Carrera TDF. Conversion to Triple crank

[Usmaan Jamil]

I can see both sides of the argument and honestly... I agree with both of them. As I said I am relatively new to cycling and I suppose I should give myself some time to get used to my bike plus having higher gears will only build up calf and quad muscles!! Thanks for all of the replies and helpful advice absolutely blown away by the response, its been a great welcome to the forum. I'll give it some time with shorter rides and take the hills one by one, try and get used to the bike and if things still aren't going well I will consider an upgrade later on next year. Thanks very much for all the help!

 

[cyberknight]

+1 - but does the TDF have a Claris Chainset (btw, sorry to be pedantic but a crank is the long bit with the pedal on the end. The big round things with teeth are chainrings. Put them together and you have a chainset . Or crankset if you're in the US. ) Often bikes will be described as having such and such a groupset (Google it!), when they only have the named brand front and rear mechs and shifters. Count the teeth on the chainrings - if they are 50 and 34, you have a standard 'compact' chainset.

afaik the tdf does not have the new claris but the older 2300 with as @Nigelnaturist says a 52/38 chain ring with a 12-26 cassette.
EDIT there are new tdfs about with claris coming in early for next year .

 

[Usmaan Jamil]

afaik the tdf does not have the new claris but the older 2300 with as @Nigelnaturist says a 52/38 chain ring with a 12-26 cassette.
EDIT there are new tdfs about with claris coming in early for next year .

I was lucky enough to the new TDF with Claris! Don't know how but for some reason it was on display, so I bought it and it seems like they haven't even been released yet?! Perhaps a mistake on halfords behalf.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I was lucky enough to the new TDF with Claris! Don't know how but for some reason it was on display, so I bought it and it seems like they haven't even been released yet?! Perhaps a mistake on halfords behalf.

- but does it have a Claris 50/34 chainset? If I remember correctly the 'old' TDF doesn't have a Shimano chainset.

 

[bikingdad90]

Hi, I would check if you have a 2300 Sti shifter because it is compatible with double or triple set ups. The Tdf has a double and the triban 3 a triple but same shifter set up.

 

[Usmaan Jamil]

- but does it have a Claris 50/34 chainset? If I remember correctly the 'old' TDF doesn't have a Shimano chainset.

It seems like I've got the Shimano Tourney chainset (not a clue whether this is good or bad)

 

[Simmer]

I have a CarreraTDF and this week put the Claris Compact double on. You also need to change the bottom bracket to a octalink one. It works fine but the front deraileur needs slight adjustment to travel a bit further out. It does make a huge difference to the bike going up a hill !

Chainreaction was the best price I found

• Shimano Claris 2450 Octalink Double Crankset
• Silver, 130mm, 50.34t, 170mm
• sku393055

Now £44.99

• Shimano ES25 Octalink Bottom Bracket
• Black, 68 x 118mm, English Thread
• sku117329

Now £13.99



cheaper option would be a generic square taper compact double,, the 2350 doesnt exist anymore and no one has it in stock under £80 .. I did find this though whihc I considered.. but decided not to go cheap and risk it breaking 20miles out.

[url]http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/alloy-compact-double-square-taper-chainset-50-34t-170mm-prod13441/[/URL]

 

[Simmer]

also, just in case you were considering it.. some say you can put an 11-30 cassette on the back. the short reach 2300 doesn't like it very much and the clearance on the biggest cog is tiny. It needs a heavy hand to push it into gear and it doesn't sound very nice. I only tried once, on the plus side my road MTB has a shiny new cassette now

The 11-30 did not make as big an impact as the compact double on the lower gears

 

[HLaB]

The 11-30 did not make as big an impact as the compact double on the lower gears

What was your cassette originally ? 1t on the back is worth more than 1t on the front.
If I was a the OP I'd go with increasing the cassette range initially to increase gears (minimal cost); they can also easily change back when they are fitter. The extent will depend on your cage; if its short thats likely to be 28t but it may be more if its got the Claris.
If they are still not happy however, at later date go for a compact, more costly.
And if they are still not happy fork out for a tripple. n+1 might be more cost effctive at that stage though

 

[Simmer]

What was your cassette originally ? 1t on the back is worth more than 1t on the front.
If I was a the OP I'd go with increasing the cassette range initially to increase gears (minimal cost); they can also easily change back when they are fitter. The extent will depend on your cage; if its short thats likely to be 28t but it may be more if its got the Claris.
If they are still not happy however, at later date go for a compact, more costly.
And if they are still not happy fork out for a tripple. n+1 might be more cost effctive at that stage though

Standard cassette is 12:26 .. 2300 spec says max of 27 . 30 as I said it doesn't like but will work with a push.

the value of the changes depend on the hills.... for 99% including some cat4's I found the standard setup is fine having been cycling 6 months and getting a bit fitter. With the 11:30 cassette and not being able to (wanting to ) use the lowest 30 cog it still made them easier being able to spin faster.

For 1 particular group of local hills (the Edge at Alderley and into prestbury/bollington) .. I wanted lower gearing. Hence the chainset change to compact double. If you dont have some infamously steep climbs you want to do , it may not be worth it. (going to try the cat and fiddle for the first time next spring as well, to give you an idea of my local area)

 

[HLaB]

Standard cassette is 12:26 .. 2300 spec says max of 27 . 30 as I said it doesn't like but will work with a push.

the value of the changes depend on the hills.... for 99% including some cat4's I found the standard setup is fine having been cycling 6 months and getting a bit fitter. With the 11:30 cassette and not being able to (wanting to ) use the lowest 30 cog it still made them easier being able to spin faster.

For 1 particular group of local hills (the Edge at Alderley and into prestbury/bollington) .. I wanted lower gearing. Hence the chainset change to compact double. If you dont have some infamously steep climbs you want to do , it may not be worth it. (going to try the cat and fiddle for the first time next spring as well, to give you an idea of my local area)

Yip, my old double got me up everything (I tried) in Scotland quite a few Cat 2's, 3's and 4's, with the occasional Cat 1's but for the Marmotte (Alpe DHuez, etc) I changed to a 34/50 compact. My newest bike has a 38/52 compact and its ideal for me at least for the flatter terrain here.

 

[Hacienda71]

I find I ride with a very poor chainline on my compact as unless I hit a monster hill, I really try to avoid the huge drop from the 50 to the 34. On my double and my triple dropping down to the 39 or 40 really is not an issue, meaning good chainline and no double shifting front and rear at the same time.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

It seems like I've got the Shimano Tourney chainset (not a clue whether this is good or bad)

It would appear the only Tourney double chainset is a compact of 50/34. There is nothing wrong with Tourney parts and I see no reason to replace it until it wears out. My previous recommendation applies.

 

[youngoldbloke]

It seems like I've got the Shimano Tourney chainset (not a clue whether this is good or bad)

IF it is a 50/34 double chainset there is no need to change it! IF you have a Claris rear mech you can fit a 11-32 cassette. This will give you a bottom gear only slightly higher than a standard road bike triple with 30T front and 30T back. (29" against 27"). IF you have Claris rear and a Tourney 50/34 compact all this talk of 2300 does not apply.
edit - you beat me to it RAfromN!

 

[Usmaan Jamil]

Thanks for all the help