[Timo]

I'm curious if anyone has used Mountain Tamer gear adapter products on 29ers. Information located here: https://www.abundantadventures.com/quads.html

I've ridden with the owner a few times and his 4rth chainring allows him to climb insanely steep sections that others walk. It's really amazing - though he's riding 26" wheels. But with many geared 29er people wanting to run smaller chainrings up front, I wondered if anybody has considerd using this old and proven product. From what I understand this is the first product that Dirt Rag ever reviewed in their magazine. Seems to me the issue is finding a compatable crankset.

 

[Soupboy]

I'd rather hike than spin a 16t front ring. Not only is it faster, it gives your "bike" muscles a rest.

 

[Mtc]

Yeah it seems hard enough to balance with a 22 or 24. They seem cool for a recumbant.

 

[Timo]

FWIW, Tom is no schmo - he's in the MTB Hall of Fame and climbs like a goat.

 

[shiggy]

FWIW, Tom is no schmo - he's in the MTB Hall of Fame is climbs like a goat.

Good for him.

Unless I am pulling a trailer and/or a touring load I have never felt the need for a gearing lower than 24x32 on a 26er or 22x34 on a 29er. I have tried lower and it actually made it harder for me to climb.

 

[29erchico]

My 29er front gearing of choice:

20t Raceface steel granny
29t Boone Ti middle
42t Raceface Aluminum large ring

All mounted on a quality square taper compact MTB crank w/ 94/58mm BCD's.
In my case it's an older Raceface North Shore crank.

Since I got the 29t middle ring I don't use my granny much at low elevations. But at really high elevations it gets used a fair amount.

The problem is that with the MT setup you are limited to a 34t 110mm BCD ring in the middle (33t on special order) position as the MT BCD is 74mm. Cranks that have a 74mm small BCD have a 110mm BCD for the bigger rings.

29erchico

 

[Cloxxki]

What were the largest cassette's when those cranks were invented? 28t? Now we have 34t, and I'd like to see 36t as 29"-specific.

 

[Timo]

What were the largest cassette's when those cranks were invented? 28t? Now we have 34t, and I'd like to see 36t as 29"-specific.

That 36t in the rear certainly would distribute stress on the chain better than a smaller upfront chainring. But perhaps the guys who have gone the 40-30-20 route found a more practical way right now.

 

[Timo]

Unless I am pulling a trailer and/or a touring load I have never felt the need for a gearing lower than 24x32 on a 26er or 22x34 on a 29er. I have tried lower and it actually made it harder for me to climb.

We have some old style mule trails close by that are fun to climb and lower gearing allows you to give them a go. Tom's magic gear give him the edge over others.

I do agree with you though - I'm set up as 24x34 and 22x32 both of my 26er bikes and have never felt the need for anything else lower.

 

[ssmike]

The mtn tamer also totally screws up chainline, not to mention trying to get front derailleurs to swing across 4 gears.

You are better off trying to find an old Suntour XC Pro micro drive crankset with 20/32/42 gearing. Or finding an old Avid Micro Adapter that allowed you to bolt up a 20 or 22t Suntour micro-drive chainring to a 110/74 BCD crankset.

 

[shiggy]

The mtn tamer also totally screws up chainline, not to mention trying to get front derailleurs to swing across 4 gears.

You are better off trying to find an old Suntour XC Pro micro drive crankset with 20/32/42 gearing. Or finding an old Avid Micro Adapter that allowed you to bolt up a 20 or 22t Suntour micro-drive chainring to a 110/74 BCD crankset.

...and, IIRC, the MtTamer used Millard FW cogs. Good luck finding them now.

 

[ssmike]

...and, IIRC, the MtTamer used Millard FW cogs. Good luck finding them now.

I'm pretty sure they were Suntour freewheel cogs - the ones with the 4 half round tabs - could have been two versions, though, Maillard cogs were hard enough to find back then

 

[shiggy]

I'm pretty sure they were Suntour freewheel cogs - the ones with the 4 half round tabs - could have been two versions, though, Maillard cogs were hard enough to find back then

Yeah, There may have been two versions. I do remember a Suntour cog version though I clearly remember a buddy searching for a 17t Millard cog for his.

 

[GlowBoy]

That 36t in the rear certainly would distribute stress on the chain better than a smaller upfront chainring. But perhaps the guys who have gone the 40-30-20 route found a more practical way right now.

If you're really interested, Action-Tec makes a 36t cog in Titanium for $40: http://www.actiontec.us/prices.htm. They also make 38t, 39t and 40t! I'd be curious to hear whether anyone's managed to get a standard derailer to clear a 36t with an extra-long B screw. Maybe with horizontal dropouts, and the axle set way back?

 

[Timo]

If you're really interested, Action-Tec makes a 36t cog in Titanium for $40: https://www.actiontec.us/prices.htm. They also make 38t, 39t and 40t! I'd be curious to hear whether anyone's managed to get a standard derailer to clear a 36t with an extra-long B screw. Maybe with horizontal dropouts, and the axle set way back?

Thx for the info. Here is a picture showing that ingenuity knows no limitations. No rear derailleur though.

 

[ssmike]

What were the largest cassette's when those cranks were invented? 28t? Now we have 34t, and I'd like to see 36t as 29"-specific.

Hey Cloxxi - even way back in the 80's we had 34t freewheel cogs available to us. Shimano and Suntour had cog boards with 34t availalbe. Those sizes weren't typically available OEM on complete bikes - that's why you saw the 28's.

 

[pacman]

Overkill

Thx for the info. Here is a picture showing that ingenuity knows no limitations. No rear derailleur though.

That picture looks like Fargo Street. 22x32 was good enough for a 33% grade. Are mule trails any steeper?

 

[kinkcrazy]

sweet front brake setup?

 

[shiggy]

Hey Cloxxi - even way back in the 80's we had 34t freewheel cogs available to us. Shimano and Suntour had cog boards with 34t availalbe. Those sizes weren't typically available OEM on complete bikes - that's why you saw the 28's.

I have a 15-38 5-speed FW around someplace.

At the same time you saw a few XC pros (Tomac, Murray...) racing with a 36x28 low gear.

 

[Soupboy]

How do you install a single cog - bust apart a cassette or do you need to buy a carrier's worth of all single cogs?

If you're really interested, Action-Tec makes a 36t cog in Titanium for $40: http://www.actiontec.us/prices.htm. They also make 38t, 39t and 40t! I'd be curious to hear whether anyone's managed to get a standard derailer to clear a 36t with an extra-long B screw. Maybe with horizontal dropouts, and the axle set way back?