Any question answered...

I'm in the market for a new crankset, and it seems there's a lot of cranksets that are... remarkably similar.

The Andel crankset looks like the Planet X Holdsworth classic which looks like the BLB super pista...
The Stronglight crankset looks like the Sturmey Archer crankset and some other stuff...

Are these all the same thing? Is there a good low-end crankset which isn't dumb?

@Rodolfo @mdcc_tester that's the reaction I was hoping for but if I have the time @freezing77, your suggestion will be visited on the way back home.

Are these all the same thing?

Some of them are, there's a fair amount of subcontracting in the crank market, especially at the low end. Andel, PX and BLB don't manufacture, Sunrace-Sturmey-Archer do, as do Stronglight although they also buy in some of their cheaper models from the far east.

Is there a good low-end crankset which isn't dumb?

Anything square-taper needs to be a lot cheaper than Shimano FC-S501 to be worth the trouble.

Nice, thanks

I want to buy a used Shimano Tiagra groupset to put in an old frame I’ve bought (it’s 130 spacing). Any ideas what to go for? Don’t want to spend a lot and don’t need a triple crankset. Cheers!

Any ideas what to go for?

Could you be more specific? It's not clear what you're actually asking for.

Do Bikester offer a coupon code for the UK currently?

I have some on my fixed TT training bike. They're awesomely heavy, and if you use rims brakes on them they squeal like a huge herd of very distressed little piglets. They're quite ugly, rather narrow and the bearings aren't that great.

The plus side is they're cheap. Although that's about it.

What Tiagra groupset - there seem to be various different ones.

It's a pretty broad question. You'd be better off figuring out exactly what parts you need that'll be compatible with everything else you have, then keep an eye on eBay or here for whatever is suitable, or buy new.

Thanks. Thought as much. Was hoping they were some sort of hidden gem.

Anybody got any recommendations for cheap rear fixed wheel?

4700 if buying new. Exc value for money

How cheap? Using aerorage and they are good. If you want just above beater level I’ve a barely used oe rear off a langster in Wimbledon (and a front as well) you can have cheap

Yeah, Tiagra 4700 is, I would wager, as good a groupset as an amateur cyclist would need.

.

I've UTFS'd and not finding much (which is surprising, which probably suggests I've not UTFS very well) - what is the conventional wisdom re converting a road frame to disc brakes? I've got a genesis equilibrium that fits me perfectly and I have no desire to upgrade (plus we've been a long way together)....beyond the fact that the braking is not ideal and I didn't particularly enjoy descending in the Pyrenees last year because when loaded (bike packing) - it was a real effort to slow down/keep speed off. Going to the Alps this year, and would like to try discs. Does anyone have a rough estimate re price to add necessary bracing/tabs to a steel frame? Happy to have the bike stripped and repainted in the process, as it deserves a bit of a refresh. I appreciate I'd also then need to get new wheels/groupset/fork, so I'd be looking for good ebay deals to strip. I'd move the genesis fork, wheels and groupset over to my winter bike... trying to work out whether it's worth converting my genesis or just looking for a good deal on a 2nd hand disc bike...?

Call up Vaz, get a quote.

Yep, I'm aware this is an option, thanks, just wondered if people had any experiences having done the same or looked into themselves...

Looked at getting it done. It's a massive ball ache factoring in the time, transport, waiting, rebuild etc.

I'd say not worth it with an OTP frame unless you for some personal reason think it's worth it.

You could just fit a disc fork and leave the frame alone (with caliper braking on the rear)?

Cheers - did you go as far as getting a quote? I'm on the fence re whether my personal relationship with the bike makes this worthwhile...

That's something I hadn't considered, cheers! It would result in an aesthetically challenging franken-groupset, but easily swapped in and out. Hmmmm.

New bike time!

Just add a cable actuated disc e.g. TRP Spyre. Can't see why you'd need anything more in terms of messing around with the groupset. Most of the braking work is done by the front brake anyway.

But I'd need a new lever, presumably? The cable pull required for a caliper surely must be more than for a disc system? There is no understanding of science whatsoever behind this assumption...