Changing a Campagnolo Cassette

[JimboJames1972]

Hi All,
I have recently acquired a Genesis Equilibrium 20 bike. It's great, a really nice ride, but I am considering tweaking the gear ratios that come as standard to something more suitable for my usual riding.

It comes with a Veloce 13-29 cassette. I spend the majority of my riding on the middle range cogs, 17t and 19t mainly (mostly flat riding, moderate pace, few hills). I simply have no real need for any of the gods right at the upper and lower limits of the cassette, I could live perfetly happily without the very biggest and lowest cogs. The problem is though that I usually find the 17t cog too tall to push for long, even in the flat. However, the 19t cog is too short and my feet spin out easilly.

What I need is an 18t cog. Simples?

I'm considering either buying a complete 12-23 Veloce cassette (assuming that it has my desired 18t cog). My other alternative is to dismantle the standard cassette, swap in a 18t cog and ditch one of the bigger cogs (not sure which one yet).

Any suggestions as to the best method?

Thanks,

J

 

[winjim]

Replace the whole thing, it's less faff. 10sp Veloce 12-23 has 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23.

13-26 also has an 18 on it.

I have to say, you're very precise about the gearing you want.

 

[JimboJames1972]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll see what my LBS can get hold of, or I will dig around in line. If I go for the 12-23 I'll be dropping the smallest cog size (13t to 12t) will I have to change my lock ring or chain length too?

Yes, perhaps I am being a bit over-precise about the gearing I'm after. However, it really is pretty flat around here so I never really need the bigger cogs. Also my fitness is probably not up to what most members here have. It's getting better though and I'm hoping that as it does so my comfort ranges for gearing will increase too.

I'll get onto that cassette...

J

 

[raleighnut]

You can get a 14-23 in Centaur, that's a true 'corncob' but I went for the 12-23 on my Campagnolo equipped bike (the 'Handbuilt' 653 frame that has no frame numbers and no-one knows who made it)

 

[JimboJames1972]

Cassette bought and fitted. I went for a 13-26 in the end because it was all my LBS had on the shelf.

Now I have my 18t cog and all seems fine - the cogs I seem to spend the majority of my time in are there, and having the ratios so close means that flipping from one to the other is really smooth. I realise that others may disagree, but for me it is pretty much perfect :-)

The only thing I am still considering is getting my chain line straighter. I know, I'm being over- fussy again (perhaps), and I realise that it is probably more important to do this on a single-speed or fixie setup, but if I get it sorted out it will clear my head a bit. At the moment the 17,18,19 cogs that I live in are too far 'up' the cassette and the chain bends a fair amount from them to the big ring at the front. My plan is to loose the 13t cog off the inside of the cassette and add the 29t from my old cassette back in. That should shift everything thing back down the cassette and get me a straight chain line. Happy days :-)

Thanks for all previous suggestions,

J

 

[youngoldbloke]

Isn't the 13T the one the lockring tightens against with the machined 'ridges' on it?

 

[JimboJames1972]

Ah. Yes. Looks like I've overlooked that. Time to reconsider...

J

 

[raleighnut]

12-23 is the one you want