Upgrades to my MTB

SR7492

Firstly; Hi to everyone, this is my first post though I have been silent reader for the last couple of months.

Bought a Jamis X2 2011 MTB earlier this year and been using this on the road since I've had it. The bike has been absolutely brilliant, hasn't missed a beat and for what it was worth when I bought it, really has been great value for money - I must have done about 1000 road miles on it.

I am looking to buy a new road bike in the new year but I would also like to see if my current bike can be upgraded?

The only problem I find is that I run out of gears, as it is only 21 speed, what can I do to make it faster?
I'm assuming a new rear cassette and new front chainring?

I've changed the tyres to some slicks which made a big difference.

Full spec of the bike is below but it has a 42/34/24 and 14/34 cassette.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jam ... e-ec026064

I'm not afraid play about and get to know my bike, so happy to fiddle about with the components if I can get some good tuition from you guys :-)

Thanks in advance

Chunkers1980

Clealy you're limted by 14t on the rear. You would be best finding an 11 or 12t min cog size to match your drive train.

An 11t over a 14t tooth give over 25% more gear which is a LOT.

benpinnick

Its listed on the site as 8 speed, which makes changing the cassette a bit easier. Its got a megarange cassette right now - ask yourself whether you really need that whopping 34t sprocket on the back? Does the smallest on the front with second biggest at the back give you enough of a low gear (or nearly anyway)? If so then changing to something like an 11-32 anhttp://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67295 as chunkers suggests will give you a lot more gear in the fast end.

SR7492

Thanks guys for your help so far.

Its defo a 7-Speed, the Evans website is wrong - I noticed this when I first bought it.

Is it a case of getting a new 7-Speed rear cassette and swapping this over? Does it have to be Shimano or can I get a SRAM 7-Speed?

I think a 11-32 or 11-28 will be just what I need :-) so will the below be ok?

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shi ... d-ec006131

I've never used the smallest cog at the front and rarely used the 34T biggest sprocket the back, at most I've used it with the biggest cog at the front.

As a lot if riders, the main cogs are middle front and gears 3-5 at the back, even when I'm riding uphill (unless it's a killer hill :-)

Thanks

cooldad

Sram or Shimano, makes no difference.

The Rookie

If its 14t, its likely not a rear cassette but a screw on freewheel, 11-??t freewheel's are really hard to get now so you may be into sourcing a new back wheel which will take a cassette. Alternatively you could swap the big chainwheel to something bigger (but that may mean a whole new crankset if yours is one piece.

Simon

Chunkers1980

Yeah - it's and odd one this - how can it be different to the spec of 8spd, he's clear it's a 7 speed. OP you've counted the cogs on the rear and there are 7? and and on the 'speedo' there's what number? It's a 2011 bike.....mmm

cooldad

If you follow his link it says 7 speed. Link says cassette but the beginner is correct, Shimano TZ31 is a screw on freewheel not a cassette.

SR7492

Yep 110% sure it's 7-Speed, it's only got 7 gear change numbers on the gear lever!

So, excuse my lack of component knowledge, are you saying that I can't simply swap the rear cassette to a new one because the current one isn't a cassette?

What's the difference from a freewheel to a cassette? I'm slightly confused as they look exactly the same?

The front crank is one single triple piece, can this be swapped to something with a bigger cog?

Which will be easier?

I've just had a look on the Evans site, and you are right, they don't have a freewheel 11-??T!

Sorry for the question on question, just trying to feed of your knowledge so thanks.

cooldad

Cassette fits on a freehub - the bit that allows the cogs to spin one way and catch the other is built into the hub. Freewheel has the ratchet mechanism built into the cluster, which screws onto the hub.
One won't fit on the other.
So your options are:
New rear wheel with a freehub and a new cassette with smaller cogs.
New freewheel with smaller cogs but may be hard or impossible to find. Might be older road ones available but I know little about road stuff.
New crankset with a larger big ring. This could cause problems with the front mech as you will have to move it up the seat tube as well to clear the bigger ring. Looking at the pic that shouldn't be a problem - doesn't look like anything is in the way.
Rear mech capacity is 43 teeth, so you could get away with another 5 teeth somewhere, so you could fit up to a 47 tooth big ring on the front which I don't think exist. I think commuting/trekking style cranksets come with 46 teeth, which would work with your current rear cogs.
This would only give you approx 10% higher gearing though.
Fitting an 11 tooth cassette would give you 20-25% higher.
I think - brain tired, maths too hard at this time of night.

The Rookie

Cooldad is on the money......
If you can remove the rear wheel and post a photo (fairly close up) of the front face of the gear cluster we'll know if it's cassette or freewheel.
11T freewheel's are no longer in production but some are still available http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Speed-Freew ... 45fda25414 however for that money I'd personally get a "new" (to you, goos used....) 8 speed cassette wheel and fit either an 8 speed or 7 speed (with spacer) cassette to help protect for future upgrades.

Simon

SR7492

Thanks guys - I'll take a photo and post this up tonight.

I thought this would be straight forward cog swap, but ends up being a bigger job than I thought.

How does fitting a 8 speed cassette work if you fit onto a 7 speed mech, surely it means I will be missing a gear when changing (how does this affect the mech)

cooldad

Mech will work fine, it's the shifters that need to match the cassette.

SR7492

So I will need to buy a 8 speed shifter; is that easy to do? I mean take my existing 7 speed cassette and shifter on and put on a 8 speed cog and shifter?

cooldad

Only if you get a new wheel as well. Starting to get expensive.

The Rookie

As the gear spacing is the same between 7 and 8 speed, you can use a 7 speed shifter with an 8 speed cassette, just choose which of the gears you'll use (1-7 or 2-8) when you set it up, then later on get shifters as well if you want to use all 8 (have a spare SRAM 8 speeder.....)

You can expect to pay about £15-25 for a decent enough rear wheel (used) and another fiver for a cassette.

Simon

mrmonkfinger

what's your budget?

SR7492

Good stuff; I'd rather give up the easiest gear (no 1) than the hardest and fastest (that would go against why I want to upgrade :-))

To be honest, I don't really have a budget in my mind but was thinking something along the lines of £20 - £30 for a decent cassette.

supersonic

As above, you cannot fit a casssette unless you get a new wheel.

The Rookie

With some looking around on fleabay/classifieds you should be able to pick up a wheel and cassette (seperately or together) for less than £30 used, you probably won't do it new though (cue someone posting links to prove me wrong!)

Simon

SR7492

So, if I find a half decent new wheel with a 7 speed cassette (preferably 11-28) then it's a case of take current one off and put the new one on?

Will I have to adjust any lever settings or anything like that?

Thanks

The Rookie

Pretty much, yes, read the FAQ and go to the parktools website for instructions on how to index the rear mech, hi/low stops, B-stop and cable tension will all need setting correctly.

Simon

SR7492

Excellent

Thanks to everyone who has contributed (especially The Beginner and CoolDad)

I'll let you know how I get on.

:-)