That's one of the reasons I like Stronglight. I usually run a 52-38. 38T rings are fairly easy to find. I'm not sure I've seen anything smaller, although the 122 BCD circle should support 36T, considering that the 130 Shimano circle will support 38T. Another option is Zeus, with a 120 BCD. I actually have a 36T Zeus ring. Of course, if one goes with Stronglight 99 or TA Cyclotourist, one can get about as small an inside ring as one likes, in either double or triple configuration.
There is a limitation to using a smaller chainring with a Campy NR RD, however, as the NR won't handle a huge range. On French bikes, my usual setup is a 14-28 FW and 52-38 Stronglight 93 cranks, with a Simplex Criterium or SLJ RD. The Simplex RD will hande this with no problem. Campy NR won't. About the best I've been able to do with Campy NR is 52-42 chainwheels with 14-28 FW, and even that requires getting the chainlength just right. First generation Super Record is the same, but second generation Super Record RD's have a slightly different geometry, which will prabably handle an additional couple of teeth.
One soluton is to use a smaller large chainring. With a 14-28 FW and a 38T small chairing on a Shimano or Stronglight or Zeus crank, one should get a Campy NR RD to work with a 48T large ring and a second generation SR RD with a 50T ring.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
TonyCampy@aol.com wrote: Mark, If your old knees need a lower small ring in a 70's vintage crankset, another one to consider is the 1st generation Shimano Dura-Ace crank. With the Shimano 130mm bolt circle diameter, it handles down to a 38 tooth chainring (usually comes with a 39t), with the added advantage that chainrings in this bcd are available from current production and all the way back to 1973 or so, from Shimano and dozens of other manufacturers. I recently bought two used sets, the second of which comes with a pants guard ring mounted on the 52 tooth ring, nice for cruising the town in street clothes! The 70's 1st generation version is classic looking in a Japanese technical kind of way, but not quite as beautiful as Nuovo/Super Record cranks of the same era, IMHO. You can't have it all, but you can try!
Tony (Eating my Cake) Winters in Center Moriches, NY USA
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