Bike choice and gearing for Youth A next season
weedram
Posts: 41
My son started road cycling seriously earlier this year and recently joined a club. He managed to squeeze in a crit race before the end of the season and is doing a couple of hill climbs in the next few weeks. He has been doing these on a Specialized Secteur upgraded with an old 3x9 105 groupset and a new pair of Fulcrum racing 3's.
As he will be doing a full season next year at Youth A, before moving up to Junior in 2014 and with Christmas coming up, I was thinking of getting him a bike better suited to Youth A crit events than the Secteur is. He has also just about physicaly outgrown the Secteur.
I was thinking along the lines of a 2012 Supersix, or Giant TCR Composite, but am worried that these may be a bit delicate for the rough and tumble of crits.
Are these the best choice, or what other (cheaper?) suggestions are there.
I'm also struggling to figure out how to get to 6.93m roll out on a 2x10 setup. A 12T rear cassette would need a max 38 tooth front. My options, I think, are a compact chainset with the big ring changed to 38T (Is this possible?) or double with the wee ring changed to 38T and block off the big ring. Thoughts?
As he will be doing a full season next year at Youth A, before moving up to Junior in 2014 and with Christmas coming up, I was thinking of getting him a bike better suited to Youth A crit events than the Secteur is. He has also just about physicaly outgrown the Secteur.
I was thinking along the lines of a 2012 Supersix, or Giant TCR Composite, but am worried that these may be a bit delicate for the rough and tumble of crits.
Are these the best choice, or what other (cheaper?) suggestions are there.
I'm also struggling to figure out how to get to 6.93m roll out on a 2x10 setup. A 12T rear cassette would need a max 38 tooth front. My options, I think, are a compact chainset with the big ring changed to 38T (Is this possible?) or double with the wee ring changed to 38T and block off the big ring. Thoughts?
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Comments
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The gear choices for U16 are:
52 x 16 or 46 x 14.
Note that 46 x 14 is very close to the limit and tyre choice can push you over. You'll get away with it for most races, however some of the National level youth races will check more thoroughly.
Cassettes are available for both 14 up and 16 up.
When you get to junior you will need 52 x 14. Therefore the cheapest option for next year when you are still U16 is to get 52 chainring and 14 up cassette - and then "lock off" the two smallest rings by tinkering with the screws on the rear mech, leaving 7/8 usable gears. Locking off in this way, is acceptable for most UK races.0 -
Parker international sell this bbb cassette which is available as 14-25 or 16-25. http://www.parker-international.co.uk/3783/BBB-BCS-10S-Drivetrain-10sp-Shimano-Cassette.html0
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I have a 16-25 for sale, my son is a junior so he is now on a 14-25. Run with a 52 front no issues at all. Pm me if interested0
