8 Speed compact chainset, the search continues!

[Simeon Jones]

Can anyone answer my techy dilemma? I ride a much ridden and loved late 80's 531 road bike up lots of big hills in North Wales and feel like my knees would rather have easier gearing than my traditional 52-39 cainset will allow. Unfortunately I'm a fairly skint dad of three young kids, and can't afford to junk the rest of my 8 speed shimano 105 groupset. Is there any compact chainset I can use, preferrably to fit a trad. tapered bottom bracket. THERE MUST BE A WAY!

 

[fossyant]

Yup..there are loads......

You may need a longer BB, but there are a few....erm...I'll have to go and look...but this is a deffo.....

Late 80's bike rider here..... Dura Ace 8 speed and Ultegra 7 speed (that's before your 105 stuff)......

You may need a triple front mech and a long rear mech.... as well

PS what are your gear shifters...down tube or brake lever STI's - if down tube then loads cheaper....

 

[fossyant]

If you want cheap - Shimano Tourney or Acera...watch the top chain wheel- you'll need about a 46-50 - don't go 42 max......

See if it will fit your BB..if not get a different length.

Then it's front mech, and a rear mech - you'll need a long rear mech not a short one..

 

[mickle]

Piece of pish. Purchase an old school 'MTB' (110mm BCD) pre-compact drive chain-set with an outer ring of 46t or 48t. It'll have a middle ring circa 36/38t. Remove the granny ring, bolt it to your BB, drop your front mech a few mm and away you go.

 

[andrew_s]

Piece of pish. Purchase an old school 'MTB' (110mm BCD) pre-compact drive chain-set with an outer ring of 46t or 48t.

I'd suggest the Stronglight Impact from Spa Cycles (£58). It's available as either compact double or triple.
They may well be the same apart from the supplied rings. If you order by phone you can ask.

 

[Simeon Jones]

Thanks v.much for all your suggestions, any others welcome. As for shifters thery're shimano sora 8 speed doubles

 

[jpembroke]

As andrew_s says, go for a Stronglight Impact:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=STROCHAR560

£48 plus a square taper BB for about £12. I use on of these on my 'cross bike. It's well machined, nice looking, available in various sizes and ratios, and cheap.

 

[ilias]

Why dont you just buy an easier cassette, that will cost you around 15 quid from ebay? A compact chainset gives you 2 to 3 teeth less that a full one which translates roughly to one tooth more at the back. (I should be a dentist) OR you could give them kids less pocket money.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i'm sure you can get an 8 speed shimano sora compact chainset somewhere…

…although i've not found one via google

try your lbs and see what they can do for you.

 

[jpembroke]

Assuming your current chainset uses a square taper bottom bracket, you may not even have to change your BB if you go for a Stronglight Impact chainset. At £48 there isn't a cheaper/better option available as far as I know.

Hmm, just realised it's now gone up to £51. Still a bargain though.

 

[simoncc]

If you are on a square taper BB then another option might be a very cheap MTB chainset. You'd need some downtube shifters to work it though.

 

[jimboalee]

Here's a trick I did.

Took off the 52 ring and put it in the bits box.
Moved the 42 to the outside.
Changed 12 - 24, 7 block for a 12 - 28 7 block. £15.

Removed front mech, cables etc.

Had 7 gears, 41" to 95".

 

[jimboalee]

Then a LBS came up with a 38 ring that would fit my spider.

That gave me 37" to 73".

That bike did the Castleton Classic 200 Rando.
It cruised along in 73" at 16ish mph, and climbed up the Derbyshire Dales a real treat.
No worrying about front ring changing.

 

[jimboalee]

BTW.

The bike was a 56cm Peugeot Carbolite Hi Tensile with steel 700C rims.
My father in law rescued it from a bloke at a job he was on; who was going to chuck it on the skip.

It had safety handles , full mudguards as per regs and my old trusty Brookes Pro.

I got the smirking from the younguns, but I followed them all the way round.


This one, when asked "what type of bike is it?", I would answer "one with two wheels"