Planet X dura ace bike- how do i make it hill friendly?

ashtons99
ashtons99 Posts: 110
edited May 2009 in Road buying advice
Most of you will have picked up on the £1400 dura ace spec planet x. Obviously whether it is a bargain or not is a subjective judgement, for me it is and Im looking to put my money on one. What is holding me back though is the standard double as opposed to a compact crank.
I have no doubt I would struggle on some of the steeper stuff but I love the bike.

Given the Dura ace double comes on the bike like it or not what are my options to ensure Im not off and pushing.

Im guessing change of crank set (hope not) or change of rear cassette

Comments

  • Change of cassette is the cheapest option. An 11-28 with a 39-tooth inner ring gets you a 37.5-inch low gear. A typical compact has 34x25 which is a 36.25-inch gear, so you're not giving up much.

    If Dura-Ace cassettes are a bit spendy for you, there's a 12-27 Ultegra cassette.

    Of course the best way to make a bike climb hills better is to slog up as many of them as possible. :)
    John Stevenson
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    Cassette change is your first and cheapest option. You can comfortably fit a Sram 11-28 cassette on there(Shimano say there rear mech only go to 27 teeth but Specialized use the Sram cassette on their bikes) This should give you a bottom gear somewear near the usual 50-25 that you get with a compact. Top gear will be massive, any descent will need a police escort to clear the road for you :D
  • ashtons99
    ashtons99 Posts: 110
    that sounds like good advice, would I be able to retain the standard cage mech or would it involve swapping that too ?

    I dont want to miss out on one of these bikes at this spec and I suppose ultimately if Im struggling I could fit an FSA crankset or similar and move the dura ace on for decent money
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    I fitted a SRAM 11-28 cassette on mine, the fitted Dura Ace mech works fine with it.

    (My build was the £1k DA build of last year, but it came with an FSA compact chainset, and 105 11-25 cassette - DA was just mechs and shifters).
  • bazbadger
    bazbadger Posts: 553
    I think PX might still be doing their FSA sale, so you could pick up a megaexo compact chainset at the same time as ordering the DA bike - which is a total bargain.

    In fact, while you're there - why not pick up some 50 carbon wheels as well.... :)
    Mens agitat molem
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    The FSA gossamer (mega exo) chainset seems pretty good to me, very happy with it.
  • ashtons99
    ashtons99 Posts: 110
    Steady on guys, Im trying to bag a bargain here! Although the wheel choice sounds good
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Just change the cassette. You won't need to change anything else. The chainset is one of the best things about DA in my opinion.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    Why not E-Bay the chain set un-used and pick up a cheaper triple or compact? Not ideal I know but you may end up doing in later anyway and you'd get more money if it was un-used....maybe half the RRP with a bit of luck?
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Yes, the Dura Ace chainset retails at £350-£400, if you got £200 you would have plenty of options. An R700 (compact at Ultegra level) can be had for less than £100.
  • bazbadger
    bazbadger Posts: 553
    the dura ace chainset does look cool though - and that should a consideration. Yeah, it might be tougher going up steep climbs, but you look cool.....
    Mens agitat molem
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    Keep the chainset, as stated its a peach of a component and probably above the level of what you would pay for seperatly. Going down the cassette route is far cheaper and easier to spanner.
  • eh
    eh Posts: 4,854
    SRAM 11-28 cassette

    There has to be a better option than this, 11-28 is daft you are basically lugging a 11 tooth around for no reason as it is useless. Plus you are going to get some jumps in cog size somewhere across the block which kinda defeats the object of 10 speed surely?!

    Why not just try the bike with the stock gearing and see how you get on? A super light bike running 39x25 should allow you to get up most things.
  • weeve
    weeve Posts: 393
    buy r700 shimano compact and another (slightly shorter) chain...then just swap when need to ...just cost you 110 quid or so. Thats what I do.
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    Get fit. Gain power. lose weight. :-)
  • ashtons99
    ashtons99 Posts: 110
    robbarker wrote:
    Get fit. Gain power. lose weight. :-)

    Ive lost 4 stone since november, its just the other 2 bits now then?
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    eh wrote:
    SRAM 11-28 cassette

    There has to be a better option than this, 11-28 is daft you are basically lugging a 11 tooth around for no reason as it is useless. Plus you are going to get some jumps in cog size somewhere across the block which kinda defeats the object of 10 speed surely?!

    Why not just try the bike with the stock gearing and see how you get on? A super light bike running 39x25 should allow you to get up most things.

    Its not such a bad idea, as long as you have a ratio that is near your optimum cadence/speed/power range I can't see that it matters. 10 speed is good for this very thing, imagine the jumps you would get with 7/8 speed. My winter bike with 7 speed has a 14/28 freewheel on it and I find the jumps ok. In fact I like to feel a noticable gap between the gears otherwise I think 'whats the point?' in changing gear
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    ashtons99 wrote:

    Ive lost 4 stone since november, its just the other 2 bits now then?

    Excellent work! I bet you're feeling a whole lot better for it.

    My reply was posted with tongue firmly in cheek, as you can imagine.

    Having said that, the lower gear ratios now the norm probably arise as much from fashion as necessity. 30 years ago a top-end race machine would have been supplied with 12-18 and 42/52, and a significantly heavier frame to boot.

    I have found that my climbing has improved since buying a fixed wheel bike too, which I use on my undulating commute.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I have an Ultegra 53-39 with a 12-27 105 cassette on the back and it works a treat. changed it up from the riginal 11-23 cassette, no adjustment needed best thing i ever did to my bike.
  • simmo3801
    simmo3801 Posts: 486
    Will the Sram 11 - 28 run with the ultegra rear mech and does it fit a shimano hub anybody know?

    Thanks
    Giant Anthem X3 2013
  • markos1963
    markos1963 Posts: 3,724
    simmo3801 wrote:
    Will the Sram 11 - 28 run with the ultegra rear mech and does it fit a shimano hub anybody know?

    Thanks

    Yes & yes
  • simmo3801
    simmo3801 Posts: 486
    Hi markos

    Thanks for the reply, succint and to the point! I now just need to have one delivered before the etape caledonia by Sat....
    Giant Anthem X3 2013