[Yak] BF Service Guy Tim Link's recommendations

[Lynette Chiang]

I asked Tim about gearing et al for BFs, and he offers the following.
Email timl at bikefriday.com to argue otherwise - he'll be interested in 
your experience, but if anyone knows what works (or what doesn't), it 
is he.
Personally, I wouldn't argue with someone who's fixed 'em all day long, 
every day for the past 5 years ...

The bottom line is: Stick with standard Shimano chainrings. 53/39 for a
double, 52/42/30 for a triple. Nothing else is going to work as well. 
With
the range on the Capreo, especially a 9-32 Capreo cassette, that should
provide all the gearing anybody will need - both high and low. Also,
Dura-Ace front derailleurs should only be used with Dura Ace chainrings 
-
not Ultegra or 105. Ultegra and 105 parts play well together. But 
Dura-Ace
  should be kept to itself.

If you don't have a Capreo, then the standard Shimano rings won't give
much high end. TA brand rings work pretty well up to about a 58T size.
Avoid jumps over 14T for a double and 12T for a triple. If you 
absolutely
have to have specific sized chainrings, then the shifting quality will 
be
uncertain. In that case, I'd highly recommend using bar-end style 
shifting
for the front derailleur as it gives you much better manual control of 
the
derailleur position than an STI lever. Actually, I'd recommend the 
bar-end
shifting any time chainrings larger than 53T, or non-Shimano rings, are
going to be used.

  Tim Link
Bike Friday customer service
1-800-777-0258


Lynette Chiang http://www.galfromdownunder.com
THE HANDSOMEST MAN IN CUBA : an bicycle escapade
Silver Award (Travel Essays), ForewordMagazine.com Book of the Year 2004
"The only time you'll put it down is when you finish it." - Australian 
Cyclist