smaller ring for touring??

[SadieKate]

CindySue, what cassette/freewheel are you running in back? It is the combo that you need to look at. Sheldon Brown has a nice gear calculatgor and articles on his web site that you let you easily see what you can accomplish with changes. One inner chainring is a minor investment and if you're careful not to crossgear you probably won't have to shorten you chain. Just swap back after the tour.

Depending on your cassette, you may just want to swap this for the tour.

Use the gear calculator and look at gear inches. I typically look for at least 2 inches difference to consider it a full gear lower.

[cindysue]

Such great advice ladies. Thanks!!

I'll definitely check Chris out if I do decide to change out anything on my bike. Thanks Spazz and Trek!

V - Not sure where we are staying yet. We haven't quite worked out how many miles we want to do each day. Our first thoughts were to do about 75 miles each day, but that will depend on how strong we are with the trailer.

This Friday's ride up Diablo with the trailer will be the test. You may hear me whining all the way up..... LOL

I've seen that book at B&N. It looks like a good one and it's on my list of stuff to get before the trip. Will be a nice read once finals are over......

Trek - I have not even hooked my bike up to the trailer yet. We just got it last week and I have been consumed with school and work......


Surlygirl, I'll check out that article. Thanks!


SadieKate, I'm not sure about the cassette. But if the Specialized Allez Sport hasn't changed since 2000, then I have a Shimano Tiagra, 9-speed, 12x25t.

I'll also check out Sheldon Brown's website.

Thanks again!

[SadieKate]

CindySue - for some comparisons with those of us riding Diablo sans trailer

I like my 28x34 for the 17% grade (4 knee ops! ). I'll run in 28x18, 21, 26 the rest of the time (on North Gate). I think speedo Kim has a lowest gear of 30x27. V is running 24x30 maybe? She has an itty-bitty chainring. I suspect Jo is in the same range as V.

If your rear derailleur can handle it, talk to Chis about a mtb cassette. If you have a 25 in back you're running a corncob meant to give you lots of choices on flat stuff or general riding - definitely not meant for hills and loaded touring. Changing the cassette will give you more choices in the lower range.

[Veronica]

I have a 12 - 28 in the back. 24 ? 46 in the front.

V.

[cindysue]

I like my 28x34 for the 17% grade (4 knee ops! ). I'll run in 28x18, 21, 26 the rest of the time (on North Gate). I think speedo Kim has a lowest gear of 30x27. V is running 24x30 maybe?

my head is spinning. I just don't understand the difference between one number and the other. Maybe I'll give Chris a call after Friday.........

Thanks all.

[Veronica]

The first number is the number of teeth in your small front chainring. My smallest ring has 24 teeth. The second number is the number of teeth in your largest cog on the rear. I have a 28 there. Generally the smaller the front and the larger the back, the easier it is to spin going up a steep hill or when towing.

You'd have to go to Sheldon Brown's site to find out how Sarah's 28X34 compares to my 24X28.

Now the opposite is also true. My largest chainring on the front is a 46 and smallest cog in the back is an 11 (maybe a 12.) So on a downhill once I hit 35 mph or so, it doesn't matter if I pedal or not because I'm just spinning. Whereas someone with a larger front chainring, usually a 52 sometimes a 53, will have a higher top end speed than I will. Since I'm a lazy rider and tend to coast once I hit 25 anyway, that doesn't matter to me.

Do you want to borrow my copy of Bike the Pacific Coast? My version i s about 2 years old and I think they may have come out with a new one.

V.

[SadieKate]

Cindy's 30x25 = 32.4 gear inches
V's 24x28 = 23.1
Sarah's 28x34 = 22.2

V and I have several more gears in the low end -- cliff climbing gears. Roughly each 2 inches or so gives you one more gear.

Swapping Cindy's cassette for an XT 9 spd with a 32T cog = priceless . Actually, it is 25.3. A 34T cog would be 23.8 and almost exactly what V is running.

Cindy, Bubba can talk your ear off on Friday about how gears work if you want to get into the physics of it. You can look at the gears we're running also and really see what it looks like. Think of mtb bikes - little in the front and big in the back.

[cindysue]

Thanks V., Sarah - lots to consider........

see ya Friday

[cindysue]

Swapping Cindy's cassette for an XT 9 spd with a 32T cog = priceless . Actually, it is 25.3. A 34T cog would be 23.8 and almost exactly what V is running.

huh! I love it when that happens.........

I called my LBS (Calif. Pedaler in Danville) and told them "I'm going on a tour, bike is 52-42-30 w/ 12-25." And then asked what he suggested.

Well first he felt that my set up would probably be fine. But after pushing a little bit (explaining what a slug I will be with the trailer) - he suggested EXACTLY what Sarah had suggested: an XT derailer and a 34T cog. The amazing thing is he only spent about a minute thinking about it. But I was really happy to hear he confirmed what Sarah had suggested. He said it would be just over $200 w/ labor. How does this price sound to y'all?

I'll give Chris a call also, but Danville is so much closer than San Leandro..........