Sugino mighty 900 chainset

[eBay_special]

Quick question for the knowledgeable:

The Sugino Mighty 900 c'set was a higher end, compact c'set from '97,'98.
My Kona Kilauea from that period uses a now dying Deore LX item on the original 111mm BB.
I may/may not be lucky enough to be offered the Sugino BUT, what BB length does it work with: could it be a straight swap onto the existing UN52 OR, since it looks to sit more 'inboard' with the granny ring more over the BB shell, does it need a shorter item?
Is there an expert out there that has this answer?
All input gratefully received...

cheers and thanks,
J

 

[hamster]

Got one myself - nice chainset, rings are a bit soft (wore out the middle in about 1500 miles)

It fitted OK as a direct replacement on a 107 or 109 mm BB. My bike is a 1994 Marin Pine Mountain, so I guess the Kona will be fine. After all it's only a couple of mm. I run a 7s setup, so you may find it a little top-happy. If you have a 44T outer you definitely won't get rub off the middle ring, which I do slightly with the 107 on a 42T.

 

[tangent]

sugino

Take a look here; something quite similar...

http://www.hubjub.co.uk/sugino/sugino.htm

 

[eBay_special]

Thanks Tangent - there may be some value in mailing them even though new Sugino is their thing.....
we'll soon see.

There must be someone else here apart from the Hamster who has knowledge of the Mighty 900 - it was very popular just 9 years or so ago?


cheers all,
J

 

[eBay_special]

Got one myself - nice chainset, rings are a bit soft (wore out the middle in about 1500 miles)

It fitted OK as a direct replacement on a 107 or 109 mm BB. My bike is a 1994 Marin Pine Mountain, so I guess the Kona will be fine. After all it's only a couple of mm. I run a 7s setup, so you may find it a little top-happy. If you have a 44T outer you definitely won't get rub off the middle ring, which I do slightly with the 107 on a 42T.

Set up is 20/32/42 - middle and top same as the Deore LX to be removed. What do you mean by "top happy" please?
Judging by the appearance, the Sugino should fit closer in [good for the knees] but can the front mech cope - I don't change components around very much so lack the experience?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

There must be someone else here apart from the Hamster who has knowledge of the Mighty 900 - it was very popular just 9 years or so ago?

Hamster's reply was right on the money, so why repeat it? I'm running my Mighties on a 107mm UN72. My recollection is that the recommended unit was 110mm, but the 107 works fine, and I expect your 111mm would too unless it's wildly asymmetric.

A 103mm works nicely for a 2x9 or singlespeed setup, but on one frame I tried (a later Team Marin) was just too narrow - the tip of the right crank clipped the chainstay as the frame flexed.

O-E_J

 

[eBay_special]

O-E_J

many thanks for the extra input. I'm getting the idea that this isn't fine-tolerance engineering and BB lengths +/-2mm can be dialled out in the front mech?
Please advise if this assumption is wrong.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

I'm getting the idea that this isn't fine-tolerance engineering and BB lengths +/-2mm can be dialled out in the front mech?

Well, that depends...

The square taper press fit is a variable. The older cranks get, the further they'll press onto the taper, and the chainline diminishes accordingly. Not a big effect, but it happens.

Derailleur gears are pretty tolerant of a little chainline deviation here and there, and longish chainstays help add a little leeway.

So generally, a couple of millimetres either way isn't a problem. But it can be. Too short and your middle chainring might scrape the chainstay, or the tip of your crank might do the same when you get out of the saddle on a climb, or the chain might scrape on the outer ring when you try to run middle-small, or the mech might not have quite enough inward travel to drop the chain to the granny ring. There are also questions of axle symmetry and taper dimensions.

But generally, as long as you're in the right ballpark you'll be okay, and trying what you have will give you the information you need to fine-tune things later on.

 

[Anthony]

My most recent purchase wasn't changing quite right at the front, even with the hi/lo stops on max. I thought the tapers looked quite long and I needed to check out the bb anyway, so I took it out and found it was a 68/122. Fitting a 68/110 resolved the problem. The 12mm difference is only 6mm per side, but it's the difference between the mech working properly and not working properly.

Incidentally, the crank is a Specialized Strongarm, i.e., a Sugino, albeit a lower level one than a Mighty 900, but I found that I needed a 68/110 for that so I guess the same size could be ok for yours.

 

[kanerdog1x1]

hi, iv got a set of these nos, and a set on my merlin, running 68/113(same as bitd) and this seems spot on. the restr of the set up is 8speed xt if this helps.....