What to buy???

sirmol

Hey all I have had my Spec Allez 2012 for a few years now and find the gear changing very chunky. What would people recommend me buy? I would love a 105 group set but can't afford that all at once, therefore what is best to upgrade first? What is second? etc
Cheers for the advice,
Marc

Late Starter

New chain, new cassette, full service and new (upgraded/lighter) wheel-set. It will feel like a different bike!

sirmol

Cheers forgot to say i have a new wheel set on the bike. Why a chain? What does this do? Sorry if a stupid question but it isn't something i'd considered :S

navrig2

How many miles or rides or months has the chain done?

Do you clean it?

Do you lubricate it?

A clean chain and cassette may well improve the shifting.

Late Starter

Yep, a good clean often helps to be fair, and may solve your problem. However . . . . .

The clunky gear changing could simply mean you need to reset/adjust your gears or there may be too much friction within your gear cables if they are old/worn etc. However, your cassette and chain may be worn as well. Whenever I change a cassette I change my chain (unless the chain is relatively new). A full service, new chain and cassette should solve any gear changing problems. Often it is cheaper, due to labour costs, and certainly less hassle (if you can afford it) to replace the whole lot in one go. Whenever I have changed my cassette, chain and had a service done at the same time the gear changing has been like riding a new bike. You could do the above changes one step at a time. However, if you will be paying somebody to do it, it may be cheaper in the long run to do it all at once. Just my opinion though.

stash36

Hi mate, I have 2012 Allez and the gear change was shot. LBS didn't spot the issue, and it got so bad I had to go down two gears to come up one just to get cleanly on a sprocket. I'd only done 1800 miles on the chain. A friend suggested changing it and when I did the change returned good as new.
This will do you...KMC X9-L Silver 9 Speed Chain

I posted a thread a bit back I'll link it here. I've upgraded shifters to Sora 2013, miles better, wheels and a couple of other bits.

stash36

Here's the link.

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12970056

As mentioned above, new chain and gear cables will transform it.
Sora 2013 shifters will cost you £50 - 60 on the auction sites, but you'll get £25 back for your old ones.
The 2013 version removed the thumb shift for the usual finger shift, the reach and action for the brakes is better too though, best upgrade you could do imo.
I'm loving the 25mm tyres by the way, and I'm genuinely riding 2-3mph faster on the zondas. I couldn't tell the difference initially, but I'm regularly hitting 20mph on a slight incline on the way home, and it used to be 17-18 max.

Let us know what you choose to do upgrade wise!

sirmol

Thank you all for the replies it is really helpful. I've not cleaned it in a while, plus it was stored away for a few months whilst i moved house. To be honest though i've never found the gear changing smooth. I will certainly give it a good clean and service and see how this goes. The shifters option may also be a very cost affective change though Cheers again

bluemoon17

stash36 wrote:

Here's the link.

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12970056

As mentioned above, new chain and gear cables will transform it.
Sora 2013 shifters will cost you £50 - 60 on the auction sites, but you'll get £25 back for your old ones.
The 2013 version removed the thumb shift for the usual finger shift, the reach and action for the brakes is better too though, best upgrade you could do imo.
I'm loving the 25mm tyres by the way, and I'm genuinely riding 2-3mph faster on the zondas. I couldn't tell the difference initially, but I'm regularly hitting 20mph on a slight incline on the way home, and it used to be 17-18 max.

Let us know what you choose to do upgrade wise!

How have you found the Zondas? Much of an improvement over the stock wheels?

stash36

I rented an Orbea (equivalent to my Allez, aluminium / carbon with Sora), with 25mm tyres last year and loved the handling of it. Thought it was better on decent than my bike. So I've updated to Zondas but also gone to 25mm tyres. I think the tyres have improved the surefooted feeling, and they are noticeably more comfortable over bumps.

I am definitely riding slightly faster, which must be the Zondas.
IMO 25mm tyres are the better improvement.

bluemoon17

stash36 wrote:

I rented an Orbea (equivalent to my Allez, aluminium / carbon with Sora), with 25mm tyres last year and loved the handling of it. Thought it was better on decent than my bike. So I've updated to Zondas but also gone to 25mm tyres. I think the tyres have improved the surefooted feeling, and they are noticeably more comfortable over bumps.

I am definitely riding slightly faster, which must be the Zondas.
IMO 25mm tyres are the better improvement.

Ok thanks. Do you know if the Zondas are compatible with an 8 speed cassette?

duckson

Bluemoon17 wrote:

Ok thanks. Do you know if the Zondas are compatible with an 8 speed cassette?

It appears not.
http://www.campagnolo.com/repository/do ... te_ENG.pdf

bluemoon17

duckson wrote:

Bluemoon17 wrote:

Ok thanks. Do you know if the Zondas are compatible with an 8 speed cassette?

It appears not.
http://www.campagnolo.com/repository/do ... te_ENG.pdf

Hmm, apparently that's only for Campagnolo freehubs and cassettes.

As long as I order the Shimano freehub I think I should be ok.

Could anybody clarify?

duckson

'HG' is the Shimano freehub, still 9/10/11 it says.....whether it would work with 8 i have no idea.

MisterMuncher

It will. 8-speed is the same width as 9, and slightly wider than 10.

bluemoon17

MisterMuncher wrote:

It will. 8-speed is the same width as 9, and slightly wider than 10.

Many thanks!