Quote Originally Posted by Mark G View Post
I've got a TDF (Tour De Fer - some similarities to the CDF but more touring orientated) and I really like it. My other bike has a compact 105 chainset and I was told it's fine to cross the chain from big ring to big sprocket as it was designed to be able to handle that - I took that with a big pinch of salt and don't. But I have found myself occasionally losing count and finding the chain at a greater angle than I would normally like without any obvious Ill effects (except maybe not immediately apparent wear and tear).
I think chains are an engineering miracle. Obviously they stretch and I've just changed my SRAM on the ADV after 1400 miles but at £20 - who cares?, but more than once as I have been standing on the pedals inching up a 25% climb, forty miles from home I have prayed "chain, chain please don't let me down now!