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Numpty bike question
I hope someone can help me in a language that I can understand!
I need to upgrade my gears (having completed the London Tri yesterday) and was thinking of going for a compact chainest.
I currently have a 9 speed Shimano Tiagra triple chainset.
What do I need to get to upgrade what I have and is it easy to do?
Thanks for your help
I need to upgrade my gears (having completed the London Tri yesterday) and was thinking of going for a compact chainest.
I currently have a 9 speed Shimano Tiagra triple chainset.
What do I need to get to upgrade what I have and is it easy to do?
Thanks for your help
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Comments
D74 when I was on the bike I felt like I could have gone much quicker if I had had bigger gears. My little legs were going nineteen to the dozen and I didnt feel like I was getting anywhere at times (mainly going downhill where I could have put on a bit of speed.
If that would do the trick then Stump I can go with that idea.
Although - I think you need to look at your technique too - its a flat course I think ? So you shouldnt be spinning out your highest gear on the flat ?
Do you know how many revolutions per minute you were doing ? 80-90 is usually reccomended, but you can go faster than that with practice ?
And are you sure you were in top gear ?
So the biggest chainring on the front and the smallest sprocket on the back ?
I wouldnt think its worth changing to a compact from a triple. V expensive and little overall difference.
A new cassette will cost £20-40, you can use any 9 speed cassette from shimano (tiagra, 105, ultegra, even dura ace if you've won the lottery).
You'll need a chain whip and a lockring tool (£5 each) to do the swap.
Changing from a triple to a compact would actually make life worse for you as the top speed would be reduced.
In context, and despite how it will sound, then I don't think you need to worry about gears though. Learning to pedal at a quick cadence (get a cadence bike computer) will help, but at London regardless what set up you'v egot the you shouldn't be 'spinning out'.
My guess is that you're a newish cyclist and in reality are normally pedaling at very low cadence, and so aren't comfortable at the 100rpm cadence that should be well within every cyclists 'comfort zone'.
Before swapping out the triple, then spend some time training, could save you a lot of money.
I dont have a cadence counter but I think it would be around 80.
And I am fairly sure I was in top gear definitely biggest on the front anyway.
Maybe I just need more practice then and look at changing the cassette.
Thanks
So I'd spend £25 on a cadence capable bike computer and SLOWLY work on getting the cadence up. This will really help to improve both your cycling (including on hills) and your running off the bike.
If that's the case a compact will give you a lower top gear than a triple so the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
I have to admit a cadence of 90 on the bike feels good for me but I have been known to talk complete rubbish.
I have no idea what cadence I run at though, and my winter cadence on my fixie tends to be higher than when I'm on my geared bike in the summer.
That is a ponce question. Are you ready to handle the truth?
Have you fallen off clipped into your bike yet?
Okay, okay, I only bought it because of the German translation on it - 'Universal-nippelspanner'.
Spokeys are the one and only Spoke key that any serious wheelbuilder would use.
I really despair sometimes, what do they teach the kids at schools nowadays?
[shakes head, and wanders off stroking his grey beard with oily hands and muttering under his breath]
Partly cos I really like the way fixed wheels ride.
Partly cos its so much easier to keep clean than my shiny race bike.
Partly cos I have one.
Partly cos I like kicking my pals asses when i'm on a one gear bike.
Its crap for going down hills - as I cant spin it out like some of my clubmates can, but its great for climbing on.
:-)))
I love the stripped down look of the fixed and have thought about getting one, but it's a bit lumpy round here.
Most come with a flippable back wheel but I'd seriously suggest not bothering with a freewheel and just fit two different sprocket sizes. Once you've tried fixed you won't go back to single speed freewheel. I have a 17 on one side and flip to 18 on the other for winter when it's wetter, colder and darker and commuting speed just tends to be slower.