Chaning gear ratio (how straightforward can it be?)

Nicholls2k
Nicholls2k Posts: 51
edited March 2011 in The workshop
Hi guys - need to change some gear rations.

Just bought a second hand bike with Campag Record 10 speed shifters

53/39 front
12-26 tooth rear cassette 10 speed

The rear wheel has a Shimano Ultegra hub. The cassette is "Giang" Malaysian?!

Cycled to and from work today... I have several hills in the region of 15% for about a good distance (unsprintable) and had to stand up and pump for most of them..

The rear derailure looks like a short cage... I'm not too worried if I can't access some of the high speed gears as quite simply I tend to use my breaks going down the hill :)



Whats the cheapest way for me to get a better hill set up with these rather oddly matched components?

I have all the tools :)

Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Not sure that sounds odly matched, sounds fairly normal road bike!

    Easiest fix is to get a larger gear on the rear, say a 13-28 cassette?

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Nicholls2k
    Nicholls2k Posts: 51
    Oh right... I got the impression that there is some kind of compatability issue with shimano hubs/campag cassettes?
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Buy a compact chainset and put the old chainset on fleabay to offset some of the cost.
  • Blue Meanie
    Blue Meanie Posts: 495
    Yup, Campag cassettes will not fit onto Shimano freehubs :( You can run a shimano cassette if you 'Shimergo' your set-up, but it doesn't always work like you'd want. New hub or new shifter, then sort your gearing...
    FCN16 - 1970 BSA Wayfarer

    FCN4 - Fixie Inc
  • jejv
    jejv Posts: 566
    What is the rear mech ?

    Does the rear shifting work OK ?

    The rear hub really is Ultegra ?

    No, it is quite possible to have Campy shifters with a shimano hub, without "Shimergo".

    For example Ambrosio cassettes give Campy 10-speed spacing on Shimano splines.

    They do a 13-28, I think, but that's not much of a change.

    Really, if you don't win club races, get a triple. With a proper small granny. Not a 30. Your shifters may or may not be triple compatible (I guess they are).

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