Bike struggles up hills, need new gears - Advice please

dandaman2009
dandaman2009 Posts: 3
edited May 2009 in Road beginners
Hi all,

Wondering if you can help me with something.

I have a Trek 5000 identicle to this - http://www.devercycles.co.uk/dever-bike ... ng%20Bikes - and due to the way i have been storing my bike, mainly our doors, i think my gears have become rusty and in general died.

Recently, i have been trying to go up some fairly simple hills, hills that when i first got the bike i could do fine, but now they are quite a struggle and sometime i cant even complete the hill, which is very frustrating as it seems there is so much friction my legs just cant keep going.

Obviously, there is a degree of my own fitness that needs improving to some level, but i'm pretty sure i need a new chain set. Now as a fairly new beginner to the technicalities of building bikes, i need some advice on what gears to buy.

My objective - To increase the gear range on my bike and have a really good top gear (for going up hills) similar to that of a mountain bike, to reduce the effort when going up hills.

Now i have been looking at these two gears -

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/SRAM_ ... 300001392/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shima ... 360012908/

Am i right in thinking that the higher the "speed number" I.E. 10 speed, has a higher range and therefore will be better for going up hills with? Please correct me if i am wrong.

Alternatively, does anyone know of a good gear set for hilly terrain?

Also, i assume would need to uprate the front spokes too? Something like these? http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shima ... 360038020/

Advice is welcome please...

Thanks
Dan

Comments

  • on the road
    on the road Posts: 5,631
    dandaman2009 wrote:
    Am i right in thinking that the higher the "speed number" I.E. 10 speed, has a higher range and therefore will be better for going up hills with?
    No.

    It goes by the biggest cog on the cassette. The sram, even though it's 9 speed has a maximum 32 or 34 teeth compared with the dura ace maximum 23 teeth (27 teeth cassette no longer available). If you're struggling to get up hills on a 25T cassette, then you'll struggle even more on the 10 speed dura ace 23T.

    The sram would be better with having a 32T or 34T cassette. But before you spend a lot of money on parts, I would take it to the local bike shop (LBS) for a service, it might only need regreasing and a new chain fitted.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Get a service at your LBS.

    Problem solved.
  • dandaman2009
    dandaman2009 Posts: 3
    Thanks all,

    I'll try that first!
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    A drop of oil and some training required. The bike would have to be terminal to have much afect on your climbing. I think the problem is more in the legs than the bike.
    My Fleet.
  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    I couldn't climb anything when I first got back ion my bike this spring.

    First time I stopped three times on the way up, second twice and then I made it!

    It's probably whats in your head. You're convinced it's the bike, but it is just a question of working your fitness up.

    Get you bike serviced and then you'll be fine

    Most of all, enjoy riding again
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    What gears are you currently running at the front, double (2 chainrings 53 and 39 teeth) or triple (3 chainrings), i suspect it'll be a triple. If it is triple and you've got a 12/25 at the back then TBH you've got enough gears to get up pretty much any hill. If it's a double then you could try swapping to a compact at the front (50 and 34). This may involve buying other kit - derailleurs etc and will be a job for the LBS.

    To be brutally honest you need to do 3 things:

    1: get the bike serviced and try to store it indoors
    2: learn how to service your bike - it's not hard. Learn and then attend to it regularly
    3: get on the bike and ride more, especially hills. The fitter/stronger you are the easier it'll become.

    All this will be cheaper than upgrading parts.
  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    I recently paid an LBS to change my sproket - (no complaints) - but I saw a toolkit at probikekit for £28 - I got this and replaced a spoke (including removing the sproket) - I was surprised how easy it was - once you have this then you can maintain the thing yourself (last night I had my sprocket off in 5 minutes) !

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