Thinking about changing my gearing

[Sheepy1209]

I commute 10 miles each way, usually on a nearly flat route (Blackpool prom), though with inland routes and leisure rides with an isolated few steepish hills (I'm no climber so these hills are mere pimples to most people on here).

However, I do have a 'virtual hill' to contend with, namely Blackpool's famous 'sea breeze'.

My bike has a very wide range of gearing - 52/42/30 with an 11-32 cassette (11,12,14,16,18,21,26,32).

My problem is that I find I spend most of my time on the middle ring using the 3rd or 4th sprocket, but when I need to drop down for an incline or strong wind I find the difference between 21, 26 and 32 is too great.
I typically ride around 15mph on the 3rd sprocket, which if I've understood Sheldon's calculator correctly gives me a cadence around the 90rpm mark (which sounds about right, I definitely prefer to spin).


I was considering two options, or both together, but would appreciate some advice!

Option 1: Simply replace the cassette with something like an 11-28 - where 3 - 8 are the same, but 1 and 2 are closer together
Option 2: Replace the chainset with a 48-38-28 which should put my 'sweet spot' up a gear, so I hit the big gap less often but still have a low gear for extreme headwinds
Option 3: Replace BOTH, i.e. 48-38-28 with 11-28 - losing the big sprocket is no big deal as I can just use the inner ring for those long soul-destroying grinds into the wind

I'm thinking Option 3 but would appreciate the views of anyone else who's done something similar.
The components are bottom end (SRAM PG830 cassette, and a no-brand square-taper chainset) so if it doesn't work it won't be an expensive mistake! The cassette and chain are ready for a change anyway, and I've got the tools I need having had all these components off before.

Thanks

 

[PpPete]

change cassette first - it's cheaper

I like widest sprread of gears possible but IMO 11-32 gives too big gaps
with no hills I'd try a 12-25

you can always change chainset later if you need to do that as well.

 

[ArDee]

I agree with pp try a 12-25, should give some good ratios spaced correctly.

I recently had to change the cassette due to wear, the only one the LBS had was a 11-28 instead of the 12-25 I had previously. I didn't think that it would make that much difference but the gaps on the 11-28 are significantly wider than those on the 12-25 and I find myself changing up and down between two gears to maintain the correct cadence.

 

[Sheepy1209]

Thanks all - I hadn't thought about the 12-25, I've been looking at 'MTB' cassettes because that's what I've got now..d'oh.
I'll give that a try, see how it goes - cheers

 

[Jezston]

You sound like you are in a similar situation to me - I have a rather ridiculous 11-34 range on my hybrid, and find myself sat between gears 5 and 7 on the middle ring for my commute, and that includes some hills. I'm planning on getting a 3-speed hub geared bike next!

While you are messing about with cassettes, before you put the new one on, might you be up for trying out a single speed setup? Have a chat with your friendly local LBS (assuming you have one), and see if they'll let you try out such a setup before you commit.

 

[Sheepy1209]

You sound like you are in a similar situation to me - I have a rather ridiculous 11-34 range on my hybrid, and find myself sat between gears 5 and 7 on the middle ring for my commute, and that includes some hills. I'm planning on getting a 3-speed hub geared bike next!

While you are messing about with cassettes, before you put the new one on, might you be up for trying out a single speed setup? Have a chat with your friendly local LBS (assuming you have one), and see if they'll let you try out such a setup before you commit.

Thanks - interesting thought, but I don't think my legs are up to single speed - on a calm day I'm sure I'd be OK, but they're as rare as hen's teeth in Blackpool. Maybe when I've got the funds together for n+1 I'll have a go at converting this one as a learning exercise.

 

[awfulquiet]

Just be careful you don't need to change the rear derailleur... Not all road derailleurs are MTB cassette compatible, and vice versa...

 

[HLaB]

Like others have said change the cassette first, its cheaper and since you are using the middle ring the most I see no reason to change the chainset (you've still got the granny if you need it) and you will still have the advantage of the higher 52 when needed (fast downhills etc).

Your going downwards in size of cassette to so I don't think it'll be a problem, my old hybrid came with a 11-34 mega range too and its now got a 11-30 and still the same derailleur cage and it seems OK :-)

 

[Bosstang]

I had a similar issue with my road bike, it has a triple chainset with 30/42/52 rings and a 12-26t 8 sprocket block on the back, the gaps were to widely spaced I found so I changed to a 13-23 8 speed block, now the spacing is only one tooth apart for the five smallest sprockets so is ideal for my commute as its nearly all flat fast roads so close ratio gears are ideal. If I ever want to go touring in the mountains I put the other block back on.

 

[P.H]

Option 4 - learn what gears you already have and use them

42/18 > 30/14 or 42/21 >30/16 are small changes and give you another 2 or 3 reasonable changes and provide the range you're looking for.

Of course next time you come to buy a cassette or chainring you might find something better suited, but I wouldn't replace before it's worn out, you already have what you need.

 

[Bosstang]

42/18 > 30/14 or 42/21 >30/16 are small changes and give you another 2 or 3 reasonable changes and provide the range you're looking for.

Very true and did try this but it meant lots of changes of both front and rear changers which began to bug me, especially when you only wanted to change for a short while whilst say climbing a slight grade before changing back again.
Sometimes I think that as the gear shifters are now on the brake levers its easier to change gear often whereas my previous road bikes had the gear shifters mounted on the diagonal tube of the frame so a front and rear shift would require swapping hands on the handlebars - one hand for each lever but not at the same time! Me being an old school type cyclist is still thinking along these lines. Anyhow, not many mountains on my commute so a close ratio block works fine and have the little granny ring to cope with any mountains I encounter on a weekend ride.

 

[GrasB]

Sheepy120, How much do you use the top & bottom chainrings? If you change the 42t chainring to a 39t one & use a 13-23 cassette. This gives you a little more than the current range of your middle chainring but halves the average gear step through the gear range.


P.H, Double shifting is fine on a single chainring change to go to the next set of ratios is one thing but consistently double shifting to get gears is opening a whole world of problems. This puts stress on the chain, causes a lot of momentum loss & increases the risk of chain drop & jamming. Something I'd never recommend someone to do.

 

[HelenD123]

I have a rather ridiculous 11-34 range on my hybrid

That's pretty standard for touring though.

 

[P.H]

P.H, Double shifting is fine on a single chainring change to go to the next set of ratios is one thing but consistently double shifting to get gears is opening a whole world of problems. This puts stress on the chain, causes a lot of momentum loss & increases the risk of chain drop & jamming. Something I'd never recommend someone to do.

?? I'd have thought once you're down to the last three sprockets when using the middle ring it was time for the next set of ratios. It is what the designers of these cassetts intended, that's why the gaps are as they are. Using the small ring from the middle down will give a better chainline, decreasing any strain on the chain. The fact that you can use the whole of the cassette with the middle ring doesn't men that you should.

 

[GrasB]

When I used 9sp chain for my road bike & my fixed gear I had a 'perfect' line on the fixie & the often used at extremes of the cassette the difference in chain life was on average was about 45 mies, or just over 1% life difference. Efficiency also is mute as from what little truly scientific measurement I've seen shows that the drive gears effect drive train efficiency smother out everything else barring baseline drive train condition.

When you swap chainrings you put a high load on the side of the chain links which exerts a heavy sideways load on the chain & chainrings & simultaneously force the chain passed the links maximum bend capacity. Frequent chainring swapping seems to be far more stressful on the chain as it's the highest cause of wear I can measure after poor drive train maintenance.