We go the Extra Mile so You Can Too!
When it comes to touring bikes and tandems, the one thing that all of our customers have in common is the desire to easily change out their gearing ratios. Every touring enthusiast knows that the wrong gear ratio can stop you dead in your tracks! Selecting your ultimate gearing ratio can only be achieved if your bicycle manufacturer uses cranks that are designed with a standard 'bolt circle diameter'.
When it comes to touring bikes and tandems, the one thing that all of our customers have in common is the desire to easily change out their gearing ratios. Every touring enthusiast knows that the wrong gear ratio can stop you dead in your tracks! Selecting your ultimate gearing ratio can only be achieved if your bicycle manufacturer uses cranks that are designed with a standard 'bolt circle diameter'.
Bolt circles come in many different configurations, but the 'decades old' touring bike standard is 5-bolts with a 110mm outer bolt circle and a 74mm inner ring bolt circle. Anything else is going to limit your chain ring size choices.
In modern days, it's getting harder and harder to find standard touring cranks, and component manufacturers are pressuring bicycle companies to accept their new 'non-standard' designs (we know this because they pressure us too). Many bicycle manufacturers are giving in and using the new crank designs, even though it limits their customers to a very small array of chain ring sizes :-(
At Rodriguez Bicycles, we feel that you are worth the effort! That's why we import Sugino touring cranks directly from Japan ourselves. Our touring customers have their choice of any traditional touring chain rings on the market. Sugino uses the 5-bolt 110mm X 74mm bolt circle that's been the standard in touring for several decades. There are hundreds of companies that make chain rings in all sizes for this standard. Why limit your customers to a proprietary design we say? All it takes is a little extra effort and our Rodriguez customers can have their bike they way they want it.
Whether you want to commute daily through the streets of Seattle, or grind up the Snoqualmie Pass, Rodriguez Bicycles is your best choice for convenient, inexpensive gearing options.
