Genesis Croix de Fer

[benb]

It arrived on Friday, and a friend and I went out for a decent ride on Saturday.
I really like it, it's very fast. It will take me a while to get used to riding drop bars - I ached in some new places on Sunday!

My only negative is more to do with me than the bike. I really struggled up steep hills, as the bike has a compact chainset and I'm used to a triple.

Do I persevere with the compact, or swap out the compact for a triple?
If the latter, is it something I can fit myself or should I get the LBS to do it?

Cheers.

 

[seadragonpisces]

I got Shimano Deore gear mechanism put on my Croix De Fer and it works a treat, received my bike last wednesday, much better range of gears, doddle up hills.

 

[benb]

I got Shimano Deore gear mechanism put on my Croix De Fer and it works a treat, received my bike last wednesday, much better range of gears, doddle up hills.

You just changed the chainset right, you didn't change the cassette?

 

[MacB]

You just changed the chainset right, you didn't change the cassette?

I think they meant new rear mech and wider range cassette

 

[benb]

Hmm, so which is the better option:

1. new cassette
2. new chainring
3. both
4. just live with it?

 

[2Loose]

A wider range cassette with a new rear mech would be significantly cheaper than changing chainset and shifters...and I mean significantly...

I did feel the same when I switched from a triple to a compact, but now only the steepest of hills phases me.

 

[seadragonpisces]

Am not an expert but in the words of Ben from Epic I have a mountain bike rear mech and cassette :-).

Sorry cant be more help

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Hmm, so which is the better option:

1. new cassette
2. new chainring
3. both
4. just live with it?

4. You'll soon MTFU.

 

[HLaB]

4) is the best option IMO, persevere and see after a while if you feel the same and if you can't live with it, 1) changing the cassette is the next best option. You could do similar by changing 2) the chainring but in doing so you'll either end up with too big (uncomfortable) a gap between the big and the small chainring or if you change both losing your top gears. 3) both, is just a double whammy :-)

 

[P.H]

I wouldn't do anything based on one ride, but if after a few hundred miles you want lower gears, I'd do what others have suggested and change cassette and mech.

 

[benb]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll stick with it, and see how I go before deciding.

 

[jonathanw]

I put an 11-32 shimano HG50 cassette on my winter wheels for the Croix de Fer. Makes a huge difference to the standard 12-25 especially when toiling uphill fully laden

 

[benb]

I put an 11-32 shimano HG50 cassette on my winter wheels for the Croix de Fer. Makes a huge difference to the standard 12-25 especially when toiling uphill fully laden

Did you have to get a longer rear mech for that? I understood that the max rear cassette you could put on was a 27?
I suppose as long as you don't try and use the larger rear sprockets on the large chainring it should be OK.

 

[Andrew_P]

I went from a Hybrid triple MB gearing to a compact 10-speed, 11-28 tooth. Was a bit of change but love it, I am using in the winter a CX with the wide range SRAM Apex and I really do not like the big spread of ratios, sure I will get used to it but much prefer the closer gearing on the road bike. Not sure this helps but looking back I was spinning really slow at first on the road bike once I got used to spinning 85-90 it really fell into place and that is why the closer gearing I think helps

 

[PpPete]

Did you have to get a longer rear mech for that? I understood that the max rear cassette you could put on was a 27?
I suppose as long as you don't try and use the larger rear sprockets on the large chainring it should be OK.

I think Shimano have upped the official limit to 28 on the lastest medium cage mechs...

However I have an Ultegra 6500 medium cage mech, and I originally went to great lengths to make up a 9 speed 12-30 cassette (because Sheldon said such mechs could be "pushed" to 30 but not 32)

Then, the other day, out of interest, I tried a wheel fitted with an 9 speed 11-32 cassette (that is ultimately destined for a.n.other bike with a Deore long cage mech) Guess what - it worked perfectly.

A lot depends on the exact geometry of your bike. A while back I met someone who had a 10 speed Apex cassette (11-32) working with a medium cage Shimano mech - but he'd had to create a little right angle shim so he could the B screw adjusted right.

One thing you will need if you explore such arcane depths is a longer chain. If you inadvertently go big sprocket/big chainring with a chain that is too short you can jam the entire drive train with noisy and potentially expensive consequences.