need for speed

Peanutt

Hi,

I've been cycling for a while now and only recently started to get serious about regular rides and mapping my progress. I'm now at the stage where I can cruise quite comfortably in top gear on the flat but can't accelerate as I have no other gears available, unless of course I pump my legs like a madman, I want more but it's simply not there. I have an old 12 speed, what options are available to increase the bikes ability??

rick_chasey

Take it to a local bikeshop and explain the problem.

Just make sure they don't rip the arse out of you.

mattward1979

Depends how old it is and whether its compatible with newer components.....

Your options generally are:

Smaller Rear cassette top end,
Bigger front chain rings.

Check out your LBS and see if they can help

unixnerd

How many teeth on the big chainring at the front and the smallest cog at the rear?

Pedalling like a madman isn't always a bad thing. A high cadence can be a good thing.

Peanutt

I've no idea how many teeth I'll count them tonight, it's a shimano biopace chainring on the front and a 6 speed freewheel on the back.

unixnerd

Smallest cog you can fit to the rear is 11 teeth. It's probably not cost effective to change anything at the front end.

To be honest if you're getting serious about your cycling you might want to think about just getting a modern road bike. It'll probably be a good bit lighter and you'll get STI gear / brake levers, lighter wheels, etc.

unixnerd

I've been cycling for years and class myself as fit, 120 is where I top out and anything over 90 is good going for me. I'm 43 but I doubt I'm alone.

A lot of older bikes have pretty low top gears, I know my 10 speed '80s Raleigh did. I went to a tourer with a 48x11 top and it was like engaging warp drive!

Peanutt

looking at the width of the rear stays I'm guessing 6 speed is all it'll take.

I've become quite attached to it over the years, it's an old Falcon Banana but still looks quite striking.

unixnerd

My advice would be to keep it as a winter bike and get something modern for sunny days :-)

Quoting from The Rules:

Rule 12:

The minimum number of bikes one should own is three. The correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.

rake

unixnerd wrote:

Smallest cog you can fit to the rear is 11 teeth. It's probably not cost effective to change anything at the front end.

To be honest if you're getting serious about your cycling you might want to think about just getting a modern road bike. It'll probably be a good bit lighter and you'll get STI gear / brake levers, lighter wheels, etc.

you wont get an 11 tooth with a freewheel. the central fixing is too large, you need a freehub and cassette for an 11 tooth which is why youl be running out of gears. 14t is usually about the smallest you can get on a freewheel. unless you can find some massive front chainrings with 58 teeth youl need a new rear hub and smaller sprockets. to be honest you need a more modern bike. It doesnt have to be expensive at all, just within say the last decade if your on a tight budget.

night_porter

As your bike is steel framed (Reynolds 501) you can cold set the rear to 130mm. Then you can buy a new wheel or set of wheels that will take a modern freehub and cassette.

You will need to upgrade the shifters and possibly the rear mech (maybe not). Fit a new cassette and you are in business.

If you buy pre-owned you will save some money I would suggest going to 8 speed so that you can still use the chainrings with the same chain (6-7-8 speed chains are the same size).

With such a lovely bike you don't want to consign it to winters or 2nd best after all it IS an old friend!

Peanutt

to be honest I would love to have a newer road bike as well, alas I have reached the S-1 stage and at 7 bikes I don't think the missus would be too pleased at another. I'm liking the idea of cold setting the frame and going the cassette route. I might also look at lightening the bike as well, I've already moved to ally wheels, now thinking new seatpost, stem, brakes etc. Might be quite a good project to see how much lighter and faster I can make it.

night_porter

I did put an 8 speed freewheel (yes you can buy them on ebay) onto a 6 speed wheel once. It worked okay but I had to offset the hub and slightly re-dish the wheel, my wife still rides it now.

It was very cheap to do but I already had some 8 speed shifters from a previous upgrade and the rear mech didn't complain.

How about some pics of the yellow demon?

Perhaps before and after?

A mate of mine has restored his fathers 1953 Claud Butler 531 fixed speed and it is his only bike. He cycles up some wicked hills in the Cotswolds too.

It looks superb, to me thin tubing on a bike looks so gracious. As if the frame builder was a real craftsman.

unixnerd

It looks superb, to me thin tubing on a bike looks so gracious. As if the frame builder was a real craftsman.

Agreed. My steel tourer has a fairly ungainly frame designed to carry a lot of weight, but it's such a nice bike to ride I don't want to change it. I lust after a nicer steelie but already have too many bikes.

Peanutt

Before I added the ally profile wheels

http://www.systemben.com/falcon.jpg

night_porter

Very elegant, love the tyre & tape bling too