Gears for Honister Pass

[Milo Allen]

Hi

I started cycling earlier this year. I've been riding my uncles old Peugeot road bike, going for a ride about once a week, typically about 30 miles in about 2 hours.

Had a holiday in the Lake district and took the bike (as a side thought really). Managed to get a few rides in but found I was really struggling on the steeper inclines.

The bike has a double chain ring 52/42 and 8 speed cassette 23/12. I managed the Whinlatter Pass (just) but was defeated at the Honister Pass. I want to go back in the spring and try the same ride. Admittedly my fitness could be better but I have a feeling I'm going to need a different gear set up to make it over the Honister Pass.

The current gearing is ideal for my rides in the fens or gentle rolling hills in the Wolds. What would people recommend for the Lake district? I don't really want to loose my top gear. Would rather keep a double chain ring but would consider a triple. Should I change the cassette? Do I try and find a set up that covers my regular rides and some one offs in the mountains or, for example, buy a chainset specific for steep climbs and fit it when neccassary?

I've done a little research myself but there's only so much you can get from reading up. Would be happy to hear people's opinion on the matter.

Cheers.

 

[Fubar]

Hi

I started cycling earlier this year. I've been riding my uncles old Peugeot road bike, going for a ride about once a week, typically about 30 miles in about 2 hours.

Had a holiday in the Lake district and took the bike (as a side thought really). Managed to get a few rides in but found I was really struggling on the steeper inclines.

The bike has a double chain ring 52/42 and 8 speed cassette 23/12. I managed the Whinlatter Pass (just) but was defeated at the Honister Pass. I want to go back in the spring and try the same ride. Admittedly my fitness could be better but I have a feeling I'm going to need a different gear set up to make it over the Honister Pass.

The current gearing is ideal for my rides in the fens or gentle rolling hills in the Wolds. What would people recommend for the Lake district? I don't really want to loose my top gear. Would rather keep a double chain ring but would consider a triple. Should I change the cassette? Do I try and find a set up that covers my regular rides and some one offs in the mountains or, for example, buy a chainset specific for steep climbs and fit it when neccassary?

I've done a little research myself but there's only so much you can get from reading up. Would be happy to hear people's opinion on the matter.

Cheers.

I would worry less about the gearing and just get out and practice practice practice hills - then practice some more. Sure, gearing will have an effect but you just need to keep at it - go out find the biggest hill you can.

 

[steve50]

Training, training and more training, the only other thing i would suggest is perhaps swapping your 42T for a 37T. You say you mostly ride the gentle rollling hills of the wolds, perhaps consider hitting those hills in a higher gear to strengthen your leg muscles. It's more about personal fitness than the gearing of your bike although I would be tempted to change that small chainwheel.

 

[Karlt]

I'd not want to even ride the Wolds with a setup like that - you've not really got gearing for <10mph. I'd want compact 50/34 or triple with a 11-30 or 32 to be comfortable on Honister. You're going to be 3-4mph unless you're very strong.

 

[midlife]

My Basso has a Campag Compact set up, I can see Hartside cafe from where I am sitting . I rode all over the country on 42/52 in the 70's but would kill me now

Are you after a new bike?

Shaun

 

[Citius]

I'd not want to even ride the Wolds with a setup like that - you've not really got gearing for <10mph. I'd want compact 50/34 or triple with a 11-30 or 32 to be comfortable on Honister. You're going to be 3-4mph unless you're very strong.

^^this.

 

[Milo Allen]

I'd not want to even ride the Wolds with a setup like that - you've not really got gearing for <10mph. I'd want compact 50/34 or triple with a 11-30 or 32 to be comfortable on Honister. You're going to be 3-4mph unless you're very strong.

Cheers Karlt
Yeah, there're times in the Wolds when i feel like i could do with more gears but really noticed it in the Lakes.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Milo Allen]

My Basso has a Campag Compact set up, I can see Hartside cafe from where I am sitting . I rode all over the country on 42/52 in the 70's but would kill me now

Are you after a new bike?

Shaun

Not after a new bike, just gona fit some new gears.

 

[Milo Allen]

With the current set up there's quite a lot of overlap in gear ratios so there seems to be alot of scope in going smaller with the inner chainring but i would like to keep the 52. Can you get a 52/34 chainset? Would this cause problems with mid range gears putting the chain out of line?

 

[Poacher]

I'd agree with @Karlt regarding gearing. It's quite likely that your uncle's old Peugeot crankset won't accept a smaller chainring than 41t - first step should be to measure the distance between adjacent bolt holes and check against Sheldon Brown's BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter) cribsheet. Old road chainsets were often 144mm, whereas modern road sets can be 135mm (Campag) with a minimum chainring of 39t, or 130mm (Shimano) with a minimum 38t. For pass storming, a compact 110mm, allowing a minimum 34t, would be preferable. As you want to keep to keep your top gear, off the peg chainsets are unlikely to meet your needs - have a look at Spa's offerings, but be prepared to pay a bit more for choice of rings. I mourn the passing of the old Stronglight standard of 86mm BCD - for many years before compacts became fashionable I used to run 36/52, and still have old Stronglight setups on a couple of bikes.

 

[Milo Allen]

I'd agree with @Karlt regarding gearing. It's quite likely that your uncle's old Peugeot crankset won't accept a smaller chainring than 41t - first step should be to measure the distance between adjacent bolt holes and check against Sheldon Brown's BCD (Bolt Circle Diameter) cribsheet. Old road chainsets were often 144mm, whereas modern road sets can be 135mm (Campag) with a minimum chainring of 39t, or 130mm (Shimano) with a minimum 38t. For pass storming, a compact 110mm, allowing a minimum 34t, would be preferable. As you want to keep to keep your top gear, off the peg chainsets are unlikely to meet your needs - have a look at Spa's offerings, but be prepared to pay a bit more for choice of rings. I mourn the passing of the old Stronglight standard of 86mm BCD - for many years before compacts became fashionable I used to run 36/52, and still have old Stronglight setups on a couple of bikes.

Thanks Poacher.
Your're right, I wont be able to get a smaller chainring on the current crankset. Hopefully I can get a compact crank to get the 34t chainring and get a 52t chainring to fit a compact crank. I'll have to see if thats possible, or just forfeit the higher gear/s.

 

[MikeW-71]

With the current set up there's quite a lot of overlap in gear ratios so there seems to be alot of scope in going smaller with the inner chainring but i would like to keep the 52. Can you get a 52/34 chainset? Would this cause problems with mid range gears putting the chain out of line?

No, but you could go for 52-36. Pair that with 11-32 cassette and that should see you right.

Honister is 20-25% all the way up. It's not easy by any stretch.

 

[swansonj]

Training, training and more training, the only other thing i would suggest is perhaps swapping your 42T for a 37T. You say you mostly ride the gentle rollling hills of the wolds, perhaps consider hitting those hills in a higher gear to strengthen your leg muscles. It's more about personal fitness than the gearing of your bike although I would be tempted to change that small chainwheel.

I'd not want to even ride the Wolds with a setup like that - you've not really got gearing for <10mph. I'd want compact 50/34 or triple with a 11-30 or 32 to be comfortable on Honister. You're going to be 3-4mph unless you're very strong.

There you have the two different approaches to cycling up hills. To shamelessly exaggerate what was actually said:

(1) it it is a fitness challenge, it's not supposed to be easy, if you can't get up the hill on the sort of gear racers use, you just have to get fitter - people who aren't fit enough can't cycle up hills or shouldn't try.

(2) it is about pleasure. You cycle because you enjoy it, if you can't enjoy it with your present gears, get lower gears, cycle slower, and stuff all these macho ideas about fitness.

Not much doubt which camp I'm in (I climbed Honister last on a 24x32)

 

[Crackle]

It won't be easy no matter what gears, at least not for us mortals. Steep start, eases in the middle, steep finish from the Keswick side, I can't recall the other side as I had a relentless wind hitting me which just made it impossible in any gear but yeah, go with Karlt's advice. Just buy two other rings to fit for the challenge, you only need to ensure your front derailleur will handle the gap, normally they specify the maximum chain ring difference, rear derailleur should be fine and you might need to adjust the chain length depending on the rear derailleur take-up i.e. short, medium or long reach.

 

[Milo Allen]

Cheers for the advice. I'm getting a pretty good impression of the options. Probably gonna go for a 50/34, try it out on some hills round here and see if I need to think about a new cassette too. Next step is to get down the bike shop to see what will fit the bike. Had a look at spa cycle website, does seem to have what I'd be after but I'm a little confused by size options (165mm, 170mm etc) so probably best to ask in a shop.
Looking forward to having another crack at Honister :-)