[CR] TA Pro5, Stronglight 49 Crank/Chainring (and shifting) Questions

(Example: Bike Shops:R.E.W. Reynolds)

Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:34:11 -0800
From: "John Clay" <jmedclay@yahoo.com>
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] TA Pro5, Stronglight 49 Crank/Chainring (and shifting) Questions


Hi everybody! I'm thinking about a drivetrain change and need some info to see if I'm on a dead end road, or not. For the TA Pro5 Cyclotourist patterned cranks:

* Is a wide range of chainrings still being produced, or is everybody working off of old stock?

* Do you know who stocks a wide variety? (I don't see many at VO, PWCycles)

* I've heard of inner rings that bolt directly to the crank flange, allowing rings as small as 19t to be used - can somebody verify that, and point me to a supplier of tiny, compatible rings? Does it work well?

The context of all of this is that I'm thinking about making a 44-20ish touring double. Have any of you ever set up anything like that? If so, did it shift reliably? I'd expect the shifting to be anything but crisp and quick, but it needs to be reliable, non-jamming. Do any of you have any insight or experience with similar arrangements?

Thanks,
John Clay
Tallahassee, Florida
USA