swapping cassettes??

[doctorfrau]

I am still insecure about the hill-climbing that I will need to do on the ride that I signed up for in August. I also live in West Virginia, where the only flat places are where they have shaved off the tops of the mountains.

I think I have given myself enough time to get used to the gearing on my new bike, and I believe that it isn't low enough. I LOVE the bike - I just want to swap out the cassette.

So, how big a deal is this? I wouldn't try to do it myself, but is this an expensive proposition to buy a new cassette and have my LBS install it? Does this entail a whole new derailleur?

Any advice??

thanks,
Kathy

[Veronica]

What's your current gearing? What are you looking to go to?

Thom changed out the one on our tandem. It's a trivial change - took him about 10 minutes. You won't need a new derailleur. I would expect it to cost no more than$40.

V.

[jobob]

You won't need a new derailleur.

Um, that might not be entirely correct. Kathy, you'll first need to find out the largest rear cog your derailleur can take, and if that will be large enough for your needs.

For example, currently the largest cog in the cassette on my Romulus is 25 teeth. I'm thinking of switching out cassettes, but the largest cog the Shimano 105 rear derailleur can take is 27t (altho some say it can go up to 28t). If I wanted to go to a larger cog than that, then I would need to get a new derailleur (but I think the combination of a 27t or 28t rear cog with the 26t small front chainring will work fine).

[doctorfrau]

Thanks for the info,

I'd prefer to have the gear ratio of a MT bike b/c it is sooooo hilly/mountainous here. -- (also I am a wimp).

Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and ask stupid questions at the LBS. Do they even MAKE cassettes for road bikes with gearing that low? I wonder if I have to get the part myself, or if they will find me one, etc etc etc

I lOOOVe my roadbike, but I want to be able to tackle some of these neighboring hills, and so far I haven't even been able to make it a 1/4 mile up them without max-maxing my HR and having uncontrollable leg-shake, and grunting/screaming just to get one more turn out before I collapse. JUST can't do it. I realize that some of it is training, but I know that lower gearing will help the effort.

Kathy

[jobob]

Do they even MAKE cassettes for road bikes with gearing that low?

Yep. They're generally meant for touring bikes. I think Snapdragen has a Shimano Deore rear derailleur on her road bike, with either a 32 or 34 tooth rear cog. Wish I had one of those sometimes !

Don't forget to ask your LBS what's the largest cog your current derailleur can take before you start talking about swapping derailleurs.

So what's the gearing on your bike currently?

[snapdragen]

[i] I think Snapdragen has a Shimano Deore rear derailleur on her road bike, with either a 32 or 34 tooth rear cog. Wish I had one of those sometimes ![/B]

Yup, that's what I've got. It's caused some serious "cog envy" amongst my friend - espcially when riding the hills around Paso Robles.

[doctorfrau]

So what's the gearing on your bike currently?

I've got (I think) a 30-42-52 in front and a 12-25 on the back.

I talked to the LBS on Friday, and the guy went thru the parts book with me. He is ordering a new cassette that has a 30t gear, a deore derailleur, and a cassette w/ a 34t gear. The plan is that they will install the 30t cassette, and if my current derailluer can handle it (even though it isn't spec'd for it) then I can test ride to see if that will be enough. If it still isn't low enough - or if I need the new derailleur anyway- then they 'll slap on the 34t. If that still isn't enough for me, then he said we could talk chainrings, but he was trying to make the easiest and cheapest changes first.

The parts should be in on Wed.

[Veronica]

Arghhhh.... I totally got on my soapbox with my husband after reading your post. Sometimes I wonder what these LBS guys are thinking. You're a new rider and not a 20something. You're not a racer - neither am I. You probably want to still be riding 20 years from now. What would happen to your knees if you kept trying to push a big gear? What a great way to turn someone off riding. Kudos to you for looking for ways to make it work.

I ride a 46-36-24 in the front with a 12 - 28 rear cassette. You don't need to have huge gearing to go fast. I do a lot of hills and spin up them in the easy gears, but with this gearing I can still do 25 on a flat road.
Here's a link to where you can so some more reading.

V.
Peter White Cycles

[Kathi]

Glad to know I'm not the only one who is going to smaller chainrings. I ride a double which was 51-38. I just switched the 51 to a 46. What an awesome change! I didn't realize that I would gain in hill climbing capabilties, I can shift better (small hands didn't move the shifter well) and I have more power. Plus I am using less effort.
I checked with the bike shop today and they think I can put a 13-29 cassette on without changing the derailluer.
I ride a lot of hills too, mostly short and steep, and I can usually climb them ok. It's the long steep ones that cause the problems.

[Veronica]

There's no way my knees would hold up for the riding I do if I didn't have a triple. I got a little chuckle during the Riv weekend listening to the out of town guys talking about how hard the climb up Mount Diablo was and that some of them had to walk the last little bit. Now, I don't find it easy and familiarity certainly makes it easier. But it was a boost to my ego nonetheless. I may crest it at 4 miles an hour, but I do it on my bike.

V.

[doctorfrau]

Is it the LBS guys, or is it more the manufacturers who aren't using their brains?

My current gearing is what came standard on the bike. This model is marketed as a "comfort" roadbike, so ya'd think that they would consider their target buying population. Hard-core racing roadies are not going to want adjustable stems and extra dropbar padding, etc that just adds weight. So why not put gearing on this bike that is closer to touring range and more matched to the people you are marketing it to?

Of course this is only the second model-year for this bike and the first year was apparently limited production, so they are probably still on the learning curve with this.

Anyhooo... glad to know that I am not just being a wimp about this!

[doctorfrau]

Oh, and re: the knees...

Thanks for pointing that out. The whole reason I started biking was to PRESERVE my knee (low impact and all that). I tore out my Right ACL learning to play soccer the other year at age 39. Being in school and only having student insurance, I haven't gotten it fixed yet - just did some rehab.

It's stable enough for everyday use, though I feel it slipping around a bit when I mow grass on the hills. But I stopped jogging 'cause I didn't want to do any more damage to the meniscus before I could get it repaired. So if gearing lower on the bike will help preserve the knee too, then I'm there, babay!

[doctorfrau]

Got the new set-up on Friday! It is MUCH better. Not perfect -- I still need major work on "myself". Wish I could just upgrade my lungs like I did the cassette!

Ended up with the Deore derailleur and an 11-34 cassette. It came to $90 installed. I think it will be worth it.

Now I just need to Practice, practice practice!

[ChainsOflove]

I with you all. I am suffering mightily with a 39/53 and not sure what cassette, 'cept its a Campy ten speed.

I'm dying for a triple. The problem is its going to cost a mint.

What's bothering me is that I've got the gorgeous Colnago but I'm not riding it much because I'm so limited ability wise on it. So I ride my other bike (30-42-52).

Should I put the cash into it or wait until I'm stronger ???

[melissam]

Chains of Love,

What's the lowest gear on your bike with the triple? Is it a 30-25?

Instead of going to a triple on your Colnago, would you be able to swap the rear cassette so you have gearing that's comparable to the lower gears on your triple?

OTOH, I shouldn't talk, as I wanted to go to a triple on my trusty old Bianchi, and ended up buying a new bike with a triple.

-- Melissa