Gearing help - how to setup for hilly area?

Chris Swansea

Hello,
I have a 2006 Spesh Allez Elite with a 12-25 cassette and 39/53 up front and 9 speed 105 rear mech (short arm).
I am really struggling up hills in my local area (South Wales) - hills that I can ride no problems on my touring bike. I have to carefully pick my routes so I won't be walking!

Is the gearing setup I have OK and do I just need to strengthen my legs or can anyone suggest a more hill friendly setup?

Many thanks for your help,
Chris

Chris Swansea

Sorry, just seen 'sticky' :oops:

DomPro

39 - 25 is a tough combo for going up-hills. I sometimes struggle a bit on 34-25.

Try getting a 26 or 27 tooth sprocket on the rear cassette if possible.

Gav2000

Hi Chris Swansea,

I sometimes get to bring my hybrid bike (with the same gearing as you) down to Swansea and struggle on some of the hills around there. I particularly struggle coming back towards Swansea from Caswell Bay, the last 1/3 of the hill is a real effort.

My road bike now has a compact chainset (34/50) and wide range cassette (13-29), this makes hilly areas so much more enjoyable. Last year I had 34/50 at the front and a 13-26 cassette at the back and still found the odd hill I struggled with, so far this year I haven't had to use 34-29 but its there just in case.

Gav.

Chris Swansea

Thanks Dom and Gav. I'm going get on the Shimano techdocs site tonight and see what range my front and rear dérailleurs can handle. It would make a helluva difference to the routes I can try.

Mettan

Chris Swansea wrote:

Hello,
I have a 2006 Spesh Allez Elite with a 12-25 cassette and 39/53 up front and 9 speed 105 rear mech (short arm).
I am really struggling up hills in my local area (South Wales) - hills that I can ride no problems on my touring bike. I have to carefully pick my routes so I won't be walking!

Is the gearing setup I have OK and do I just need to strengthen my legs or can anyone suggest a more hill friendly setup?

Many thanks for your help,
Chris

A 50/34 sounds like it might be more suitable - a common setup would pair that up with a 12/27 on the back - if that's not enough, you could always use a MTB rear mech & 30 or 32 cassette.

oldwelshman

Go for a compact on the fron 50 x 34 and try it.
If you still need a bit more stil 12 x 27 on the back, thats the biggest you can with shimano.

rickhotrod

Fit a 9 speed 12-28 cassette. The 39/28 bottom gear should get you up most hills.

oldwelshman

rickhotrod wrote:

Fit a 9 speed 12-28 cassette. The 39/28 bottom gear should get you up most hills.

I do not think a shimano rear mech will take a 28, I seem to recall from previous posts a 27 rear is max, thats the biggest I have ever used.
a 39 x 25 gives 42.12 gear and 39 x 28 gives 37.6.
The compact 34 x 25 already gives a smaller gear 36.7 that adding a cassette with a 28.
If he puts a 50/34 with 12/27 bottom gear is 34.
More importantly it gives 4 useable gears to get from original lowest gear to newest wheras changing the rear gives 2

21 23 25 28
39 50.1 45.8 42.1 37.6
53 68.1 62.2 57.2 51.1

21 23 25 27
34 43.7 39.9 36.7 34.0
50 64.3 58.7 54.0 50.0

redddraggon

Shimano mechs will take 28t big sprockets, plenty of bikes are shipped that way and there's no issues.

markos1963

A 28 rear cog will work fine, Speciallized use a Sram cassette on some of their bikes using aa Shimano mech.

Chris Swansea

Thanks for the advice oldwelshman (and the arithmetic!), that has really helped.
I have just checked the tooth difference of my front mech and it says 15 teeth or less. My rear derailleur has a large sprocket capacity of 27t and a front chainwheel tooth difference of 14t.
If I went down the 50/34 route and a 27 on the rear - does anyone have any experience of this setup - considering the chainwheel tooth differences? I'm using 105 front and rear (short arm).

Looks like this years 105 mechs have a 16t capacity... more money!

John.T

I don't think Shimano changed the mechs, only the docs. My winter bike has 50/34 with 12/27 9sp. I am using an Ultegra 9sp rear mech and a Sora 8sp front. It all works fine and has for 3 years now.
If you want to check gear ratios try this. The rest of the site is worth bookmarking also.
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/
I would set it to 'gear inches' which is what OW was using.

oldwelshman

If you fit a 50 x 34 compact chainset you would have to lower your front changer a little due to the smaller ring, but changer will be fine. May have to change chain length.

ScottieP

Hi Chris

I have a 2005 Specialized Allez Elite also with 9 speed 105. My bike came with the same gearing as yours which was fine when I lived in a relatively flat part of Surrey. When I moved to a much more hilly area (and hadn't ridden much for a year or so) I found it a nightmare - so much so that I stopped riding. I subsequently changed to a compact 50/34 at the front and changed to an Ultegra 12-27 cassette and it has transformed the bike and my riding. From doing no riding at all in 2007. I did 400km on the new gearing in 2008 and 1300km so far this year - so I swear by the change. I can get up any hill where I live now. Do it - you'll be glad you did.

ScottieP

Chris Swansea

Thanks ScottieP,
I've just ordered that exact setup and must admit, I'm looking forward to getting a lot more riding done on this bike. At the moment, if I am planning a route that is vaguely hilly, I jump on my touring bike!
Got a great deal on an FSA SLR compact at Planet X - half price at the moment

oldwelshman

Chris Swansea wrote:

Thanks ScottieP,
I've just ordered that exact setup and must admit, I'm looking forward to getting a lot more riding done on this bike. At the moment, if I am planning a route that is vaguely hilly, I jump on my touring bike!
Got a great deal on an FSA SLR compact at Planet X - half price at the moment

Let me know when it is done and maybe we can go for a ride when I stay with my daughter in swansea. Last time I rode to port talbot, over bwlch, then rhigos and down Neath glide to Swansea again Nice ride but I got sunburn, that was last summer.

ScottieP

Chris Swansea wrote:

Thanks ScottieP,
I've just ordered that exact setup and must admit, I'm looking forward to getting a lot more riding done on this bike. At the moment, if I am planning a route that is vaguely hilly, I jump on my touring bike!
Got a great deal on an FSA SLR compact at Planet X - half price at the moment

Chris - glad to help .... hope it makes as big a difference to you as it did to me ... I'm even starting to enjoy hills.

ScottieP

Chris Swansea

Done it!

I'm INVINCIBLE! :twisted:

Took it for a two minute spin up the hill outside my house and I'm really looking forward to a ride on Saturday - going to try all the hills that normally scare me to death on this bike.

Oldwelshman - that would be great - let me know, but be prepared for about a million questions!

Thanks everyone for your help with this.