Joel Morrissette

Seems like I go through this every year about the time I tune up the
cyclocross rig. Is this the year to go single-ring? For the last couple
seasons, I've been running standard cranks with 48/39 up front and 12/27 in
the back. Seems to work okay, but I drop my chain more than I'd care to.
And I like the simplicity of a single-ring setup. Then there's that compact
crankset I got cheap last year...

If I run Sheldon Brown's calculator, I find that I can get the same gear
options in a single-ring setup using a 46 chainring and a mountain cassette,
minus the very top end (which I'll never miss in cross). Slap a long-cage
derailleur on that puppy and we're ready to rock. But a single-ring
conversion isn't exactly cheap once you get all the pieces together. There
is an interesting argument that chain tension is a little tighter with a
long-cage setup and shifting is better (or is it worse?). 110 BCD cranks
afford me many more chainring options than 130 BCD. Compacts are killer on
hills and in the mud (or on muddy hills). Single-ring reduces the points of
failure greatly, as well as weight.

Reply with your comments pro/con under the headers below and let's see where
we are on this. Spare me no details - let's get into gear inches, chain
tension and chain lines. If I get enough, I'll collate the whole thing into
a proper article and blog that bad boy.

Option 1: Standard cranks, modified chainrings (48/39 or somesuch)

Option 2: Compact cranks

Option 3: Single ring

Thanks,
Joel
--
__o "It never gets easier,
_ \<_ you just go faster."
(_)/(_) -- Greg LeMond