Locking off a gear....

amclinden
amclinden Posts: 101
edited February 2012 in Amateur race
Hi,

I have a race next weekend and I am limited to:

Youth A Under 16 6.91m/88.7inches 49 teeth 15 teeth 7.93m

Currently I have Campag Avanti 8spd with 52/12....obviously i need to lock off a gear but which ones and how!

Many thanks

Abel :)
Swveeeet¡¡¡

Comments

  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    You could try a gear calculator like this.....

    http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

    Or lay a tape measure along a curb and wheel your bike back one pedal revolution, try it in various gears and work out which is the biggest gear you have that fits your restriction best. When it comes to adjusting you can try using the limiter screws on your dérailleur or fiddle with the barrel adjusters if you have them.

    Long term it might be best to actually change your chain rings accordingly so you end up with a wider spread and not have to lock gears off.
  • amclinden
    amclinden Posts: 101
    Cheers Hammerite :)
    Swveeeet¡¡¡
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    With a 52 sprocket I make it you need to block off any sprockets of 15 teeth or smaller.

    As to how - get a small screwdriver - find the limit screws on the rear mech - stick the bike in 52*16 (or 17 if you don't have a 16) and then tighten (clockwise) the correct limit screw so it physically doesn't let the bike change into the 15 sprocket. You should be able to work out which one is the correct screw by looking at the mech carefully and seeing which one will block off the mech from moving to a smaller sprocket if you screw it in. If you can't just tighten one of them a turn or two (remember how many) and then see if it's blocked off the smallest sprocket - if it has that's the one you need to continue with - if not put it back to where it was and use the other one.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • amclinden
    amclinden Posts: 101
    Only problem with that is that it would leave me running a 2 speed bike?
    Swveeeet¡¡¡
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Block off the big ring and race it all on the small ring - if you've got a 39 I think that might mean you can leave the cassette as it is.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • mattshrops
    mattshrops Posts: 1,134
    amclinden wrote:
    Only problem with that is that it would leave me running a 2 speed bike?


    I'm guessing your cassette is something like a 23-12? In which case you've only got to lock off probably 3 sprockets-maybe 12, 14,16?? Should leave you with 5 usable gears -which is actually 10 when you use the small chainring.
    Death or Glory- Just another Story

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