Gearing advice...

PaulC555

Hi all

Looking for some advice on my gearing...(little or no understanding).
Recently picked up my new Moda. It is equipped with Shimano 105 groupset. Having looked at it in more detail it appears to have a 53 front and 26 back.
My problem is climbing, the bike seems to be geared very fast compared to my previous Willier bike. This leaves me really (and I mean REALLY) struggling on climbs. I feel like I could do with a couple of extra climbing gears.
As I said above, I have very little understanding of the gearing systems. Can anyone advise on what options I have, bearing in mind the bike is only 3 weeks old, so a complete group set change is out of the question. What can I change with regard to front rings or rear cassette to get what I am after...
Thanks all

Paul....

karlth

How many teeth on the other chainwheel(s)?

Cleat Eastwood

you could get an 11-28 ultegra cassette - or change to a compact chainset.

Having said that it depends on the gradients and how fit you are. If you are just starting then you probably wont feel the difference between 39-26 and 39-28.

For a compact - Tiagra (a groupset lower than 105) can be as little as 60£ or the 105 compact for £100.

So thems your choices without splashing out megabucks.

paul2718

I think Shimano 105 cassettes (sprockets on the back...) are available with ranges of 11-25, 12-25, 12-27 or 11-28. So it would be worth confirming what you actually have. Assuming it is 11-25 or 12-25 then the simplest way to get a significantly lower gear is to swap the cassette to an 11-28 or 12-27.

To go further you will have to change the crank to a compact. Bear in mind that a 34x25 combination is very nearly the same as 39x28.

Paul

Wirral_paul

As per Cleat's post, i'd say a Compact chainset would be the way to go from what you have said. You could change the cassette but ideally you want a longer chain, so could end up spending more than you think initially, but not really lower the gearing much. A compact on the other hand will lower the gearing right across the whole 20 ratios.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=50444&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_name=UnitedKingdom

Kingy 123

It might cost money to change to a compact but it will transform your riding alot.

Its the difference of struggling to actually enjoying riding.

PaulC555

Finally have some numbers......

Previous Willier had a 50/34 on the front and a 25/10 on the back......

New Moda has a 53/??? On the front and a 26/10 on the back........

Where does this leave me, is the Willier running a compact, is this why it was easier on it!!, hence why my average speed has increased on the Moda by nearly 2mph.....

Ta....

Wirral_paul

the Willier will be a 25-11 cassette (dont think anyone does a 10 sprocket) and yes - the 50/34 is a compact

Your Moda is a 53/39 chainset and probably a 11-26 on the rear (my Moda came with a 11-26 from memory)

Once you're on the 50 ring with a compact, the difference between that and a 53 ring is near as makes no difference as going 1 tooth down on the rear. A 50-14 ratio is the same as a 53-15 etc.

Unless you run out of sprockets at the back seeing as you're name is Fabien Cancellara, a 50-11 top gear is all you're likely ever to need. Wont make any difference to average speed between compact and standard chainset - the difference will be elsewhere (in your mind will probably be 1.5mph of that - placebo effect!! )

PaulC555

Hi all

After reading all the advice, I decided on a rear cassette change. So I am now sporting a Shimano 28-11 rear. Will take a run out tomorrow and see what difference there is. Hopefully this will give me what I want......thanks for the help....

ReesA

Not sure how useful this will be to the OP but I recently found this cool gear calculator

http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=34,5 ... =2099&SL=2

charlie_potatoes

ReesA wrote:

Not sure how useful this will be to the OP but I recently found this cool gear calculator

http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=34,5 ... =2099&SL=2

Nice find