advice wanted

[deanE]

Just bought a Claud Butler San Remo which has 50/39 at the front and 13-26 at the back. Have trouble with getting up the Cornish hills so have changed the rear cassette to 11-32. However, the Shimano 2300 rear end is too short to accommodate the larger cogs and I can only get the smallest four on the back when on big chainwheel at the front. Is it possible to just change the hangers on the deraillier or am I going to have to put hand in pocket again to get a new rear mechanism. If latter, any suggestions.

 

[PatrickPending]

may need a longer chain (assuming you're using the same chain you had with the 26 teeth rear cog), possibly long cage mech......

 

[rusty bearing]

Stick a Shimano Deore long cage derailleur on. This will work with 2300 as it 's 8 speed. 9 and 10 speed will only take up to 28 teeth.Oh and yes you'll need a longer chain.

 

[ASC1951]

..... I can only get the smallest four on the back when on big chainwheel at the front. Is it possible to just change the hangers on the deraillier or am I going to have to put hand in pocket again to get a new rear mechanism. If latter, any suggestions.

You aren't supposed to be able to get the full range of sprockets with both chainrings . Definitely not with something as wide as 11-32 - if you can, the chain will be too slack.

Personally, I would swap the 39t ring for a 34t and put the 13-26 block back on. That will give you about the same bottom gear and the chain will run better. 50 x 11 is a pretty big gear and you won't need it where you are.

 

[brockers]

In my experience with Campagnolo, it costs as much to change the cage plates which house the jockey wheels, as changing the entire derailleur. Without checking, I can imagine that Shimano is the same, so you'll have to dig deep and buy a new derailleur with a longer cage as per rusty bearing's advice.

ASC1951's idea makes good sense and is what I'd do, IF you've got a compact chainset (which takes 110mm BCD rings). However, I suspect that you have a regular 130mm BCD chainset fitted meaning a 38 tooth ring will be the smallest you can use.

So the choice is new derailleur and chain vs new compact chainset and possibly bottom bracket.

 

[mickle]

It's not enough just to change the cage plate - even if it were possible. The parallelogram of mechs designed for close ratio cassettes travel at a different trajectory to those designed for wide ratio cassettes.

 

[deanE]

You aren't supposed to be able to get the full range of sprockets with both chainrings . Definitely not with something as wide as 11-32 - if you can, the chain will be too slack.

Personally, I would swap the 39t ring for a 34t and put the 13-26 block back on. That will give you about the same bottom gear and the chain will run better. 50 x 11 is a pretty big gear and you won't need it where you are.

Thanks. First thought was to swap the ring but they are not separate-able, so would need to change the whole caboodle. Cassette change was cheaper and by my maths 32/39 gave lower ratio than 26/34. Having gone this far I think I will live with the set up for a while and if I end up forgetting not to change down to far when on the big ring, at which point chain jambs to remind me, then I will fit a longer rear mechanism.

 

[TheDoctor]

Any Shimano MTB rear mech will do. Deore is nice, but Acera works.
So does Tourney, which are dirt-cheap.

 

[deanE]

Thanks "Doc". Looking at the Acera spec I read "For use with 28 to 34 tooth low rear sprockets, total capacity 43 teeth". What does total capacity mean?

 

[Weller Fan]

I've recently bought a Scott Speedster S50(triple chainset) for a bargain price. After assembling it I found the chain was grinding against the front derailluer when running on certain sprockets. After spending some time adjusting it & with no success, I took it to my local bike shop. He spent 5 hours fiddling with it but said the chain grinds in certain gears. Furthermore he said the only cure he could suggest was to change the derailleur to a Shimano Tiagra or Sora. Surely I shouldn't have to change a part on a brand new bike for a smooth ride? Can anyone help??

 

[ASC1951]

I've recently bought a Scott Speedster S50(triple chainset) for a bargain price. After assembling it I found the chain was grinding against the front derailluer when running on certain sprockets. After spending some time adjusting it & with no success, I took it to my local bike shop. He spent 5 hours fiddling with it but said the chain grinds in certain gears. Furthermore he said the only cure he could suggest was to change the derailleur to a Shimano Tiagra or Sora. Surely I shouldn't have to change a part on a brand new bike for a smooth ride? Can anyone help??

You are right that you may have a remedy if a) this is a design fault and b) you bought it new or secondhand from a dealer. See e.g. http://whatconsumer....e-of-goods-act/

The Scott Speedster is a mid range bike from a reputable manufacturer and TBH I think it is very unlikely that there is anything wrong with the components. I suspect that you have not assembled it correctly (and it's not easy to get it spot on without some experience), or you are trying to use the wrong combination of gears. The whole point of modern chainsets, especially triples, is to give a wider overall range by giving a narrower range with each chainring. As a rough rule of thumb you should only use the biggest and smallest chainrings with the top and bottom third of the cassette respectively; the middle ring can angle the chain both ways so that should reach the middle half of the cassette.

I wouldn't necessarily believe your LBS. They vary in quality as much as bikes.

 

[deanE]

may need a longer chain (assuming you're using the same chain you had with the 26 teeth rear cog), possibly long cage mech......

Although I changed the chain when new cassette was fitted, another 2 links added which seems to have helped considerably.
Thanks for all advice offered. Stopped running after smashed knee from motor bike prang; stopped motor biking when I retired 4 years ago (earlyish); spent last 4 years sitting on bum writing book; so now taken up cycling. Things have changed since last had road bike as teenager, and hills have got steeper.

 

[twobiker]

I changed my rear cassette to 11/32 and the front is 30/42/52 I needed a longer chain and a Deore mech used on a MTB................ EXPENSIVE.

 

[mickle]

I changed my rear cassette to 11/32 and the front is 30/42/52 I needed a longer chain and a Deore mech used on a MTB................ EXPENSIVE.

Expensive? Really?

 

[Weller Fan]

You are right that you may have a remedy if a) this is a design fault and b) you bought it new or secondhand from a dealer. See e.g. http://whatconsumer....e-of-goods-act/

The Scott Speedster is a mid range bike from a reputable manufacturer and TBH I think it is very unlikely that there is anything wrong with the components. I suspect that you have not assembled it correctly (and it's not easy to get it spot on without some experience), or you are trying to use the wrong combination of gears. The whole point of modern chainsets, especially triples, is to give a wider overall range by giving a narrower range with each chainring. As a rough rule of thumb you should only use the biggest and smallest chainrings with the top and bottom third of the cassette respectively; the middle ring can angle the chain both ways so that should reach the middle half of the cassette.

I wouldn't necessarily believe your LBS. They vary in quality as much as bikes.