Gear change

[Wildman]

Can anyone help. I've got a Dawes Giro 200 with Shimano Sora gear set, (2 x 7) and have started some longer rides then what I used to do during a week including now, some hills!! My mate who I cycle with who last year was riding a decent spec mountain bike , now has a Trek 1.2 (2008) and when we climbed Parbold Hill on Friday last his available gearing was far better than mine. Does anyone know if I can change the ddouble chain ring to a triple and if so, what mods will I need. Look forward to anyones comments other than change the bike and get fitter

 

[stoatsngroats]

I believe you can do this, but i think you need to change the STI, and the chain too.....

 

[PpPete]

And the bottom bracket too. Changing a double in to a triple is NOT a cheap option. Figure out what gear ratios you need for your kind of riding and you fitness, see if you can change just cassette & chain to get there. Or can you do it with compact chainset? If nothing else will do, by all means look at changing to a triple, but it will probably be more economic to buy a new bike with a triple already fitted.

I've changed to a triple.... but IMO my frame was a lot better than the Giro200 so it was worth it for me.

 

[Radius]

I wouldn't change, I'd just train til I got fitter. According to the spec, your lowest gearing is 39 / 28, which is pretty large, if you're going to get more into road riding, I think you'll pretty soon find yourself wanting bigger gears not smaller ones.
And as stated, switching to triple will practically cost more than your bike.

 

[jimboalee]

I wouldn't change, I'd just train til I got fitter. According to the spec, your lowest gearing is 32 / 28, which is pretty large, if you're going to get more into road riding, I think you'll pretty soon find yourself wanting bigger gears not smaller ones.
And as stated, switching to triple will practically cost more than your bike.

I'll second this.

You did pretty damned alright to get up Parbold on a Dawes Giro 200.

I thought it was a 39 x 28. 38". Anyway, its the right gear for that weight bike. Train on it and get stronger.

 

[Radius]

I thought it was a 39 x 28. 38".

Oops, that was a typo, tis indeed 39