Improving Gear Ratios

The Turk

Hi

I currently ride an entry level Trek Bike.
I need some advice on improving the gear ratios to get up the steep hills!
The current set up is a 53/39 crankset and a 12-26T 8 speed cassette.
Would the best option be to get a compact chainset or get a cassette with a bigger range?

Any advice?
:?

bompington

the best advice is to move to Holland

ronthechef

MTB cassette and rear mech you should be able to run a 11-32

cougie

39*26 should get you up most things really.

Where do you ride - and how much do you weigh ?

markos1963

You can get away wuth a Sram cassette that goes up to 28t using a Shimano mech. That should get you up most hills, if not then either extra training or more expensively a compact chainset.

redddraggon

There's already a sticky with all the information you need:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12583566

dennisn

My vote goes to compact although it's more expensive than a bigger rear cog.

Dennis Noward

The Turk

Thanks for all the info.
The sticky on the subject is useful.
I agree a 39 26 ratio can get up most hills, however after really working to get up a 1 km climb with an average gradient of 16% I though there must be an easier way!

Mettan

dennisn wrote:

My vote goes to compact although it's more expensive than a bigger rear cog.

Dennis Noward

+ 1 - Agreed.

rickhotrod

An 8-speed 13-30 cassette can be made out of two 7-speed HG70 cassettes (13-26 and 13-30). You need to use the 3.0mm spacers from the 8-speed cassette as the 7-speed cassettes use slightly wider 3.1mm and 3.3mm spacers.

bompington

Actually I live in Scotland not Holland, and my life got a lot better when I replaced my old 12-23 7 speed (with 42-52 at the front) with a SRAM 11-28, which works perfectly, but it is an old bike with downtube shifters.

rickhotrod

A 7-speed 11-28 has massive jumps in the gears. It's an MTB cassette.

13-26 (13,15,17,19,21,23,26) is much better. Use with a triple and you've got a very versatile range of gears!