# 32t or 30t Ring For Ultegra Compact Crank?



## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

Does anybody know if somebody makes a 32t or 30t inner chainring for a Shimano Ultegra Compact crank (6600 series, not the newer 6700).

My wife would kill for one, and I'd sure rather take that route than convert her beautiful bike to a triple!

Thanks.


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## 4Peaks (Apr 20, 2010)

Why would the bike be any less beautiful with a triple???


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## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

Mostly, it would be my wallet that would be less beautiful!

Anybody know of 32t or 30t rings?


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

What are you planning on using for the "larger" ring? IF you want to go that small I think a triple is your only option. What are you trying to achieve? Lower gearing can sometimes be had by swapping for a different cassette too...depending on what you are already using.


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## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

Would keep the 50, so hoping to find a 32. It would shift well enough. So, not to put too fine a point on it, but I'd sure like some responses to my actual question which was whether anybody knows of anyone that makes a 32t or 30t ring that would fit an Ultegra 6600 compact crank.

Thanks!


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## Guinness2009 (Aug 28, 2009)

kosmo said:


> Would keep the 50, so hoping to find a 32. It would shift well enough.* So, not to put too fine a point on it, but I'd sure like some responses to my actual question *which was whether anybody knows of anyone that makes a 32t or 30t ring that would fit an Ultegra 6600 compact crank.
> 
> Thanks!


Well,

Since you are so patient and polite about it .........

No. 

5 bolt 30 or 32 tooth rings are built on a 74 mm BCD.

An Ultegra Compact crank has a 110 mm BCD.

You are welcome.


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## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

If looking for a 32 or 30t, you will need to go to a triple. First off 32 or 30t chainrings are only avail in the 104mm bolt pattern for a MTB crank, not the 110mm bolt pattern for the compact cranksets. I just checked QBP and BTI. 

The next issue would be the max capacity of the front derailleurs. The double front derailleurs can only handle 16 tooth maximum difference between the large and small chainring. By going smaller, you would be increasing the difference by another 2 or 4 teeth. The front derailleur might shift it, but its not going to shift very well.


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

Here is an easy fix...take the current ring...grind off 3-4 teeth...problem solved!


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

If your wife has a Shimano short-cage (SS) rear derailleur under a 12-25 cassette, she'd also be exceeding the total rear capacity slightly with a 32T front and quite a bit with a 30T front. Hello, long-cage (GS) rear derailleur...


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Smallest chainring that will fit the 110 mm BCD is a 33t, so you're SOL on that account. But the rest of the advice being posted is useful -- wider range cassette is often a better solution than a smaller chainring anyhow.


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

kosmo said:


> Would keep the 50, so hoping to find a 32. It would shift well enough.


It would shift horribly. My compact came with a 50-34, and I ended up swapping the 34 for a 36. A double FD isn't designed for an 18-tooth throw. Not to mention you will never find a 32 to fit.

What does she have on her cassette?


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## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

I figured I'd be out of luck on the smaller chainring due to BCD limitations. Couldn't help but hope for the easy solution, though.

We live in a VERY hilly area, and Mrs. Kosmo has a new hip, and the 11-28 cassette doesn't quite cut it anymore.

I guess it's either a triple, or look into an XX cassette and mtb rear derailleur, which might still leave the upper pulley bouncing along on the big cog.

I'm trying to avoid the triple conversion, because I'm pretty sure she'll want the compact crank back by the end of this season, or sometime next.


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## rdolson (Sep 2, 2003)

If you don't want to go through the expense of a triple conversion (Crankset, Bottom Bracket, Front Der, Rear Der. Chain, Left Brifter) your other option is an XT Rear Der. Chain and either a 32 or 34 cassette. The MTB rear der. is better suited for the wide range and should present no problems functionally.

The biggest obstacle will be the gaps/jumps between the MTB cassette cogs. For some, it can be difficult when spinning to handle the large percentage change between gears.


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## fun2none (Mar 16, 2010)

If you have the budget consider the SRAM Apex group. Apex offers a compact crank and 11-32 ten speed cassette for an affordable price.

You might also consider the IRD 11-30 cassette and a mid-cage derailleur (gs) as it would be cheaper than a XX upgrade.


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## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

I like the Apex idea. I was unaware of its existence. Thanks a bunch.

Any reason I couldn't pair the Apex cassette with a Shimano XTR rear der?

I'm guessing that the SRAM Apex rear der won't work with the Shimano rear shifter because of differing cable pull rates.


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## CaliforniaPI (Sep 25, 2005)

rdolson said:


> If you don't want to go through the expense of a triple conversion (Crankset, Bottom Bracket, Front Der, Rear Der. Chain, Left Brifter) your other option is an XT Rear Der. Chain and either a 32 or 34 cassette. The MTB rear der. is better suited for the wide range and should present no problems functionally.
> 
> The biggest obstacle will be the gaps/jumps between the MTB cassette cogs. For some, it can be difficult when spinning to handle the large percentage change between gears.


This is exactly right. I just did this to my bike. I went with an XTR rear derailier and an 11-34 cassette (chain still worked) (this is 9 speed were talking about). This gives me the range that works when I'm going vertical (15-20% hills where I am) and I'm not getting any younger. Shifting is snappier than with my 5 yr old Ultegra rear derailier. I did go with a SRAM cassette and I run SRAM chains, and I'm a happy hill climber. FYI the casette is 11,13,15,17,20, 23, 26, 30, 34, so Its like having my old 11-26 cassette over the top 7 and a 30 and 34. The jumps are ok actually, I check my cadence and switch in my band which is what i wanted for example, if my cadence is 85 when I drop a cog it is dropping my cadence to 70+ so i still stay in my band that my knees like. Best thing I have done and wish i had done it a long time ago.


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## dster5 (May 18, 2010)

To California P
Is it OK to use an Ultegra rear shifter with the 9 speed XTR rear der?


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## fun2none (Mar 16, 2010)

kosmo said:


> I like the Apex idea. I was unaware of its existence. Thanks a bunch.
> 
> Any reason I couldn't pair the Apex cassette with a Shimano XTR rear der?
> 
> I'm guessing that the SRAM Apex rear der won't work with the Shimano rear shifter because of differing cable pull rates.


Apex is supposed to be available later in the summer if you can wait. IRD 10 speed cassettes are available now although they're expensive.

SRAM stated that Apex would be compatible with their current road groups. Since SRAM and Shimano cassettes have the same cog spacing, the XTR rear dérailleur and Shimano shifters should work with the Apex cassette.


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## kosmo (May 26, 2005)

Thanks for all the input. I've decided to either wait for the Apex cassette or swallow the XX cost pill, and pair that cassette with an XTR rear der.


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## sanrensho (Jan 2, 2003)

dster5 said:


> To California P
> Is it OK to use an Ultegra rear shifter with the 9 speed XTR rear der?


No issue at all. The shifter is pulling the cable and the rear derailleur doesn't care if it's being pulled by road shifter or mtb trigger.


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## robpar (Jan 26, 2008)

kosmo said:


> I figured I'd be out of luck on the smaller chainring due to BCD limitations. Couldn't help but hope for the easy solution, though.
> 
> We live in a VERY hilly area, and Mrs. Kosmo has a new hip, and the 11-28 cassette doesn't quite cut it anymore.
> 
> ...


you can run a 32 tooth cog on short cage RD (I do at times when needed) take the 11/28 remove one cog; say... the 16 tooth and add a 32 tooth cog at the end, next to the 28T from a SRAM MTB cassette. the 32T cog may be a little noisy, and you have to open the B screw completely, but it works. It's not as low gear as a triple but it helps.


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## CaliforniaPI (Sep 25, 2005)

sanrensho said:


> No issue at all. The shifter is pulling the cable and the rear derailleur doesn't care if it's being pulled by road shifter or mtb trigger.


Agreed, no problem at all....as long as your using 9 speed shifters, everything will work fine...remember get the top normal deraillier or the shifting will be in reverse (and feel wierd).


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