DIY Touring gearing

By CyclingUKvolunteer
I would like to build a ‘tracks and paths’ tourer with a double chainset (possibly 24-38) and bar-end shifters on drop bars, with a gear range of under 20in to over 90in. What’s the most effective way of achieving this? I don’t mind if it’s eight, nine or ten speed.

Ian Todd

I run something similar on one of my bikes, matching Shimano 10-speed bar-end shifters with a 10-speed Ultegra front, a 9-speed RD-M771 Deore XT MTB rear mech, and 10-speed CS-M771 mountain bike cassette. The cassette is available in 11-32, 11-34 and 11-36t options; the latter would work with a 40-26 chainset to give you the ratios you want.

Sugino’s OX601D crankset would fit the bill, equipped with aftermarket 74mm and 110mm BCD chainrings by a manufacturer such as Gebhardt.

Richard Hallett

​Cycle’s Technical Editor

Maintenance Q&A Technical Technical advice

This Q&A was published in 'Cycle' the magazine for members of Cycling UK. To contact the experts, email your technical, health, legal or policy questions to [email protected] or write to Cycle Q&A, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ

Further reading