Giant SCR3 upgrades-wheels and cassette/ chain compatability

tartan_army

Had and SCR3 since very end of last year, done about 1700 miles and thinks its time for a few upgrades as needing new tyres, brake blocks etc

Need new tyres and might splash out on some wheels so thinking about the Conti GP4000S and Fulcrum Racing 5 set.

Kool stop brake blocks I;ve also heard good things about also.

Will get a new cassette too as then can leave the ones that come off as a spare set.

SCR got the Sora STI shifters so am i right in saying I have to stick to 8 speed? Heard lots of good things about SRAM chains and cassettes am i ok to go for a SRAM cassette and chain presume these are compatible with the Sora shifters? Is there a particular cassete range I need to choose to go with the Tiagra rear mech? Think at the moment its 12-27T, would it be ok to get an 11-30T to see if theres much of a difference?


Thanks for any advice

Ste_S

Don't feel as though you have to upgrade for the sake of it. If something is working why change it ? The stock wheels on the Giant are good enough, but shoddily put together. My rear wheel started shedding spokes after 1000miles, but the lbs rebuilt it (payed for by Giant) and it's been fine ever since.

I still have the stock cassette and chain and I've done about 5000 miles on them, so you could possibly hold onto yours for a bit longer.

Tyres and brake blocks would be a good upgrade, the ones supplied with the SCR are a bit poo. Conti GP4000's have had some negative posts on here if i remember correctly, Michelin Pro Race 2 or Vittoria Rubino Pro's are normally pretty good. Koolstop pads are surposed to be excellent.

If however you have the money burning a whole in your pocket, knock yourself out. The Fulcrum's do look pretty blingy

gkerr4

tartan_army wrote:

Had and SCR3 since very end of last year, done about 1700 miles and thinks its time for a few upgrades as needing new tyres, brake blocks etc

Need new tyres and might splash out on some wheels so thinking about the Conti GP4000S and Fulcrum Racing 5 set.

Kool stop brake blocks I;ve also heard good things about also.

Will get a new cassette too as then can leave the ones that come off as a spare set.

SCR got the Sora STI shifters so am i right in saying I have to stick to 8 speed? Heard lots of good things about SRAM chains and cassettes am i ok to go for a SRAM cassette and chain presume these are compatible with the Sora shifters? Is there a particular cassete range I need to choose to go with the Tiagra rear mech? Think at the moment its 12-27T, would it be ok to get an 11-30T to see if theres much of a difference?


Thanks for any advice

get the wheels - they will feel loads better but most importantly - they will look the biz!!

good idea to keep the cassette - ribble had some on offer recently try there, yes you will need to stick with 8speed unless you want to change the shifters as well - and yes a SRAM cassette will be fine. Be careful of going over the std gearing though - 30t sounds like a big cassette - might cause issues of fouling the rear mech. in fairness, expecially if you have a triple chainset, a 12-27 is a fairly good spread

tartan_army

Thanks, particularly for the heads up about Ribble, I thought due to the Wiggle 20% off (until end of today!) they would be cheapest but Ribble is cheaper for some things.

If i was to go for new wheels and cassette not really done much around the cassette before on my bike. I need a chain whip and cassette tool to fit on am i right in saying? Something like http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.asp?D=P&Cat=TOOLS&Section=TOOL&GenCode=PROATOOL0750 be ok for an SRAM cassette?

That all the tools I need, presume the quick release skewer can be transferred easily from old wheel? And the wheels will come with rim tape am i right in saying?

Thanks

gkerr4

tartan_army wrote:

Thanks, particularly for the heads up about Ribble, I thought due to the Wiggle 20% off (until end of today!) they would be cheapest but Ribble is cheaper for some things.

If i was to go for new wheels and cassette not really done much around the cassette before on my bike. I need a chain whip and cassette tool to fit on am i right in saying? Something like http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.asp?D=P&Cat=TOOLS&Section=TOOL&GenCode=PROATOOL0750 be ok for an SRAM cassette?

That all the tools I need, presume the quick release skewer can be transferred easily from old wheel? And the wheels will come with rim tape am i right in saying?

Thanks

You only need the chainqwhip to remove a cassette - to fit a cassette you just need the cassette tool. Actually, I never use a chainwhip to remove the cassette either - just an old rag to allow me to grab the cassette!

the new wheels wil almost certainly come with quick release skewers (but if not then yest your old ones will fit) - but they may not come with rim tape - check as you order them. I forgot this when I ordered my last set of wheels (shimano R561's as a replacement for the bontrager wheels on my trek pilot. I had to wait a couple of days to get hold of some tape before I could fit them!!

gkerr4

oh also - forgot to say - the cassette tool is only about a fiver - like this:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/details.a ... RKTOOL0350