Specialites T.A. pro vis ( cycletourist ) double chainset

[canny colin]

Any one ran one of these , with a 10 speed chain / cassette set up .  I am getting mixed reviews on the internet  .                                      thanks Colin   

[bobb]

No direct experience with Pro Vis, but at that price point, I'd expect the rings to be made of cheese. Very soft cheese.

IME TA Alize rings are excellent, but anything lower down in the range such as Zephyr and the other one (the name of which escapes me) don't last anywhere near as long.

Of course, YMMV. Quite literally....

[canny colin]

I think we are at cross purposes bobb .  The  pro vis was introduced in 1947 ?  & designed for 4/ 5 speed chains . Some people say you can run 10 speed systems no problem , others say the chain gets stuck between the rings . I have run ta pro vis rings in the past on 8/6 speed & find it long lasting . Could the price difference be down to it being a plain sprocket with no pegs or lifting hooks or cutaway teeth like modern rings .   

[bobb]

Ah, I see. Ignore me!

Edit: I suspect the difference in price across the range is down to the heat treatment of the teeth. I guess whatever they do to the Alize rings is better and more expensive than whatever they do (or don't do) to Zephyr etc..

[amedias]

I have!

And both the answers you’ve seen online are correct... it can work, but with the original setup you will likely lose the chain down the gap on a semi-regular basis. Fortunately the fix is very simple, you just need smaller spacers between the rings.

TA have used various different spacer widths over the years for double/triple and for different rings. Don’t quote me on it but 3.6mm, 3.4mm and 2.9mm all ring bells.

I’ve got several of these cyclotouriste ring setups running on 8/9 speed bikes and one on 10speed (with filed down spacers). Shifting is as good as you can expect from unramped rings, which is adequate if a little slow. They work much better with friction downtube or bar end shifters than STI in that regard.

Measure the spacers you’ve got and then either file them down enough to bring the chainring spacing down appropriately or see if you can pick up a set of thinner spacers online.

[canny colin]

Thanks amedias  . Will start measuring . I have been told you can turn the chain ring around to gain a little bit . I am using sun xcd nuts ,bolts & spacers .  The spacers are slightly thinner because sun xcd rings are thicker . So hopefully  heading in the right direction . I am using luverly  simplex retro friction levers .     

[amedias]

Ah, Simplex Retrofriction, I use them myself on a couple of bikes, they are 'proper shifters'

Yes you can flip the rings as there is a small offset on one face. There's also Sugino and Stronglight 50.4 pin chainrings out there which are completely flat with no offset, and various thicknesses as you've noted so measuring is the only way to b sure.

I think I actually went through a couple of iterations of filing-testing-filing on my spacers for the 10 speed to get it just right so that the chain didn't drop between but also didn't overshift, but I'm using a very optimistic 50-30 double setup on that bike so it had to be perfect to work with such a big tooth jump.

[canny colin]

I am running a  timid  46 / 32 .
But have just "won " a new 30 tooth sprocket off that ebay, for 99p 
But I will get the present set up sorted ,before l get to adventurous . Thanks again Colin

[Ian H]

You can get Cyclotourist compatible chainsets with ramp pins, etc.
E.g. https://www.veloduo.co.uk/collections/sunxcd

[LittleWheelsandBig]

SunXCD cranksets are 10sp compatible but HK has (a slightly different) SunXCD crankset on her 11sp Kinesis. It works fine.

[canny colin]

 Ian H & LwAB  stop it .  Sun XCD cranks & rings . my heart says oh yes & my wallet says how much . I have them on the list for the "some day" new trike .

[LittleWheelsandBig]

You could just fit the SunXCD rings (actually only the big ring {and middle ring if triple}) to old TA cranks but the clearance between the big ring and crankarm is a little tight for modern front mechs with profiled cageplates. The SunXCD cranks have a subtle flare that increases crankarm clearance for ankles and front mechs.