I reckon if you’ve got the 9sp LX, just use that. Especially if your front is going to go 48 to 22.
Having said that, 44/32/22 is probably fine. If you’re pumping away at 44/11 trying to go faster just stop pedalling and enjoy yourself. There’s a small chance your Force FD will shift 9sp over 2 cogs too, so maybe you could lose the outer ring and stick say a 42t on the middle for a 42/22. I’d go 40/22 no worries but I think the idea of that might freak you out.
No, forget this idea. If you want a bigger ring, get something like a 50/34.
Yes.
What model deore?
RD-M592-SGS (long, shadow) has 45T capacity and 36T max sprocket. Ok for 44T big ring, but not 48T.
RD-T661 (long, non shadow) has 43T capacity and 32T max sprocket. Ok for 44T big ring, but not 48T.
Alivio RD-M4000 shadow is cheap and has a barrel adjuster built in, 45T capacity, 36T max sprocket.
For the FD you’ll need something like the FD-3503 / FD-5703 (50T max, 20T difference) if you want the indexing in the sora shakes to work, but if you used a downtube shifter (mikeD current jam) for the front you could use any old MTB triple mech and it’ll have a better cage profile for the 44T big ring.
So yeah. You’ll need a shimano 9sp FD, preferably MTB triple to shift the existing crankset/chainring combo. Or a DT friction shifter and any old >9sp FD ala The MikeD Method
Option 4: sora shifter into 9spd LX rear, get an old down tube friction shift lever and run any brand/age/speed triple mech across the 44/32/22 LX crank. No incompatibility issues.
I once did a tour on a racing tandem with a 1x7 with bar end shifter. Was a bunch of fun. Ride whatcha got.
I’ll see what turns up first, the Sora / 105 FD or bar end 9 speed(still need a FD so may as well get one that works with what I have) . Anyone? Anyone?
Another option is running an older set of 10speed Campag shifters as 9spd shimergo. Currently running a pair of centuar shifters on the GF’s bike with a 9spd lx fd and 3x cranks. The many points of indexing on campy makes setting up the fd real easy
