SR Suntour CW9 XCT 9 Speed MTB Chainset Review

Suntour CW9 XCT Chainset Review - Intro

What is the cheapest triple 104 chainset on ebay? Its the Suntour CW9 XCT of course. But what do you get for your money, a little less than you might have bargained for.

Suntour CW9 XCT Chainset Review - First Glance and In Use

The Suntour CW9 XCT is fine, no really. It looks good its not overly heavy. And as a triple 9 speed chainset it functions.

Stock Picture - Suntour XCT

On Bike - Outer Ring Replaced with Bash Guard

Suntour CW9 XCT Chainset Review - Shortcuts

The CW9 XCT is not a true triple chain-ring chainset. The inner 22 tooth chainwheel is mounted to the 32 tooth middle ring, rather than the crank. This "nesting" on the inner two chain rings is a short cuts, and limits the swapping of the middle chain ring for a different size. It also makes the whole set-up feel less rigid.

Chainring bolts are standard size, holes in the crank arm are of a standard size. However, there are no chain ring nuts, they have been done away with in exchange for threaded holes in the middle chain ring.

Steel Rings

Middle ring is threaded to avoid cost of nut.

Small ring mounted to mounted to middle ring rather than crank arm.

 Suntour CW9 XCT Chainset Review -Conclusion

This is a fine chainset for kids, and light ridiers but I feel that shortcuts have been taken. I bought this so I could swap around chain rings from the large stcokes of 104 chain rings I have in the spares box. Not really possible with this chainset.

I can't recommend a  Suntour Chainset , as I do not know where the short cuts used in this model are replaced by the higher end features. How much would you have to spend. Anyone else got a triple from Suntour.

 Environmental Consultants London

Cargo Bikes: Gears and Gearing

Cargo Bikes: Gears and Gearing - Intro

 Most cargo bikes come with around 24 - 27 gears, unless they are from Holland. If you are building your own and which to choose gears to suite then perhaps follow the below advice.

 Cargo Bikes: Gears and Gearing - Shopping and General Use

Carrying extra weight will mean that you will need a greater gear range. I struggled buy with a gear range of 300% for a number of months pulling 35kg up fairly steep hills.

300% can be provided by a 1 x 9 setup, that is 1 chain ring at the front and an 11 - 34 cassette at the rear.

On flat ground you might choose a 42 tooth chain wheel up front, but for hillier areas operhaps a 32 tooth chain ring might be better.

 Cargo Bikes: Gears and Gearing - Kids and other Heavy Loads

A 3 year old and 5 year old will weigh about 30 - 40 kg depending on what you are feeding them, this really changes things, and 300% range will no longer cut the mustard.

A 22 tooth chain ring will now probably be required up front which combined with a 34 tooth sprocket at the rear will give a good low gear, for lugging heavy loads up fairly steep hills.

You highest gear may well be determined by you fitness and and your desired top speed, but I have found that a 32 tooth with the 11 sproket at the rear ios "stiff" enough for my liking, and I don't want to go that fast.

So in the end I have settled on a gear range of 450%

Cargo Bikes: Gears and Gearing - Conclusion

To work out your gear range, you can use this gear range calculator spread sheet.

Many European cargo bikes are sold with gears giving a range of just 250%, and for holland and London, this is fine. If you live in hillier areas, then you will be needing at least a 400% range, some high end hub gears can offer close to this range, but for the price savvy it will be derailleur gearing. . . or get off and push!

Environmental Consultants London