options to lower gearing for climbs
just recently got into road cyling and bought a caad12 with semi compact gearing. 52/36 and 11/28. due to my fitness not being where i want it im looking at making it slightly better climbs.
im wondering what my options are.
either change the crankset for a compact and keep the other for when im fitter or on flat rides.
its an fsa gossamer crank on the front with bb30a. if i go down this route is there any benefit of adapting the bb for hollowtech 2 to get 105 or ultegra?
change the 36 chain ring for a 34...would this work with shifting smoothly?
change the cassette for a 30 or 32?
am i right in thinking id need a long cage derailiur? bime mechanics is new to me. ive seen a few people using hangers and keeping their short cage bur i wouldnt want to snap something off for the sake of a few quid
as i understand a 34/28 or 36/32 combination gives very similar gearing but what is the best option? obviously massive jumps in gear ratio wouldnt be ideal. sorry for a lot of questions and if this has been done to death in the past
im wondering what my options are.
either change the crankset for a compact and keep the other for when im fitter or on flat rides.
its an fsa gossamer crank on the front with bb30a. if i go down this route is there any benefit of adapting the bb for hollowtech 2 to get 105 or ultegra?
change the 36 chain ring for a 34...would this work with shifting smoothly?
change the cassette for a 30 or 32?
am i right in thinking id need a long cage derailiur? bime mechanics is new to me. ive seen a few people using hangers and keeping their short cage bur i wouldnt want to snap something off for the sake of a few quid
as i understand a 34/28 or 36/32 combination gives very similar gearing but what is the best option? obviously massive jumps in gear ratio wouldnt be ideal. sorry for a lot of questions and if this has been done to death in the past
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What is your issue though - is the bottom gear not low enough to get up hills ?
If it isn't that then I'd just stick at cycling more and look at losing weight. You can't buy your way up hills.
You will improve with practice.
You can either get a new crankset (not really necessary) or just replace the chainrings on your current one. FSA Goss are fairly easy to come by. I would replace both so that you have 50/34 not 52/34 as it could affect shifting performance on the front derailleur with the larger jump between rings.
Or you can fit a 32T cassette. You don't need a long cage mech so long as you don't cross chain i.e use the big ring on the front and big on the back as it could snap the mech off. This is up to you though, I run a 32 on my winter bike with short cage mech but I never cross chain and know I am extremely unlikely to do it accidentally.
You could do either of the above to gain an extra gear or do both for effectively 2 extra gears (not quite the right math but close enough)
That is not the advice he wanted to hear Lololol
i know cycling is an elitist sport but telling someone to get fitter is an egotistical comment
You won't last long on the internet if you take things to heart easily. Not being a d1ck, just trying to help.
Sorted.
This. 34 x 32 is the lowest you'll be able to go realistically. A short cage rear mech will struggle with a 32T cassette, you can add an Alpe D'huez Road Fairy which will effectively lower the rear mech hanger, am using one on my Rourke which has 34x32 although the chain take up on the rear mech is only just enough.
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First off he links you to an existing, useful thread
Then he asks not unreasonably if the problem is simply that your bottom gear isn't low enough. I'm guessing that you think that is the issue.
Cheapest option is probably a bigger cassette; I think 11 speed Shimano road cassettes go up to 34T now but then you'd also need a long cage rear mech. And almost certainly a longer chain. Hmm. Maybe you could pick up a used compact chainset cheaper...
Have some compassion!
Eat fewer pies, or eat less pie, but not eat less pies.
It's like fingernails down a blackboard to a grammar pedant.
ive been looking at used compact cranksets which might be a cheaper way that a cassette, chain and rear mech. then again i might go the whole hog and stick a full compact setup on and effectively buy my way up a hill
You don't need a cassette, chain and rear mech. Just the cassette and don't cross chain. £25?
Second hand cranksets could be worn, make sure you check if you do do that.
Fitting a 34 ring on your current chainset while mechanically possible, would leave you with an uncomfortably big jump between rings. Most front mechs are designed to cope with a max 16 tooth difference, hence the common 50/34, 52/36 and 53/39 combinations.
When I returned to road cycling aged 50 after a long absence and following knee surgery I knew I'd find hills hard so I chose a 105 triple. Later and fitter I experimented with a S/H 53/39 chainset, but never really got on top of it. Now at 60 I'm happy to have my spinny 30T chainring again.
On the other hand, my son who is not quite 30, has just bought himself a new bike with a compact chainset and he rarely ever uses the inner chainring even when climbing. I've given up moaning about cross-chaining and drivetrain wear and just let him get on with it now. He does have thighs like Chris Hoy to be fair.
A very low gearing set up will be detrimental in other ways so I'd say save your cash and stick with the current set up. You're pretty fit already and not too heavy or old so I'm sure a few more months of hills and you'll be flying up them with your current set up.
Over doing it early on in a ride is also a recipe for disaster. If you're struggling to keep a reasonable pace on the flat, hills are going to be torture.
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Stick with what you have and pace it.
Not if you don't cross chain.
Dont confuse him bless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIem0hD86IU
If you're new it will take a while to get fit. Especially if you're just doing 60 -90 minute rides. I'd stay with what you have and as has been said you will get fitter and won't need the lower gear options.
Pro riders do use low gears from time to time but unless you're climbing Rosedale Chimney or something their climbs will be about 20 times longer and harder than your climbs.
The pros make light work of any hills compared to us mortals.
"Dont confuse him bless."
if you think comments like that isnt takin the piss then i dont know what is. i know cycling is an elitist sport full of egos but all i was after was some genuine mechanical advise on the best way to adjust the gearing. anyway enjoy each others snidey comments
Shimano make 11/30 cassettes.
I’d second this, I moved to an 11-30 from an 11-28 cassette, it was surprising how much difference a couple of teeth made.
Not necessarily so. If the chain has been sized for big-big, there's no slack for additional teeth and big ringing the gears on big-big with a 30T cassette will not make for a happy ending.
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