Swapping sprockets....hmmm

[montage]

My gearing(Shimano Ultegra):

chainset/front - 50,34,
cassette/rear - 25,23,21,19,17,15,14,13,12,11

Baring in mind I am just moving into the racing world...
On long (long steep at times ) climbs...I often find myself grinding it out more than I am comfortable with when I am on 34-25.....especially when knackered.

I want to add at least one extra hill climbing gear - maybe a 27? but of course this means I need to be rid of another gear, and not entirely sure which to be rid of.

If I get rid of the 10, then this kills my maximum speed...not great for downhill sprints, If I remove the 12 then 13 down to 10 would be a massive jump.

Perhaps get a 52-34 chainring on the front?


Ideas/suggestions and tales of wisdom are appreciated

 

[youngoldbloke]

10? - are you sure?

 

[dodgy]

I've never seen a 10 I don't think.

 

[montage]

editted to 11...oops

 

[youngoldbloke]

You could always try 11- 27 http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_Dura_Ace_7900_10_Speed_Cassette/5360037044/
- check out the price of that!

 

[Joe24]

HTFU and stop being such a wimp is my advice.

 

[montage]

Is it not possible to screw one sprocket off and then replace with another?...rather than replace my who casset?

And joe... I'm off the bike for at least a week due to my knees exploding today, so I would really like some spinnier gears (getting bike fitted to try and solve knees issue)

 

[jimboalee]

I almost said this on another thread about gearing for hills.

When you are in a race, having low gears and NEEDing to use them gives your competitors chance to ride away from you.

To be competative, I'm sorry to be so blunt, you HAVE to be as strong as the guys you are racing ( being STRONGER really helps ).

A 50/34 compact to a 11-25 cassette is the lowest gearing you should consider using.
A 53/39 chainset is the usual equipment and the 11-25 pretty standard kit these days.

I refered to Eddy Merckx on another thread. It was about his 46 inch lowest gear. 39 ring to 23 sprocket for a bike weighing 21.5lb.
( The 10% myth/legend ) He didn't use it, being the man he was. He prob used the 39 x 19 (55") to get up a 10%.

This is the type of cyclist one should aim to emulate if one wants to enter racing.

Perservere with the BIG gears, and don't let the buggers leave you behind.

 

[Joe24]

Is it not possible to screw one sprocket off and then replace with another?...rather than replace my who casset?

And joe... I'm off the bike for at least a week due to my knees exploding today, so I would really like some spinnier gears (getting bike fitted to try and solve knees issue)

If im right, some of the blocks are joined together, and its only the bottom gears that arent, so you cant just unscrew one sprocket and put another on.
I could be wrong though, ive never really looked at one to see if you could do.

Sort your position out to get your knees right. When i first started to ride fixed my knees were pretty achy. I went for a sprint and as i stood up to power up a hill my knees couldnt take it.
I still finished that ride and had some time off fixed(was on holiday for 2 weeks so no fixed) and took it easy and they ended up fine.
I shall stay with my HTFU remark though

 

[Dayvo]

I shall stay with my HTFU remark though

We could say the same, Joe!

Id rather have a shoulder to cry on

But we won't!

 

[montage]

It is when a group is climbing a hill slowly that I struggle spinny/grindy wise....I need to grind more than I am comfortable with to stay with the group (of course this is a slower speed, therefore not as tiring....but it gets to my legs!)

Also...if my knees are in for a long recovary, then I would definately look into this.

 

[Joe24]

We could say the same, Joe!



But we won't!

That wasnt said seriously though.
Anyway, i had the sad facem you had the crying one offering me a hanky

 

[Will1985]

Why are you using an 11? You probably don't use it unless going hell for leather downhill. It also gives a bigger gear than 53x12.

Have a 12 as your smallest sprocket then you can stick a 27 on the other end.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Depending upon the cadence you feel comfortable with, having a 50 on the front, you may prefer an 11, and could quite easily be using that on the flat. I'm in that situation, but also needed a larger low gear (I blame my age and the Chilterns), so I merged 2 cassettes to get an 11 - 27 ratio.

 

[kyuss]

I would have thought a 34/25 would be plenty. I'm at least 3 stone overweight, seriously unfit, and manage on a 39/26 up some pretty serious hills (admittedly I'm not racing).

Of course it's hard work, but if you're racing you're not going to beat anyone by taking the easy way out. I'm kind of with jimboalee on this one. If you're out for a pootle then fair enough, but a bit of discomfort and pain is what's to be expected if you want to be fast when there are people to beat surely.