Consumables and upgrades for my Roubaix?

[Dadam]

I bought a Spesh Roubaix on the forum in 2024. Lovely bike but ashamed to admit I've hardly ridden it, and not at all this year. When I got it I did a very basic service, basically sanding the pad faces where they'd hardened from lack of use, cleaning and lubing the drivetrain and generally making sure that things operated.

I want to fettle it a bit more with the aim to ride it more this year. New pads, new cables (especially brake ones), ideally new cassette with a lower bottom gear.

Shifting is fine, braking seems fine though the cable pull feels gritty. Unusually for this forum I'm very used to the feel of hydraulic brakes and totally unused to rim brakes! The brakes do stop well but need more pull than the hydro discs, I imagine that's to be expected but I'm sure the smoothness of the pull could be improved. The levers almost feel like there's 4 or 5 mini stops before the pads bite.

It's got 10 speed 105 brifters and derailleur, 11-30 cassette, Tiagra 50/34 chainset and calipers. Cables are labelled Jagwire CEX.

What pads should I get?
What's the right kind of cable?
What's the largest cassette I can fit without changing the rear mech?

 

[88robb]

Pads: Get SwissStop BXP or Kool-Stop salmon for alloy rims.
Cables: Use full Shimano 105/Ultegra kit, housing and all. Jagwire Elite is a good aftermarket choice.
Cassette: With your 105 10-speed RD, you can likely fit a 32T. A 34T might be a stretch but sometimes works. Try it. That gives you a 34x34 low gear.

 

[Dadam]

Thanks. I'd already ordered Kool Stop salmon pads last night. I'll look into the cables but first might just try lubing the calipers and the levers.

RD is marked RD-5701 but there's nothing on it to indicate whether it's a SS or GS cage. Ideally I want at least 1:1 low gear, it's hilly round here and I'm a rubbish climber. I have another bike with Tiagra 10sp and a 50/34 - 11-34, which is what I'm aiming for. The internet is contradictory on what it can take but 34 seems to be pushing it.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

might just try lubing the calipers and the levers.

Very unlikely to help.

Lubing the cable outers (squirt wd40 inside) far more likely to have an effect.

 

[Dadam]

Is this a short cage or medium? I really can't tell. It just has RD 5701 stamped on the back of the mech, nothing on the cage

 

[Jameshow]

Looks a medium to me short cage the jockey wheels are on top of each other.

 

[Dadam]

I've just had a SG500 11-34 cassette and 2 Tiagra chains delivered. I realise the 34 might not fit the Roubaix, but worst case it will be a spare for my Felt VR40 which has the exact same cassette. However my plan is to first try the 34 on my Orbea Gain which has a RD-4700 and currently 11-32 so should be ok with 34, and to try the 32 on the Roubaix.

My question now is, without potentially sacrificing a chain, how do I find out what will work? Although all 3 bikes have the same size front rings, the chainstays are different lengths so the chains won't necessarily be the right size.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

IIRC GS (medium) cages have 80mm+ between the pulley axles and will have an official capacity of ~39T.

Capacity is (large chainring - small chainring) + (large sprocket - small socket).

11-34 should work with a GS cage is you have usual 16T spacing between chainrings eg. 34/50 or 30/46.

You might need a new chain (which might not be a bad idea anyway with a new cassette), or alternatively, add a tiny bit of chain with quicklinks.

 

[Dadam]

Thanks, I'm 99% sure now it's a SS cage. Distance between axles is about 60mm.

I had some time this afternoon and it was damp and miserable so I didn't fancy a ride. I put the new 34 on the Orbea. That seemed to work fine with the extra 2 teeth though I haven't given it a test ride yet. So when I get chance I'll try the 32 from that on the Roubaix.