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TA
A couple of small points:
You don't need TA cranks - the 5 pin fitting is standard - although English cranks are very slightly larger at the centre and the adapter (or ring) will need slight easing with a file. Falconvitesse's Stronglights will fit with no problem. I suspect this is another of those irritating metric/imperial conversion errors - this fitting was originated by BSA, I believe, in 1904.
Yes, I know about the single adapters - I've got one, but it's the only one I've seen in the flesh. The inner shoulder is not very deep, so it's unlikely to cause a problem, and as I say above, it could be removed with a few minutes filing.
Inner ring size: towards the end of production (when a 42 inner had become standard) there were some 43 inners made. Not a huge benefit, and that's the absolute minimum that can fit. I once rode a 3rd cat. road race on the Woldingham circuit with a 44 x 18 bottom. I know I got up the big hill for at least one lap because I can still remember the smell of 30 odd sets of overheated brake blocks on the descent - but I don't think a 43 ring would have saved me from an ignominious DNF that day.
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clubman
Thank you @clubman interesting post, I keep coming back to TA rings as the best option on a couple of builds. For a double I’ve been tossing up a double adapter vs cyclotouriste. The adapter has a 44t minimum inner ring, but I guess not a problem if you’re also weighing up flexing the cyclotouriste rings while pumping your guns!
[Also it’s to go with a Simplex TdF so I believe only 16 teeth total, i.e. 44-50 front and 14-24 back or similar]
They did a single ring adapter as well as a double - you need a look at the back and will see there aren’t the shoulders on the arms to brace the inner ring. For what it’s worth I guess a marginally better chainline than an outer ring on a double (with a single axle as well). They come up on Ebay fairly frequently as do 1/8 singles in decent sizes.
FYI the Canadian seller with a large stock on Ebay isn’t selling the old logo shown in the pics - I confirmed they were and stumped up for a few 1/8, but when they arrived they weren’t. Not the end of the world and I couldn’t be arsed sending them back across the Atlantic. Doesn’t feel very zen having vintage bike bits shipped around the world in the first place!