help needed with upgrades

[The big lad]

Hi,

I am totally new to road biking and recently bought a specialized allez sport 18. I'm starting to slightly regret the decision and wish i'd have got the 27 speed version as I'm struggling a tad with some of the steeper climbs in the area.
Is there an easy way I can get this granny gear without massive expense?? the current gears are shimano sora.

also , I'm looking to upgrade the wheels on the bike.
I,ve been looking at carbon wheels on e bay (mainly from china) , will these wheels fit my bike? and if so can anyone tell me if they are any good??

sorry if these questions are simple.

Thanks in advance

TBL

 

[Sittingduck]

Is it a compact chainset (34 teeth on small ring and 50 on large)? or 39-52 or something?




Edit: either way you could switch the cassette to something with a larger large sprocket. Something like 11-28 works very well and gives a lower first gear, for those steep hills. if you do get a new cassette then you need a new chain at the same time BTW (they wear together).

 

[The big lad]

Hi, Thanks for your reply,

My current gearing is a 34 small and a 25 on the cassette. Will changing to a 28 on the cassette make much difference?
is changing to a triple a big expense?

Can anyone help me with the wheels?

Thanks,

TBL

 

[Smokin Joe]

A 28t sprocket will make a huge difference, an extra three teeth at the back is a lot.

Chinese carbon wheels from ebay? They'll fit your bike and the hubs need to be Shimano compatible, but it's very much a case of buyer beware. They might be great, they might not.

For a new roadie carbon wheels do seem a bit of a savage upgrade, i'd be tempted to look for a good quality conventional set from an established manufacturer first.

 

[Sittingduck]

I went from 34-25 lowest to 34-28 lowest in the spring and it brings the bottom gear down from about 36 inches to 31, which is a welcome change, for biggish climbs. Depends how bad a climber you are, really. I am awful, so appreciate the lower gear more than most.