This spring I will be taking off my ultegra chain rings and crank arms to transfer to another bike. They are 53/39 and the rear cog set is 23/11. I have thought about everything from Dura Ace to FSA to Rotor Cranks as a replacement. I am signed up for Ironman Wisconsin( 1st Ironman) which I know is a hilly course the rest of my racing sprint, oly & 1/2's are mostly flat with rolling hills. Any suggestions as to what I might consider going with? Thanks Norm.
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Re: Crank Arms & Chain Rings [NormM]
[ In reply to ]
Hmmm. Well, first off, be certain you have a crank length you are comfortable with. If you are a tall, big guy and you have 170's maybe you may be more comfortable/faster/efficient on 172.5's or 175's. That may be an opportunity for a possible upgrade.
Now, one thing to keep in mind when evaluating other cranks: Be certain your shifting will be perfect. On the Wisconsin course you may be using your front derailleur a lot and you don't want to drop a chain.
With that in mind if you have a Shimano 10 speed Dura-Ace drivetrain you may be best off with a Dura-Ace 10 speed crank with 53/39 rings. You will have excellent shifting performance.
If you aren't married to one specific drivetrain or have a more "tolerant" drivetrain, i.e. nine speed, then you can use the FSA's and expect excellent results. For that matter, the shift quality we get on Dura-Ace 10 speed with an FSA crank is excellent too.
It's hard to go wrong with the better cranks nowadays. I can't give you an authoritative or experienced opinion on Rotorcranks yet except to say they are interesting.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Now, one thing to keep in mind when evaluating other cranks: Be certain your shifting will be perfect. On the Wisconsin course you may be using your front derailleur a lot and you don't want to drop a chain.
With that in mind if you have a Shimano 10 speed Dura-Ace drivetrain you may be best off with a Dura-Ace 10 speed crank with 53/39 rings. You will have excellent shifting performance.
If you aren't married to one specific drivetrain or have a more "tolerant" drivetrain, i.e. nine speed, then you can use the FSA's and expect excellent results. For that matter, the shift quality we get on Dura-Ace 10 speed with an FSA crank is excellent too.
It's hard to go wrong with the better cranks nowadays. I can't give you an authoritative or experienced opinion on Rotorcranks yet except to say they are interesting.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Re: Crank Arms & Chain Rings [Tom Demerly]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks. I do currently have 175.'s. Do you think I may as well take the next step and replace the nine speed rear cog set with the new 10 speed Dura Ace and new chain. Would I also have to change my ultegra derailleur or not? Do you think there are any weight differences of consequence among the different options?
Re: Crank Arms & Chain Rings [NormM]
[ In reply to ]
Hmmm., Well, remember- If you decide to go to 10 speed you are best served to take the leap and replace the entire affair- crank, BB, cogs, derailleurs and shifters.
Big bucks.
The benefits are better shifting, lighter weight (even with the additional cog) and perhaps better drive train stiffness. It really isn't about the extra cog at all, it is more about the others features and benefits.
I think ultimately it boils down to how much you are comfortable with spending and what your expectations are. A complete new 10 speed kit, Ultegra or Dura-Ace, would go over those rollers pretty nice.
The new Ultegra 10 speed is the max bang for the buck choice.
-I'm not sure if that answers your question... Sorry.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Big bucks.
The benefits are better shifting, lighter weight (even with the additional cog) and perhaps better drive train stiffness. It really isn't about the extra cog at all, it is more about the others features and benefits.
I think ultimately it boils down to how much you are comfortable with spending and what your expectations are. A complete new 10 speed kit, Ultegra or Dura-Ace, would go over those rollers pretty nice.
The new Ultegra 10 speed is the max bang for the buck choice.
-I'm not sure if that answers your question... Sorry.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Re: Crank Arms & Chain Rings [Tom Demerly]
[ In reply to ]
Do the DA 10 cranks offer a signifcant improvement in shift etc than octolink or isis cranks? I thing I read a bike test on a Boreas bike which was specced with Record kit but had DA 10 cranks because they thought they offered significant stiffness gains to inhance shifting and power transfer.
I am thinking of going down the Dura-ace 10 (thought about Churus but all my wheels are shimano) route for my R2.5, but was unsure of which cranks to go with.
I am thinking of going down the Dura-ace 10 (thought about Churus but all my wheels are shimano) route for my R2.5, but was unsure of which cranks to go with.
Re: Crank Arms & Chain Rings [Tom Demerly]
[ In reply to ]
If I did go with the new 10 speed Ultegra and the crank arms, chain rings,rear cogs and chain would I be able to use my exsisting ultegra derailleurs or would I need new ultegra derailleurs? Also ballpark what would be the cost difference going Ultegra or Dura Ace.
If you decide to stick with a 9 speed and (which will be significantly cheaper) I'd go with whatever is the best deal for a crankset and a 12-25 on the back. I think this is a very versatile cassette. If you are considering revamping the whole drivetrain, I'd think about going with compact cranks as well. Upgrading to 10 speed will be expensive. And going to compact would be expensive too. Just make sure you don't go to 10 then later decide to go compact. Though your LBS would love you for it.