I recently realized that I have quite a bit invested in 7- and 8-speed
drivetrains on 7 of my 12 bikes. I have a need for a gearing range that is
not provided by the latest standard crank offerings, so converting to newer
cranks is not a viable option. What I need, and what most everybody needs
IMO, are 110/74mm cranks, since they provide an appropriate range of
chainring sizes for just about every practical use of a bicycle with
standard-sized wheels. The availability of 7-speed 11-34T cassettes makes
the 110/74mm standard even more attractive, as it offers both a much lower
granny gear and a higher top gear than was available in years past. We can
thank the burgeoning low-end bike market for prolonging the existence of the
very sensible 7-speed drivetrains for the foreseeable future, though 8-speed
shifters and cassettes appear to be drying up very quickly. Get those
8-speed components while you can!

Virtually every hybrid and MTB made in the past 8 years or so has either
104/64mm 4-arm cranks, or 94/58mm 5-arm cranks. Road bikes, naturally, have
130/74mm triples or 130mm doubles. All of these bikes could benefit from
110mm cranks, or 110/74 triples, since 99% of them are ridden on the street
in non-racing applications. Gearing on many hybrids are too low, while
gearing on many road bikes are too high. The 110/74 cranks are just right.
The wide chainring size range for 110mm cranks would give optimal selection
of gearing for virtually every practical application. Only true racing
bikes benefit from the larger 130mm and 135mm BCD cranks, and even then it
only saves a few grams. I have a 62T x 110mm chainring, for instance. In
years past, plenty of road bikes came equipped with 110mm cranks. Wouldn't
it be nice to just have one standard, instead of five?

There are many arguments in favor of the 110mm/74mm triple crankset
standard, and few compelling arguments against it. I've decided to swim
upstream and begin stockpiling a supply of chainrings and crankarms to
support this dwindling crank standard for my fleet of bikes. Sources for
110mm cranks and rings are drying up, though perhaps not as quickly as we
might have thought. Everybody thought that 9/10 speed cranks/rings/chains
would dominate and that 7/8-speed stuff would dry up overnight. It hasn't
quite happened that way; but still, now is a good time to stock up. I
wouldn't bet on the 110/74 cranks and rings to be available forever. I
think once the current overstocks are gone, that's probably the last of it
for a while (until we regain our senses).

-Barry