OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
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OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Trying in my head to simplify this as much as possible.
The 8-speed freewheel I linked to will take the wheel to 135OLN, if my research is correct, whereas the frame is 130, again, if my research is correct. Do I need to mess with the axle? Possibly...
If it CAN be made to fit, it will give the gearing I want without changing anything else. I have appropriate shifters/levers ready to go.
The rd should have no problem, but if their is any doubt at all, I'll transfer the Alivio from the Scott. The calculations allow for the current rd to cope easily, but it's nice to have a plan B. (Lobsang: "You can never have too much backup").
If it's necessary to go so far as to cold-set the frame, then I'll bite the bullet and get a freeHUB wheel. I then already have the correct cassette.
Like @Andy in Germany 's project, this is about getting what I want, rather than absolute minimum outlay. Minimum effort, fair enough!
The 8-speed freewheel I linked to will take the wheel to 135OLN, if my research is correct, whereas the frame is 130, again, if my research is correct. Do I need to mess with the axle? Possibly...
If it CAN be made to fit, it will give the gearing I want without changing anything else. I have appropriate shifters/levers ready to go.
The rd should have no problem, but if their is any doubt at all, I'll transfer the Alivio from the Scott. The calculations allow for the current rd to cope easily, but it's nice to have a plan B. (Lobsang: "You can never have too much backup").
If it's necessary to go so far as to cold-set the frame, then I'll bite the bullet and get a freeHUB wheel. I then already have the correct cassette.
Like @Andy in Germany 's project, this is about getting what I want, rather than absolute minimum outlay. Minimum effort, fair enough!
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Are you sure about the 130 spacing?
I adapted a Trek 800 sport for loaded touring and one of the first things I had to do was to upgrade the gearing and the wheels. Like you, I had a choice of a freewheel or freehub and went with the hub option because I had greater choice of (stronger) wheels.
I measured the spacing at 135 and went accordingly getting wheels made at SJScycles.
I've had no problems.
I have a second Trek 800 Mountaintrack and have swapped the wheels over and back with no issues.
Both my bikes were purchased second hand, so I'm not sure of exact age. I reckon the Sport is '97 and the Mountintrack is a little younger.
In any case, best of luck in your efforts!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
I haven't yet had the opportunity to do the measurements. The bike is stored remote from the flat, so not got to it yet. If 135, then planned upgrade a doddle, and zero reason to stay with freewheel. Thanks for making this easier!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Gears:
Assuming I can source a freehub wheel, these are the gear options compared to the Scott.
Scott = 52-42-30t x 11-34t - MAX 125.14 gear inches, MIN 23.28 gear inches.
Trek = 48-38-28t x 11-32t - MAX 112.95 gear inches, MIN 22.80 gear inches.
Trek = 44-32-22t x 11-32t - MAX 103.62 gear inches, MIN 17.87 gear inches.
My current thinking is that the smaller chainset gives me a pretty crazy low gear, but it's plain that some MTBs have such a low gear, because when out on the Scott, in bottom gear, they pass easily spinning crazily!
While this would help offset the extra 10lb the Trek weighs, I'm hoping the power plant will shed a good deal more than that over the coming year, which means using the standard chainset would likely be enough...
I hope.
Assuming I can source a freehub wheel, these are the gear options compared to the Scott.
Scott = 52-42-30t x 11-34t - MAX 125.14 gear inches, MIN 23.28 gear inches.
Trek = 48-38-28t x 11-32t - MAX 112.95 gear inches, MIN 22.80 gear inches.
Trek = 44-32-22t x 11-32t - MAX 103.62 gear inches, MIN 17.87 gear inches.
My current thinking is that the smaller chainset gives me a pretty crazy low gear, but it's plain that some MTBs have such a low gear, because when out on the Scott, in bottom gear, they pass easily spinning crazily!
While this would help offset the extra 10lb the Trek weighs, I'm hoping the power plant will shed a good deal more than that over the coming year, which means using the standard chainset would likely be enough...
I hope.
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Fitted new pedals, Wellgo LU987U silver. Looks nice! Of course, if I decide I need the smaller chainset...
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
I'd consider the 44-32-22 chain set but matched with a 12-27 cassette. You don't need the 11t and nor (really) do you need anything shorter than a 22" low gear. This gets the front + rear tooth capacity a bit closer to the RD spec 37 (22+15) and less chain flopping around.
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
All correct. And just changing the wheel and cassette can get me the 22". And have the smaller chainset in reserve! The absolutely simplest mod is just do the chainset, the 13-30t freewheel would do also. It's as much about 'I can' as about 'I need'!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
A large box containing stuff and Haribo has arrived! Just waiting on the wheel!*Excited!*
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Today's the day I get properly started. Just waiting on the wheel, which may well turn up later today. So I'll start with a strip and clean, and photos!
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
The wheel is out for delivery! Of course, not much use if it's dark by then...
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Right, here we go...
The victim...
The workshop
Stripped
Cleaned all the nooks and crannies, including whipping off the chainset and cleaning it and all around the BB. The BB on this has a slight vertical play, a bit like a fractionally loose cotter pin. It's been there since new. The next play-time might see a new BB.
The bars are back on, with the 8-speed shifters from the Norco. It was supposed to have the Norco bars and stem, but I bought the wrongs size quill converter. Correct one ordered.
That nice DPD man arrived, with this from Taylor Wheels in Germany.
Wheel assembled, 50mm City Jets fitted, wheels and 8-speed Altus rd mounted.
Pedals refitted, gearing cabled up. Once I'd sorted the chain, including wrecking the chain tool from my Btwin kit, and got the cables sat in the triggers properly, it indexed properly right off. Bonus! I don't doubt futher fettling will be needed, but that certainly saved some time. As you can see, flash fired, it was getting a bit twilighty...
Nearly there, just the brakes to do...
Pretty much done...
Done, lights and rear flinger fitted.
In terms of "upgrades", the bike has gone from 7 to 8-speed with a wider range at top and bottom, the rear hub and cassette are now Acera rather than Altus or its equivalent, and the brake levers are actually STI-compatible four finger combis exactly equivalent to the silver Sora flat bar stuff on the Scott, and can be used with V-brakes, cantilevers, or calipers/roller brakes.
Apart from that, it's just a nice old steel mountain bike!
Next steps: proper mudguards, and a rear rack, make a load lugger out of it. Replace the front rim with a matching silver one. Do the bars and stem when my egregious ordering error is corrected.
If I'm still too weedy to get up hills on it, lower the gearing even further with a smaller chainset. As it is, the bottom gear is just over 21 gear inches.
With these tyres, it looks a little fat bike-ish, so I shall refer to it as the "a little overweight bike".
The Scott goes into store tomorrow. I can only have one bike available at any one time...
Test ride tommorrow.
The victim...
The workshop
Stripped
Cleaned all the nooks and crannies, including whipping off the chainset and cleaning it and all around the BB. The BB on this has a slight vertical play, a bit like a fractionally loose cotter pin. It's been there since new. The next play-time might see a new BB.
The bars are back on, with the 8-speed shifters from the Norco. It was supposed to have the Norco bars and stem, but I bought the wrongs size quill converter. Correct one ordered.
That nice DPD man arrived, with this from Taylor Wheels in Germany.
Wheel assembled, 50mm City Jets fitted, wheels and 8-speed Altus rd mounted.
Pedals refitted, gearing cabled up. Once I'd sorted the chain, including wrecking the chain tool from my Btwin kit, and got the cables sat in the triggers properly, it indexed properly right off. Bonus! I don't doubt futher fettling will be needed, but that certainly saved some time. As you can see, flash fired, it was getting a bit twilighty...
Nearly there, just the brakes to do...
Pretty much done...
Done, lights and rear flinger fitted.
In terms of "upgrades", the bike has gone from 7 to 8-speed with a wider range at top and bottom, the rear hub and cassette are now Acera rather than Altus or its equivalent, and the brake levers are actually STI-compatible four finger combis exactly equivalent to the silver Sora flat bar stuff on the Scott, and can be used with V-brakes, cantilevers, or calipers/roller brakes.
Apart from that, it's just a nice old steel mountain bike!
Next steps: proper mudguards, and a rear rack, make a load lugger out of it. Replace the front rim with a matching silver one. Do the bars and stem when my egregious ordering error is corrected.
If I'm still too weedy to get up hills on it, lower the gearing even further with a smaller chainset. As it is, the bottom gear is just over 21 gear inches.
With these tyres, it looks a little fat bike-ish, so I shall refer to it as the "a little overweight bike".
The Scott goes into store tomorrow. I can only have one bike available at any one time...
Test ride tommorrow.
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OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Quick 3.5 mile lumpy circuit of Tavistock - it all worked first time!
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
I was thinking of using them for new wheels for my Trek 850, how would you rate them (and the wheel)?
OP
OP
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Ordering and delivery were easy and good, there's a lot to choose from, and it pays to know the details of what you're after. I went over it several times, not because it was hard, but to avoid any errors.
The wheel looks good, is true, and everything went together like clockwork. On today's short ride, all was well. So far as it's gone, I'd be happy to use them again.
