Recumbent Bicycle Source
100 W
This is kind of a General Question to catch me up to speed on Crank/Bottom Bracket Combos now that my bike is more than a decade old and parts are worn.
I'm currently riding a Shimano 105 Road Triple 175mm (52 46 30 I believe) Octalink 1 with 68mm Bottom Bracket. I have a fairly new XT Cassette on the back so I'm mixing road with mountain... but the rear cassette offers me plenty of gearing with only a single ring up front (Almost always the 46).
I seldom shift off of the 46 Tooth Center Chain ring.
I also just picked up a Townie 7 speed with a Single Chain Ring up front and no derailleur. I like it a lot. Which makes me want to go to a single up front on the recumbent.
My recumbent has a "complicated" chainline and I'm running a front hub motor. I really don't need anything more than a front single, and don't need the front Derailleur. But I do need the chain to stay on, and it sometimes "hops" gears when I hit bumps.
So the question is if I pull the Old Triple Octalink, but I want to keep the 9 speed chain and rear derailleur and Cassette what are good options?
I can spend anywhere up to $350 US... so there should be options in the price range. And I don't really care about the weight for this purpose... just good bearings and quality.
The Raceface Narrow/Wide singles are 32 or 34 teeth... which would mean a higher cadence. A 42 to 46 tooth would be my preference.
I've looked at a Shimano Double Mountain Bike Crank... cheap and seem good, but not single. But maybe still an option.
So bottom line is what is a good bottom bracket/crank combo for 68mm? Octalink seems very dated. I have all the tools to pull it... but what will I need to install a new bottom bracket. Should I be looking at SRAM or Shimano or 3rd party?
Suggestions? Ideas?
PS: I ride 175mm cranks, but have no problem going to 170mm or even 165 if it makes sense. Honestly with the motor I just spin for exercise and keep a steady cadence for the same reason. I don't really need to pedal, I just like to.
I'm currently riding a Shimano 105 Road Triple 175mm (52 46 30 I believe) Octalink 1 with 68mm Bottom Bracket. I have a fairly new XT Cassette on the back so I'm mixing road with mountain... but the rear cassette offers me plenty of gearing with only a single ring up front (Almost always the 46).
I seldom shift off of the 46 Tooth Center Chain ring.
I also just picked up a Townie 7 speed with a Single Chain Ring up front and no derailleur. I like it a lot. Which makes me want to go to a single up front on the recumbent.
My recumbent has a "complicated" chainline and I'm running a front hub motor. I really don't need anything more than a front single, and don't need the front Derailleur. But I do need the chain to stay on, and it sometimes "hops" gears when I hit bumps.
So the question is if I pull the Old Triple Octalink, but I want to keep the 9 speed chain and rear derailleur and Cassette what are good options?
I can spend anywhere up to $350 US... so there should be options in the price range. And I don't really care about the weight for this purpose... just good bearings and quality.
The Raceface Narrow/Wide singles are 32 or 34 teeth... which would mean a higher cadence. A 42 to 46 tooth would be my preference.
I've looked at a Shimano Double Mountain Bike Crank... cheap and seem good, but not single. But maybe still an option.
So bottom line is what is a good bottom bracket/crank combo for 68mm? Octalink seems very dated. I have all the tools to pull it... but what will I need to install a new bottom bracket. Should I be looking at SRAM or Shimano or 3rd party?
Suggestions? Ideas?
PS: I ride 175mm cranks, but have no problem going to 170mm or even 165 if it makes sense. Honestly with the motor I just spin for exercise and keep a steady cadence for the same reason. I don't really need to pedal, I just like to.