# Carrera TDF gearing



## DW1 (12 Aug 2013)

Hi all, new to road biking and recently bought a Carrera TDF. Happy with it except that it is hard to peddle up steeper hills ! Apparently this is due to a 52/38 front chain set and 12/26 cassette.
Am I right in thinking that just changing the rear cassette to something like an 11/32 would mean it would be much easier to go up hills without needing to replace the more expensive front chain set ? Any other issues which that would raise ? Any advice gratefully received.


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## Joffey (12 Aug 2013)

I have the same problem with my Carerra.

To change the rear cassette I was told I prob need to change the derailleur to a med or long cage one, also same prob if changing the front.

I've persevered and my times are picking up on the hills. Also there is no shame stopping half way up it at the top.

Give it a few more weeks before you start changing stuff.


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## raindog (12 Aug 2013)

DW1 said:


> Apparently this is due to a 52/38 front chain set and 12/26 cassette.


As Joffey suggests - give it a bit longer and your legs will get bigger! 
I've got 39x26 on my steel bike and I can get up all my local hills on it, and I'm an old fogey.


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## SpokeyDokey (12 Aug 2013)

DW1 said:


> Hi all, new to road biking and recently bought a Carrera TDF. Happy with it except that it is hard to peddle up steeper hills ! Apparently this is due to a 52/38 front chain set and 12/26 cassette.
> Am I right in thinking that just changing the rear cassette to something like an 11/32 would mean it would be much easier to go up hills without needing to replace the more expensive front chain set ? Any other issues which that would raise ? Any advice gratefully received.


 

Well as you are new to road riding I'd bite the bullet and get a new cassette/derailleur as yours sounds like a demoralising combo for new starters.

Try that first and then maybe a smaller small front ring if poss'.


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## Nigelnaturist (12 Aug 2013)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Well as you are new to road riding I'd bite the bullet and get a new cassette/derailleur as yours sounds like a demoralising combo for new starters.
> 
> Try that first and then maybe a smaller small front ring if poss'.


I am not sure but I dont think you can go much smaller than a 38 on a double. If you go down the route of changing the rear end an Acera M.T.B. mech will do up to a 34 rear, though I think a 30 might be low enough on a 38 front ring say a hg51 11-30 the 38x30 will give you a gear" of about 33" compare with your current set up of 38x26 of about 38", my lowest on a triple with a 30th inner and 26th rear is about 30" a rear 32 would give you 31".


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## Cycleops (13 Aug 2013)

Changing the cassette to one with a 32t or 34t lowest gear will help you. You will also need a med cage derailleur, if you shop around they will cost you about fifty quid. If you want to do it yourself you will need some tools unless your LBS does it for you.


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## HLaB (13 Aug 2013)

A larger cassette will help but you may not be able to go larger than 27 or 28t without changing your deraileur.
FWIW Before it died I was using a Kinesis with a 38/52 and a 11-28 cassette; there's no shame IMO in going larger and increasing the versatility of your bike.


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## Nigelnaturist (13 Aug 2013)

Cycleops said:


> Changing the cassette to one with a 32t or 34t lowest gear will help you. You will also need a med cage derailleur, if you shop around they will cost you about fifty quid. If you want to do it yourself you will need some tools unless your LBS does it for you.


The sora on my bike wouldn't do more than 28th.
Cheapest way certainly whilst getting some fitness is to put a M.T.B. mech on Acera's are fine if a little heavy, I use one, just haven't bothered changing it back to the sora, it will have a range up to 34th, I think they can be had about the £20 mark, a couple of months and when fitter it can be changed back.


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## DW1 (13 Aug 2013)

Thanks for all the useful info so far.
Have also talked to Halfords, it seems that one may need a medium or long cage derailleur if more than, say 28t - although there might be a "hybrid cassette" (which Halfords don't sell) which could do the job without a derailleur change.
Or, change the chain set to a compact 50/34 from the current Prowheel 52/39 and leave the rear the same (would need to take a link or two out of the chain). For about 50 quid (parts), this would apparently make quite a big difference.
Looks like there are loads of different medium and long cage derailleurs out there for loads of different prices - anyone know which ones would fit the TDF - current rear mech is Shimano RD 2300 ? 
Thanks in anticipation.


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## Nigelnaturist (13 Aug 2013)

DW1 said:


> Thanks for all the useful info so far.
> Have also talked to Halfords, it seems that one may need a medium or long cage derailleur if more than, say 28t - although there might be a "hybrid cassette" (which Halfords don't sell) which could do the job without a derailleur change.
> Or, change the chain set to a *compact 50/34 from the current Prowheel 52/39* and leave the rear the same (would need to take a link or two out of the chain). For about 50 quid (parts), this would apparently make quite a big difference.
> Looks like there are loads of different medium and long cage derailleurs out there for loads of different prices - anyone know which ones would fit the TDF - current rear mech is Shimano RD 2300 ?
> Thanks in anticipation.


The front mech will need to be lowered so it's nearer the chainring, the easiest option is a M.T.B. rear derailleur new cassette with upto 32 or 34 th, you will also need a new chain.

Acera MT.B. £17.50.
H.G. 50 cassette £15.39 either 11-32 or 11-30
8sp chain KMC £7.19

If your doing yourself you may need the tools to remove the chain and cassette, but once you have done this once or twice its easy, it also possible to make up your own ratios.


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## Milzy (13 Aug 2013)

You should be ok in the dales with a 28.


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## festival (13 Aug 2013)

Make do with what you have and get fitter.
Seems a bit daft to buy a budget bike and then start spending money on customizing it to suit your needs.
You could have got something like the Giant defy 5 with compact c/set and 11/28 8sp etc for not a lot more and have twice the quality.


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## Nigelnaturist (13 Aug 2013)

festival said:


> Make do with what you have and get fitter.
> Seems a bit daft to buy a budget bike and then start spending money on customizing it to suit your needs.
> You could have got something like the Giant defy 5 with compact c/set and 11/28 8sp etc for not a lot more and have twice the quality.


Bikes been bought trying suggest solutions, besides you learn more from doing and seeing the effects that different things do, and once fitter you can change back. Thats what I did, though I already had the bike.


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## Norry1 (13 Aug 2013)

Put an 11-28 on. That will be pretty cheap if you wait/look for a deal and will make a bit of difference.


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## festival (13 Aug 2013)

Nigelnaturist said:


> Bikes been bought trying suggest solutions, besides you learn more from doing and seeing the effects that different things do, and once fitter you can change back. Thats what I did, though I already had the bike.


 

I assume he bought this particular bike because he was on a tight budget ( nothing wrong with that ) so any extra expense would be counter productive. Maybe I'm wrong and anyway not everyone wants to take things apart and get their hands dirty.
As for learning, maybe knowing what else is available and doing more research will be of more benefit to a new cyclist for the next purchase.


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## Nigelnaturist (14 Aug 2013)

festival said:


> Maybe I'm wrong and anyway not everyone wants to take things apart and get their hands dirty.


I wonder if when a local LBS says a lot of his call outs are to roadies.
Though I do agree about the extra expense, in hindsight I should of got a better bike, but being on an extremely low income it's about all I can do to replace parts, let alone the expense of an LBS, having said that the bike is now reasonably comfortable, it's gearing is as it was new 30/40/52 and an 13-26, when I started I had it has low as 26x34 at one point though 26x28 was more the norm, thing is if I know I am going to be doing so bigger hills (not really likely) I can change some of the rear cogs, say the 23 and 26 over to 24 and 28, and I can do that in about 10 mins.
As for speeds well I avg about 16mph these days and I am 50 in less than 6 months, and I only really started a year last June.


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## DW1 (14 Aug 2013)

festival said:


> Make do with what you have and get fitter.
> Seems a bit daft to buy a budget bike and then start spending money on customizing it to suit your needs.
> You could have got something like the Giant defy 5 with compact c/set and 11/28 8sp etc for not a lot more and have twice the quality.


Hi, new to road biking ! Read v good reviews of the TDF and the gearing issue only became apparent once I had purchased. Hopefully, won't spend too much customising - better tyres and pedals so far, sounds like the gearing could be a relatively cheap fix.


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## DW1 (14 Aug 2013)

Nigelnaturist said:


> The front mech will need to be lowered so it's nearer the chainring, the easiest option is a M.T.B. rear derailleur new cassette with upto 32 or 34 th, you will also need a new chain.
> 
> Acera MT.B. £17.50.
> H.G. 50 cassette £15.39 either 11-32 or 11-30
> ...


 
Many thanks for this useful info.


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## Doyleyburger (8 Sep 2013)

Definitely stick with what u got. I bought the tdf 6 weeks ago and live in the hills of west Wales. I pretty much gave up on my first climb, now I can climb almost with the front group with my cycling club. If you can manage with what you've got the rewards will be awesome in terms of your fitness


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