gearing advice..

[sickboyblue]

I've got a viking roma with 8 speed 12-23t cassette and 42-52t chainset. Even in granny gear it's like dragging a tank up any kind of hill and it's now got to the point where I'm getting put off riding. So, something needs to be changed. As I'm on a tight budget it's either/or rather than both cassette and chain set. Which would you guys recommend?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Notoriously over-geared bike I'm afraid.

Shimano Sora gears iirc, so there is a limit, with the short cage sora rear mech, to what cassettes you can swap to. I suspect 27 teeth would be max straight swap but you may need to lengthen the chain. Shimano or SRAM 8 speed casstte means you'd get change from £20 - £25 if you shop around and can do the work yourself.

Add a longer cage Sora mech and you can have an even lower gear but then your costs will be £40 - £50

Alternatively up front and leaving rear alone by swapping to a compact chainset 50T- 34T will cost you around £50 for shimano but lots of used bargains on fleabay.

Someone like Spa will sell you a stronglight chainset for £60 which is compatible but with lower gears... I think they do a 46/36

 

[midliferider]

That is a very high gear ratio, nearly 2.
You will need to change the both to get a decent gear ratio. But that will involve changing more than just chain set and cassette.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Sora Long Cage (see here ) will let you run something like an 11-32T cassette.

 

[midliferider]

Sora Long Cage (see here ) will let you run something like an 11-32T cassette.

In that case, will he need to change almost the entire group set?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

In that case, will he need to change almost the entire group set?

mlr, I wasn't actually reponding to your post just adding a bit more detail....

I'd have thought it was a choice between simple (well, if you have the skills) swap of rear mech, cassette and lengthen chain
-vs-
compact chainset and shorten chain with latter being slightly more expensive but a lot less hassle to do.

 

[Sharky]

42 x 23 is a 49" gear, which is pretty low and should get you up most hills. Used to ride a 14-18 5 speed block with 42-52 and got up most hills. Was a few years ago though.

My single speed is a 44x17.

There are a few hills around which force me to walk, but mostly I manage.

Keith

 

[GrumpyGregry]

and a quote from the bike radar review of this bike seems appropriate...

"A bike at this price is aimed at novice riders who aren’t likely to be experienced at pushing big gears. Though compact chainsets have become more popular, the Roma has gone completely the other way; its combination of a 12-23T cassette and 42/52T chainset provides the sort of gear range a hardman pro rider would have competed on decades ago. It made even our experienced testers – more used to a compact with its 34T ring and 26T sprocket – struggle up climbs that they normally tackle with ease."

 

[sickboyblue]

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll change the chainset first then the cassette once the current one is worn. As I've not got the tools, skills or confidence to take on a job like that it'll be a visit to the lbs!

 

[MikeW-71]

42 x 23 is a 49" gear, which is pretty low and should get you up most hills.

Not where I live it won't

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I've got a viking roma with 8 speed 12-23t cassette and 42-52t chainset. Even in granny gear it's like dragging a tank up any kind of hill and it's now got to the point where I'm getting put off riding. So, something needs to be changed. As I'm on a tight budget it's either/or rather than both cassette and chain set. Which would you guys recommend?

£26 will buy you all the parts you need, because Shimano road and mtb cable pull standard is the same for rear mechs under 10 speed, for your bike you can get this rear mech, any one of these cassettes, and this chain. Any good bike mechanic home or pro should be able to do the swap in around 15 minutes if your bike is in otherwise good, clean condition.

Personally I am not a fan of changing the chainset when there is a choice. You can reach lower by changing the back, front shifts are agricultural at best in comparison with rear shifts even without big gap between rings, and modifying the front is usually more costly (and don't forget bottom bracket compatibility consideration). Finally cassette and chain are usually more worn and suitable for renewal than chainset.

You should check gear ratio range, gap and duplication in relation to what you have currently with a gear ratio calculator.

 

[jowwy]

42 x 23 is a 49" gear, which is pretty low and should get you up most hills. Used to ride a 14-18 5 speed block with 42-52 and got up most hills. Was a few years ago though.

My single speed is a 44x17.

There are a few hills around which force me to walk, but mostly I manage.

Keith

Come ride the mountains of wales and see how you go on your 42 - 23 gearing.

Not even the pros run those gears, so would an ameteur ride them.

 

[Sharky]

Come ride the mountains of wales and see how you go on your 42 - 23 gearing.

Not even the pros run those gears, so would an ameteur ride them.

My cycling days started on Merseyside in the late 60's. Our club runs in those days often went into North Wales and didn't avoid the hills. Other directions went east over the Cat and north up to Kendle. Hills at Billenge and Frodsham took some strength. I'm not saying a compact with big cassettes won't make it easier on the hills, but in those days I can't recall riding a gear smaller the 42 * 22. It's all we had and we managed and I admit I sometimes walked. A lot of us rode fixed in those days as well - about 66" gears.

Going back to the original posting, if 42*23 on "any kind of a hill" is a problem, I wonder if there is something else to consider before the transmission is changed. I did have a steel frame once that had rusted through in the rear triangle and with each pedal stroke, the frame just twisted and it too felt like a tank.

Cheers
Keith

PS Managed this one today on a 69" single speed
http://veloviewer.com/segment/1054957
Only just though and was passed by a twiddler on a much lower gear, but then I am a VOMIL.

 

[boydj]

Sharky, you have to be pretty fit and light to be able to get up any decent hill in 42x23 - even the pros will have lower gears than that on their bikes and will use them too. That's asking a lot of a relative newcomer