I need Junior gear restriction advice

cannondale6363
cannondale6363 Posts: 26
edited January 2012 in Amateur race
I have turned junior this year and I intend to start doing a few races. There are gear restrictions for juniors which allow me only to use a gear with a rollout of 7.93m or less. The highest gear on my bike must not exceed this rollout distance. I have been advised to change my front 53 teeth chainring to a 52. My cassette is currently an 11-25 but my cassete and both chainrings need replaced and I was considering getting the mechanic to put on a 14-25 at the back. Would this be advisable? It would mean that I wouldn't have to block out a gear on the back. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • Wooliferkins
    Wooliferkins Posts: 2,060
    You appear to have done the maths and IMHO anything that allows you not to have to faff blocking gears makes life easier all round. Cassettes then come "off the shelf" and you have the use of the full spread.
    Neil
    Help I'm Being Oppressed
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,120
    Wooliferkins wrote:
    You appear to have done the maths and IMHO anything that allows you not to have to faff blocking gears makes life easier all round. Cassettes then come "off the shelf" and you have the use of the full spread.

    +1. Plus a cassette is simple to change if for any reason you wanted bigger gears e.g. if you are doing any time trialling, you shouldn't need a mechanic once you've seen how it is done once.
  • cannondale6363
    cannondale6363 Posts: 26
    Is it possible to be able to use all the gears on a 9 speed cassette because currently I cannot get down into my 11t and 13t cogs. Is this something I would need to mention to the mechanic when he is putting on the 14-25 cassette? Also I thought that gear restrictions were for time trials as well as road races or at least they are here in Ireland. . . :?:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,120
    cannondale6363 wrote:
    Is it possible to be able to use all the gears on a 9 speed cassette because currently I cannot get down into my 11t and 13t cogs. Is this something I would need to mention to the mechanic when he is putting on the 14-25 cassette? Also I thought that gear restrictions were for time trials as well as road races or at least they are here in Ireland. . . :?:


    Hadn't realised you were in Ireland - don't know there but possible as I assume they are run by the same governing body as bunch races (most TTs in England and Wales are run by a separate organisation)? You should be able to use all the cogs on a 9 speed, are you sure no-one has already wound the mech in to restrict the gears previously?
  • CYCLESPORT1
    CYCLESPORT1 Posts: 471
    52/14 it is !
  • cannondale6363
    cannondale6363 Posts: 26
    In Ireland all cycling is controlled but Cycling Ireland so the restrictions are the same for road races and TT. Thanks for the advice I think I'll put on the 14-25, seems to be the norm for juniors.

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