More gears please!

[fossala]

I find once a get over 40mph there is no point me pedaling. I go faster by tucking in really tight than being more upright and pedaling. It also saves my energy to get up the other side of the hill

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

The quickest and easiest way would be to change the largest chainring to a bigger one, assuming they are bolted on rather than riveted.

20 minutes work tops, and that's if the chain is fiddly to break/re-connect.

I must say I don't agree, and I think what HLab suggested is by far the easiest and best if the existing smallest rear sprocket is not 11T. Replacing a 12T cassette with a 11T one increases the highest gear by around 8%, to achieve same by fiddling at the front you need to replace the 50T by a 54T. Since all front shifts feel agricultural at best, it would just make it worse, if you haven't run out of front mech max range in the process already. A larger large front ring is also heavier, and usually more expensive, given the low price of 8 speed cassettes.

You don't need to break the chain to remove the chainset. However you may well need a new, longer chain if you put on a larger large chainring - assuming the current chain is just right. The other thing of course, is that you are far more likely to run out of rear mech wrap range by increasing the size of the large chainring (because you need to increase range by 4 to achieve the same effect as 1 at the back).

If the OP has a choice, it really is a no-brainer.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Im assuming its SA Gossamer compact crankset (50/30) - as thats what its meant to come with? not sure what the numbers mean???

To explore lower gear options you need to count the teeth of the smallest ring at the front and the largest ring at the back.

 

[KneesUp]

I must say I don't agree, and I think what HLab suggested is by far the easiest and best if the existing smallest rear sprocket is not 11T. Replacing a 12T cassette with a 11T one increases the highest gear by around 8%, to achieve same by fiddling at the front you need to replace the 50T by a 54T. Since all front shifts feel agricultural at best, it would just make it worse, if you haven't run out of front mech max range in the process already. A larger large front ring is also heavier, and usually more expensive, given the low price of 8 speed cassettes.

You don't need to break the chain to remove the chainset. However you may well need a new, longer chain if you put on a larger large chainring - assuming the current chain is just right. The other thing of course, is that you are far more likely to run out of rear mech wrap range by increasing the size of the large chainring (because you need to increase range by 4 to achieve the same effect as 1 at the back).

If the OP has a choice, it really is a no-brainer.

That's an excellent point about the chain

I guess I'm biased by the fact that to make changes at the back on my bioke I'd need to find a significantly different 5 speed freewheel, which is somewhat tricker to find than an 8 speed cassette!