Lower gear for Devon hills

[hillstruggler]

Hi - I have just moved to Devon and I'm struggling with the gears that I had for my London commute. I have a Hoy Shizuka 03 hybrid. The smaller chain ring is a 34t and the largest ring in the 10 speed cassette is (I think 27). I don't think I can replace the inner chain ring without replacing the whole crankset as it is 110mm BCD and I think 34t is the smallest you can get for that. So instead can I just swap the cassette for one with a bigger large ring? Will any 10 speed cassette work or is there more I need to know?! Eg is the derailleur matched to the cassette cog sizes or just the fact that there are ten of them? I'm planning on doing it myself so I assume I just need a cassette tool?
Any advice or moral support would be very welcome!
Thanks

 

[roubaixtuesday]

It depends on the specifics of your bike and derailleur but is likely possible.

Here's my experience, from another place.

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=113182

Be certain your chain is long enough to run big-big as if not, inadvertently use of that combo will literally rip everything apart!

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I have an 11-36 on my cargo bike and MTB which are both 10 speed. Little chain rings too.

I moved to Somerset from the flat South East 15ish years ago. YOU adapt too.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Phone sjs or spa (I'd go with the latter). Take advice, proffer credit card, be surprised at how relatively intact it still is if you phone spa. It's as easy as that (said in slight jest, but entirely practically)

 

[Blurb]

You should be able to swap the 10 speed cassette for another 10 speed.
If yours' is an earlier Hoy 2015? a little googling suggests its got a SRAM PG1030 -11-28T. Current model appears to run a SRAM PG1030 11-32.
So you could swap for the 11-32. That should get you up most hills. The key thing will be the rear derailleur's capacity. If it's a long cage you'll have no problem, medium will be tight.
You might also have to add a link to the chain length also (unless you stay off the big ring).
I'd recommend YouTube for "howto" guides.
I've done similar tweaks requiring a simple cassette change, but going from 28 to 32 will need attention to the RD and chain length.
HTH.

 

[Ian H]

I'm in Devon. I sometimes ride fixed, sometimes gears. The touring/audax machine has a triple.
But you do adapt. You discover your climbing muscles and refine your technique for maximum output v. minimum effort.

 

[ChrisEyles]

11-32 on the back with a 34t chain ring should be ample to get you up the hills. I find that below that it's not the gear that's the problem, it's my fitness! But pay heed to what others have said about derailleur capacity, max sprocket size, and chain lenght.

I'm also based in Devon, and use a 28/32 bottom gear on my laden tourer, and a 42/28 bottom gear on my road bike FWIW. Climbing is easier on the road bike despite the higher gear, so bike (and therefore rider) weight also play a part.

 

[hillstruggler]

Thanks for such helpful advice - and so quickly! And you're right Chris - there may just be a fitness element going on here as well. I should also have said - the cycling in North Devon is spectacular. I'll have a play with an 11-32 and try a bit harder!

 

[slowmotion]

Phone sjs or spa (I'd go with the latter). Take advice, proffer credit card, be surprised at how relatively intact it still is if you phone spa. It's as easy as that (said in slight jest, but entirely practically)

Good advice. Spa Cycles have a really good range of chain rings for people like me who are pretty useless on hills.

 

[Dirk]

Another one from Devon here. I'm on the north coast.
As said previously, you do adapt to hills over time.
I run a compact double with a lowest gear of 34/32 on my road bike. That gets me up pretty much anything.

 

[DCBassman]

West Devon/Dartmoor. I actively avoid hills most of the time, but can get up them. 11-34 8 speed, with 52-42-30 ip front. That's still not low enough for me, and the chainset will shrink a bit at some point.

 

[ColinJ]

Good advice. Spa Cycles have a really good range of chain rings for people like me who are pretty useless on hills.

I bought a Stronglight triple from them to use on my tough local climbs. 20-25% is much easier with 48/36/28 than with 53/39!

 

[slowmotion]

I bought a Stronglight triple from them to use on my tough local climbs. 20-25% is much easier with 48/36/28 than with 53/39!

I'll own up to a 50/39/28. I just swapped the smallest chainring on the Shimano 105 with a Stronglight.

 

[ColinJ]

I'll own up to a 50/39/28. I just swapped the smallest chainring on the Shimano 105 with a Stronglight.

I find my 36 tooth middle ring very handy on my local roads. I can climb short steep ramps on it but I can also pedal up to a fairly decent speed so I do a lot of riding on that ring. The 48 is big enough for me. If I raced it wouldn't be but I don't, so it is! I can spin it up to about 56 kph (35 mph) and only go faster than that on extended downhills when I can just freewheel anyway.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I'll own up to a 50/39/28. I just swapped the smallest chainring on the Shimano 105 with a Stronglight.

No need to own up to anything. Twiddling is the new grinding