Gear Set...

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swiftylee

Senior Member
hi all looking for some advice....

have built a giant propel and went for me first ride....

hated it i have to say???

i think i have got the gearing wrong 11/25 on rear 53/39 on front...

i find it too hard for climbing the steep hills and this is not due to fitness.

so what do i do?

do i changed the rear cassette, crank, both

helpppppp
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
It is to do with fitness. It's just you are not as fit as others that can turn such gears, and no shame in that.
You can either get a wider range cassette or you can get a compact chainset.
 

Broadside

Guru
Location
Fleet, Hants
thanks ian so what should i go for...

52/36 crank sounds good but what cassette
I would try a new cassette before swapping the chain set out. Dependant on the cage size of the rear mech you can go up to 30 or 32 tooth cassette, that will make a big difference, approaching 25% lower gear. The chainset swap will give you approx 10% lower gear, check online gear calculators for the exact figures, that will show you where your money is best spent.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
How hilly? in this county you would get up all of the hills with reasonable fitness on that gearing.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I think is difficult to say that it is just about fitness when you know nothing of the rider.

I have just changed the rear cassette on my Koga Roadchamp. I am 57 and keep myself reasonably fit and am on the bike for at least 36km most days. But I was never going to manage the bike the way it was set up, regardless of however miles I rode.

Changing the rear cassette was the cheapest option and worked very well for me.
 
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huwsparky

Über Member
Location
Llangrannog
How hilly? in this county you would get up all of the hills with reasonable fitness on that gearing.

Most, but maybe not all!
 

shadow master

Well-Known Member
Cheapest option is to change rear cassette to 11/28 or 11/30 no mech change needed, plus you've still got 11t/53t for downhill bits!!! Suggestions of 32\53...!well that needs the chain length from hell!and a mech change! Also you need to set the bike up for hills when you have 39\53 get spinning other wise this ratio quickly stalls!
 

Sittingduck

Legendary Member
Location
Somewhere flat
Jesus, what do people need an 11t sprocket for if they have a 53t front ring? A totally useless ornament unless you race to a good standard (Or like to boast about your max downhill speed).

For a non racing guy a 13 is easily enough.

He's purchased a Giant propel, designed for speed. Chances are if he isn't racing or at least going for fast rides, at some stage he will be...?
 
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