is it worth changing my chainset?

graemecook

Hi, I've been fixing up an old (circa 1985) raleigh roadbike
the first roadbike i've ever owned, and i love it
it's got a double chainset (52 and 42) with downshifters and 6 cogs (14 to 24) at the back
the trouble is i live right next to the ochil hills and I'm really struggling on some of the climbs with my current arrangement of gears

Am wondering if anyone has any cheapish ideas about how i could rejig things to get up hills a bit easier

have been looking at the shimano tiagra (£50, 50/34) chainset
would it make a difference and would it even be copatible with my old sirrocco?

any advice would be greatly appreciated,

graeme

alfablue

I think compatability is difficult to predict, is the bottom bracket shell a standard size (no idea if they have changed in 30 years). If it is you may still have a problem with different geaometry especially with the chainstays, and the chainline of the new chainset may not clear stays and / or front mech range. I just don't know I'm afraid, a trip to the LBS is probably a good idea for advice in this situation.

If you do get a Tiagra chainset, as it has external BB cups, you should get your BB "faced" - this is an LBS job (tool to do this costs hundreds of pounds). This should cost maybe £10 to £15, but you may as well get them to fit the parts as well.

graemecook

Yeah, thought it would be a case of taking it to the bike shop - cheers for your advice re the facing, If i get a new tiagra chainset i'll make sure to get that done

if i could find a compatable and economical solution do you think it would make a going up hills significantly more pleasant?

do you have any ideas about changing the casette, or would there be compatability issues again?

thanks,

Graeme

alfablue

Hi Graeme, this is a bit beyond my experience, there wont be many six speed cassettes around so you may not get a great choice in ratios. Compatibility will also depend on what hub you have.

I know you love your bike, and this is probably sacrilegious, but I wonder if it is not worth keeping it original (or selling it as original). The spend you may get into could get to around £200 depending on what you need (more if you need a new rear wheel), what about putting this towards a budget road bike (around £400/£450) that will probably be very capable and have the range of gears you need. (Or maybe buy a second hand one, probably for only a little more dosh).

graemecook

yeah - thought the six speed cassette would be trouble

Almost sacrilegious is a good way of saying it, I think you're right though, if all I had to change was the chainset then I'd maybe look at spending the £60 or whatever and using the bike in the hills for the spring/summer/autumn
£200 is much more than I feared it might cost

i like the look of the specialized allez double, might be better saving for that and suffering on the steep slopes in the meantime

thanks for your advice,

graeme

(should say - the current chainset is shamano - so I'll check out compatability/costs with the bikeshop man)

alfablue

Hi Graeme

Note that Tiagra (and other Hollowtech) Chainsets are usually priced without Bottom Bracket cups, however CRC have the chainset for £40 and the cups for £15, which is a pretty good price.

My estimate of £200 may be too pessimistic,especially as the chainset is cheaper than I expected. Maybe get advice from LBS, price the parts there and online, ask for fitting costs for whatever you need, then you will be able to make a more informed choice.

That said, and Allez is a great bike by all accounts.

graemecook

CRC?

I'd see what price the LBS guy would do them for and how much he'd charge for fitting

Thanks for the suggestion

alfablue

CRC = Chain Reaction Cycles, excellent online shop, good prices, free and rapid delivery. Cups are here.

acorn_user

1985 = freewheel, rather than a cassette (most likely). So the cheapest fix you could do would be to buy a new Shimano 6 speed freewheel. These are very cheap, and you can get them with wide ratios that will help with hillclimbing. Go to the LBS, and get a new chain while you are at it.

If you want to change the chainset too, there are some alternatives that make sense. The Tiagra chainset is good value IMHO, but... you could get a Stronglight Impact touring double for less. These are available with 46-36 and 48-38 from Ribble amongst others. Then you can use a square taper bottom bracket like the Shimano UN52 that will save you the fee for facing. But I would recommend buying the whole lot from a good LBS (if you have one).

AFAIK, bottom bracket shell widths have been pretty stable over the years. The one complication with Raleigh is that older Raleighs used a different threading versus other BSC shells. The '77 Grand Prix ltd I had was like that.

graemecook

thanks for the help,
just popped round to the bike shop
i got some really helpful advice
such as...
stay off the pies
and buy a decent bike
but most interestingly the guy says he's got some old chainsets and backgearybits in his storeroom somewhere
suggested maybe sticking an old raleigh 50/38 chainset on (£10 or £15 he wasn't sure) and a wider range six speed on the back (up to 28)

do you think these alterations would make a noticable difference to going up hills?

alfablue

Hi Graeme, I think it will make some difference, but whether enough is impossible to say. Sounds like a good LBS though!

graemecook

that should say 28
and yes, it's a superb bike shop
they're really helpful and don't seem to be pushing me to buy stuff i don't need
with my old bike they're great at helping me with cheap upgrade solutions

a side issue, that's related to my hill climbing troubles, is to do with down tube shifters and not staying in gear when I'm really mashing on the pedals at the steep bits.
the chain continually seems to shift onto bigger speeds at the back when I'm on steep hills,
does anyone know how to remedy this?
I've already tried all sorts of tweaks to the cable tension and can't get it to stop

alfablue

graemecook wrote:

that should say 28
and yes, it's a superb bike shop
they're really helpful and don't seem to be pushing me to buy stuff i don't need
with my old bike they're great at helping me with cheap upgrade solutions

a side issue, that's related to my hill climbing troubles, is to do with down tube shifters and not staying in gear when I'm really mashing on the pedals at the steep bits.
the chain continually seems to shift onto bigger speeds at the back when I'm on steep hills,
does anyone know how to remedy this?
I've already tried all sorts of tweaks to the cable tension and can't get it to stop

The shifters should have a small ring on them for tightening the friction, if its too loose the gears will "wander" - I've guessed you tried that. Alternatively, maybe get Indexed downtube shifters (prices upwards from £10, those I have linked to are £30).

graemecook

cheers for that,
will maybe look to change them if the problem persists
an alternative i was considering was spraying them with something to remove grease/oil
to stiffen them up a bit
white spirit or something
and then never putting grease or oil anywhere near them
(i fear i might have oiled and wd40ed them as loads of bits of the bike were corroded and seized up when i got it