those things costs

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

I may be mistaken, but I think as far as 9-speed Shimano drive trains are concnered, unless you are using an SRAM cassette, I think that all of the 9-speed Shimano cassettes (I can only speak to current Ultegra/Dura Ace) use a spider with cogs "riveted" or more likey press fit with hydraulic tool/fittings to the carrier/spider - removing the cog from the spider makes them unusable!



Michael

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¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edit: Last time I checked I think an 11-19 cassette was $141 from http://www.bigtwincycling.com/shimano_8910.htm and only $125 (US) plus shipping if ordered direct from Cycle Dynamics! Also, note that they now carrry straight blocks for Shimano 10-speed!



Michael

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They cost about the same as one of the aftermarket conversion cassettes (unless you can do as I did and get one used..barely..on ebay for next to nothing) and they work like a charm. Their customer service is absolutely awesome and the guys are super friendly.

Since I'm still running 8spd and 7spd, I haven't yet attempted to deconstruct a 9spd.. hum. However Sheldon has a selection of custom 9spd cassettes, though these may have been built from scratch with individual cogs.
He said on rec.bicycles.tech "Not all sets can be taken apart...generally, the less expensive ones are
more versatile in this respect."
So I think you're right - might have to use a 105 or Tiagra cassette to start the build.

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"It is a good feeling for old men who have begun to fear failure, any sort of failure, to set a schedule for exercise and stick to it. If an aging man can run a distance of three miles, for instance, he knows that whatever his other failures may be, he is not completely wasted away." Romain Gary, SI interview

The cogs are really bolted together. I found this out the hard way while making my four speed cassette on the Project One. I ground down a rivet, then saw the allen head. I was a bit miffed for spending that type of time.

You could buy several cassettes to get the ratio you want. This sounds like a pain (and it is, unless you can find a dealer clearing out cassettes). Another option is to order a bunch of cogs. Tiso Bike's cassettes are not pinned, but they are pricey.

Litespeed: I would do a minimalist gear TT bike. There is a great chainring available (which I am putting onto Project One) that is originally a cyclocross ring designed for single 'ring use.

[quote]Litespeed: I would do a minimalist gear TT bike. There is a great chainring available (which I am putting onto Project One) that is originally a cyclocross ring designed for single 'ring use.



[/quote]

Minimalist gear = 5-6 speeds?

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin

I would do five. MDT can make a cassette weight saver kit (i.e. a stack of spacers) that would rid you of as many cogs as you wish, if you ask for custom.

Something else I will add:

the cyclocross ring I told you about will not require a front mech to keep it on. MDT also does a 'ring that does not need a front mech to keep it on. Millar should have asked them for one.

I've got a cheap Trek 1000 that I broke off the weld for the front der. barrel adjuster. So I just took off the front der. entirely and use the bike for the trainer and rainy days. I've never had any problems. It has 8 speed sora components.

BTW, I'm very interested in the cog drilling idea. I saw it originally on Sheldon's site but have never tried it. Has nobody actually done this?

In reference to the MDT spacer (nice btw).

Do you need some sort of wheel protector to kep from shooting the chain over on to the spacer or are the set screws satisfactory (or to put it another way, can you still use index shifters or would you need to run in friction mode to prevent shooting your chain into your wheel in the event of an overshift on the largest cog?)

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That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin