105 10spd 5700 chainset, is it possible to go to a 52T?

daniel_b
daniel_b Posts: 12,135
edited January 17 in Workshop

Afternoon all,

my 2005 Felt turbo bike with mostly 9 spd 105 has been fine up until now, I've only been using it for trainerroad in the main, though I did dabble with RGT a few years back.


It seems like I am hooked on Rouvy as things stand, and will be taking out a yearly sub shortly.


My current setup is 105 9spd throughout with the exception of a 105 5700 50/34 up front which I had spare from the CR1 builds way back when. The rear is 11-30.

I'm not struggling up climbs - happy with low cadence for climbing.


I think the rear derailleur has seen better days, and is a short cage, so I bought a long cage 105 sometime ago, which can take up to a 32T.

My plan is to fit the new RD, a new 11-32 cassette, and I need to do something with the front end.


My issue with Rouvy is that I'm a bit more of a low cadencer, and on the flats, and more so the downhills, I simply don't have enough gearing to keep up or in a group, unless I manage to totally transform my cadence.


The simplest way would seem to be to either fit a whole new chainset with 52/36, OR see if I can fit a 52 and keep the 34, thus giving me a wider range anyway - I know it's outside of their recommendations, but I'm indoors and prepared to take the risk.

The other potential, as the chainset has been on there for ages, is that both chainrings need changing anyway, and then would I simply be better to buy a whole new chainset?

A few questions.

Is anyone aware of a 52T chainring I could use with this chainset - I'm yet to check the BCD I must admit.

If not, can anyone recommend a 10spd 52/36 chainset I could buy and fit if the chainring idea is not economically sound - especially if I have to end up changing both.


Due to the rest of the bike being 9spd, I'm pretty sure a 10spd chainset is as far as I can push that difference?

If you think an 11spd would work, then that would certainly broaden my options.

Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18

Comments

  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,135
    edited January 17

    I've just noticed there is a Tiagra 52/36 that can be had for a not too shabby (In todays market anyway) £75 - do we think this would be compatible, and perhaps the best solution?


    https://www.biketart.com/products/shimano-fc-4700-tiagra-double-chainset-10-speed?variant=40810175725747

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,250

    Dan - 105 5700 was the last of the 5 bolt so if you've got 50/34 you got a 110 BCD. You can just change the outer ring, but it has the bolts built in and "flows" with the crankset so it will look a bit rubbish if you do.

    I would just get the Tiagra chainset, it will be close enough to work fine.

    I've recently changed all my bikes to 165mm cranks and I've got down the AliExpress route which has meant I could do three workhorse bikes for the turbo, commuting etc. for not much money. I'm very impressed with the Senicx PR3 I got (also got Goldix which is OK but not quite as good). Cost about £40 for 52/36, 24mm steel spindle, came in about a week. Something like that would also be fine.

  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,135

    That's good to know @super_davo , thankyou, hadn't considered that angle, and wouldn't have known any decent names to look at either.

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • If you are going to get the use out of it Dan, which you will, and as SD has said replacing the rings may look a bit out of kilter, then for £75 I too would just buy a new crankset. That way you have a brand new component that will last you a good while and save you a load of faff in the process.

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,266
    edited January 17

    How have you found the shift down to 165mm @super_davo? Have always used the bog standard 170mm but as a shorter bloke I have wondered if that 5mm would be beneficial to me?

  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,250

    Really positive. I'm 5'7 and was on 172.5s - probably always too long in retrospect but never felt uncomfortable. My new Ribble came with 165s without me speccing them which was the spur to change across the board.

    The main benefit of the 165s is that my legs feel way fresher at the end of long / harder rides. Whilst I've only chnaged since the start of the winter I'm sure it will make a difference to my fitness when I go on a training week because I'll be able to do harder days back to back.

    If you're on Shimano you can get one of these for not much to try it out https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004863084690.html. This was the best price I could see ATM but they often dip under £40 and if you buy using a code at one of the start of month / chinese new year sales that generally offsets the tax. If you like it and get on with them and you want to, then you can go bling.

  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,266
    edited January 17

    I am a touch shorter than yourself. I had 172.5mm once on a groupset (good deal on a full group with only 172.5 available). Thought at the time it wouldn't make much difference but it was quite noticeable.

    Think you are right, giving 165mm a whirl is definitely worth a try. I have consciously changed to a higher cadence/smaller gear combo the last year or so and a shorter crank might aid this a bit more.

    Cheers for the link, I run Shimano so easy switch out to give one of these a go!

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,337

    Re. the downhills…

    if you adjust the trainer difficulty for climbs, it should automatically do the same for the descents, so you will need a much reduced set of gears, I recommend doing it, to maintain more fluidity. Moreover, Rouvy is limited to 72km/h downhill, which is perfectly spinnable on a 50/11

    left the forum March 2023
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,250

    It isn't anymore - latest version has no speed cap but braking round corners instead. And realism reduction is only available on training not time trials (which you need to do to complete challenges/ get points / bikes / wheels etc.)

    Regardless I would second Dan's hunt for bigger gears. I find I use 52/11 way more on Rouvy than I would on the road as you are concentrating much more at maintaining a consistent power/ cadence.

  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,135
    edited January 21

    Apologies, missed these two replies completely.


    I was hoping there might be something like there used to be in RGT where iirc, you could up the difficulty to over 100%, thus effectively giving you bigger gears.

    It seems there are rumours about there being a virtual gear option appearing in the future, and if that happened, that would pretty much sort me out.


    I know I should be able to spin a 50/11, but for whatever reason I'm not as spinny as I once was, and if I'm trying to push the bigger (for me) watts, I tend to gravitate to somewhere in the 70s for flat and downhills, and even lower for climbs.

    Also helps keep my hr down somewhere more reasonable - for me, as I do run high.

    What do you make of the auto braking @super_davo ?

    I'm so new to the platform I'm not even sure if I rode without it, but I personally like it, gives you a chance for a micro rest on the downhills, or flat if it's a tight corner, and I think makes the speed more realistic.

    Plenty of people on the Rouvy FB page complaining about it though 🤣

    I'm currently 3 rides into the OMG 12 stage event, trying to ride them all, and not part of a team - enjoying the challenge and the motivation to take part, though I am very much down the wide end (Opposite of the pointy end right?) of the results!

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 12,135

    Just ordered the Tiagra from Biketart - also noted that today Rouvy have acquired Fulgaz.

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,250

    Auto braking? Hmmm - bit meh TBH. It is obviously miles more realistic than the capped 72km/h, but it seems to be set to brake a ridiculous amount that feels too far the other way. Find myself sprinting out of corners to get back up to speed which I suppose is realistic, but not always what you want training wise when you're doing nothing then sprinting (my Neo powers down the descent, so you simply can't get that much power out).

    TBH it just highlights that routes with masses of descents are a bit pointless on Rouvy. if I was doing a long course with descents like Sella Ronda I would just use the descent as a break / chance to get a bottle / snack, and now I can't...