Need more granny gears? Help a newbie please :-)

[louf24]

Hi guys, I posted on here awhile ago when trying to decide on a bike. I ended up keeping the Croix de fer 20 (medium). I do like it, have been out most days but am feeling like a need more granny gears. On long hills I'm finding it a struggle and am now a bit worried as I'm going on a 400km trip across Austria/Italy later this year and don't think I'll cope with hills once the bike is loaded up. I have also experienced aching in my knees for the first time ever (despite having cycled a lot previously). Problem is, I don't know the first thing about what I need, what my bike can take, or anything else.

If anyone can offer some advice in layman's terms I'd be really grateful. Have added a couple of photos of what I currently have. Hopefully it's clear enough, bike is a bit filthy after some muddy lanes yday.

I also have a few other things that I'm trying to figure out in case anyone can suggest anything:

1. Brakes are shocking, to the point that I am extra careful going downhill as have no confidence in them. They also seem a bit stiff, like I have to really squeeze the lever to get them to work and even when squeezing very hard, they don't offer enough braking.

2. Sometimes when changing from the big to small on the front chainring, it's like I push the lever and it doesn't 'catch'. I have to click it 2 or 3 times until it clicks and changes gear. This happens about 50% of the time.

3. Comparing this bike to a much newer Croix de fer 20 that I've ridden, the gear levers are really stiff and don't change as smoothly. When changing up on the front chainring, it takes most of my strength to push the lever.

Any advice/tips or knowledge greatly appreciated. Really want to get this all sorted before going away

 

[louf24]

pics of the brakes and stiff/intermittant lever.

 

[vickster]

Have you changed the brake and gear cables? Adjusted the brakes, easy with TRP Spyres, just use a small Allen key in the adjustment hole on both sides of the calipers, turn gently, check, adjust again if need a bit more, quite easy to over tighten.
Maybe you need new brake pads too?
if you’re not sure, stick it through your LBS for brake, gear, cable service
Personally I like cross lever secondary brakes on my bikes, the advantage of mechanical shifters and brakes. Gives me more confidence as I don’t have super big hands (I don’t get on with Shimano at all fwiw).
ref the gearing, what’s on there at the mo? Count the teeth on the largest and smallest cogs for starters

 

[Ajax Bay]

My tip is: do a long trip in UK fairly soon, "loaded up".
Your post does make you sound unprepared, knowledge-wise. As @vickster recommends, I suggest you take advantage of your nearest local bike shop.
If the brakes are "shocking" I advise you not to ride the bike one mile more. TRP Spyres are among the best cable operated disc brakes on the market. Wrt stiffness, a good dousing of WD40 into the STI bodies may help.
I assume the cassette is a 11-32 and is 11sp.
The best way to get lower gears is to replace the chainset (current one looks like a compact 50-34) with one with smaller chainrings - H2 BB.
Some people have reported that shorter cranks have reduced their knee pain. But mostly lower gears (and therefore increased cadence and lower force through the knees ceteris paribus).

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Hi guys, I posted on here awhile ago when trying to decide on a bike. I ended up keeping the Croix de fer 20 (medium). I do like it, have been out most days but am feeling like a need more granny gears. On long hills I'm finding it a struggle and am now a bit worried as I'm going on a 400km trip across Austria/Italy later this year and don't think I'll cope with hills once the bike is loaded up. I have also experienced aching in my knees for the first time ever (despite having cycled a lot previously). Problem is, I don't know the first thing about what I need, what my bike can take, or anything else.

If anyone can offer some advice in layman's terms I'd be really grateful. Have added a couple of photos of what I currently have. Hopefully it's clear enough, bike is a bit filthy after some muddy lanes yday.

I also have a few other things that I'm trying to figure out in case anyone can suggest anything:

1. Brakes are shocking, to the point that I am extra careful going downhill as have no confidence in them. They also seem a bit stiff, like I have to really squeeze the lever to get them to work and even when squeezing very hard, they don't offer enough braking.

2. Sometimes when changing from the big to small on the front chainring, it's like I push the lever and it doesn't 'catch'. I have to click it 2 or 3 times until it clicks and changes gear. This happens about 50% of the time.

3. Comparing this bike to a much newer Croix de fer 20 that I've ridden, the gear levers are really stiff and don't change as smoothly. When changing up on the front chainring, it takes most of my strength to push the lever.

Any advice/tips or knowledge greatly appreciated. Really want to get this all sorted before going away

I feel for you.

A bike can seem terribly complicated when we don't know what's going on.
And when we do know know what's going on we may not have the skills to change things.
But we can acquire the knowledge and enough of the skills that we can save ourselves some money.

I'm a big fan of YouTube for teaching us about bike maintenance, especially Calvin (I hope I got his name right!) in the Park Tool videos. It may take a while, but even the most inept of us (me!) can struggle through.

However, brakes are important so, in this case a trip to the local bike shop may be in order.

As for the gearing, in simple terms the bigger the number of teeth on the rear cassette paired with the smallest number of teeth on the front is the easiest to pedal uphill.
Changing those can be complicated by the front derailleur (not being able to 'jump' between a smaller front ring and the bigger one and the rear derailleur not being 'long' enough if you increase the size of the large sprocket.
Again, your LBS should be able to advise.

For general knowledge about all things bike related the late, great Sheldon Brown is not a bad place to start.

I set off on my first bike adventure with no puncture kit - I didn't know how to fix a puncture so I didn't see any point in buying one! I don't necessarily recommend that route but I've done a few more adventures on my bike and one of the great comforts was understanding my bike and being able to carry our basic maintenance far from home. I think it's well worth the investment in time.
Another thing I learned is that there is no granny gear too big for a loaded cyclist. Or at least me!

Best of luck to you.

 

[ianrauk]

Needs a bloody good clean first and foremost.

 

[louf24]

Have you changed the brake and gear cables? Adjusted the brakes, easy with TRP Spyres, just use a small Allen key in the adjustment hole on both sides of the calipers, turn gently, check, adjust again if need a bit more, quite easy to over tighten.
Maybe you need new brake pads too?
if you’re not sure, stick it through your LBS for brake, gear, cable service
Personally I like cross lever secondary brakes on my bikes, the advantage of mechanical shifters and brakes. Gives me more confidence as I don’t have super big hands (I don’t get on with Shimano at all fwiw).
ref the gearing, what’s on there at the mo? Count the teeth on the largest and smallest cogs for starters

Thanks for your reply, I haven't done anything with the cables at all. I was hoping for some advice where to start on here and then will consult youtube for further instructions 😅 I have been cycling as a casual hobby for years but my knowledge is a lot worse than it should be! I am keen to learn though as don't like the idea of being stuck out somewhere with no one to help. Are the cross lever brakes complicated/expensive to fit? I also do like the idea of them. My hands are not huge either and sometimes feel it's a stretch to reach them from the drops (also not sure that's right - first bike I've had with drop bars!)

The largest cog on the front has 50 teeth and smallest at the back has 11.

 

[louf24]

My tip is: do a long trip in UK fairly soon, "loaded up".
Your post does make you sound unprepared, knowledge-wise. As @vickster recommends, I suggest you take advantage of your nearest local bike shop.
If the brakes are "shocking" I advise you not to ride the bike one mile more. TRP Spyres are among the best cable operated disc brakes on the market. Wrt stiffness, a good dousing of WD40 into the STI bodies may help.
I assume the cassette is a 11-32 and is 11sp.
The best way to get lower gears is to replace the chainset (current one looks like a compact 50-34) with one with smaller chainrings - H2 BB.
Some people have reported that shorter cranks have reduced their knee pain. But mostly lower gears (and therefore increased cadence and lower force through the knees ceteris paribus).

Hi, thanks, I had planned to do the Devon C2C again with the bike loaded once I'd sorted a few things (most importantly the brakes). Remembering the hills and heat from last year, I think it will be a very good test. I have been in the lowest gear lately going up some hills nearby and this is when I've been encountering knee pain and feeling it's a bit too strenuous. It's not a general fitness issue as my fitness is good but my strength still needs some improvement 😆 I've also got a 'crunchy' knee so am a bit scared about putting too much strain on it as I'm only 36 and need to preserve my knees for future years of adventures.

Current chainset is 50-34, sorry for the ignorance but what is H2 BB? How can I find out what will be compatible with my bike?
Really appreciate the help I've had on here. One day I might know what I'm talking about!

 

[louf24]

I feel for you.

A bike can seem terribly complicated when we don't know what's going on.
And when we do know know what's going on we may not have the skills to change things.
But we can acquire the knowledge and enough of the skills that we can save ourselves some money.

I'm a big fan of YouTube for teaching us about bike maintenance, especially Calvin (I hope I got his name right!) in the Park Tool videos. It may take a while, but even the most inept of us (me!) can struggle through.

However, brakes are important so, in this case a trip to the local bike shop may be in order.

As for the gearing, in simple terms the bigger the number of teeth on the rear cassette paired with the smallest number of teeth on the front is the easiest to pedal uphill.
Changing those can be complicated by the front derailleur (not being able to 'jump' between a smaller front ring and the bigger one and the rear derailleur not being 'long' enough if you increase the size of the large sprocket.
Again, your LBS should be able to advise.

For general knowledge about all things bike related the late, great Sheldon Brown is not a bad place to start.

I set off on my first bike adventure with no puncture kit - I didn't know how to fix a puncture so I didn't see any point in buying one! I don't necessarily recommend that route but I've done a few more adventures on my bike and one of the great comforts was understanding my bike and being able to carry our basic maintenance far from home. I think it's well worth the investment in time.
Another thing I learned is that there is no granny gear too big for a loaded cyclist. Or at least me!

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for your kind reply, it's sometimes a bit daunting coming on forums like this not knowing much for fear of being laughed at! But got to start somewhere. I don't want to just blindly take it to a shop and have them fix it as then I'll never learn. Totally appreciate their value though and will definitely be heading to the LBS with the brakes and once I have a vague idea of what I want to do and how it might be acheived. I've been cycling for years, spent my childhood in Arizona biking all over but really my knowledge is definitely lacking. I can repair a puncture, change a stem, adjust basic things on my 'old' bike and have a basic bike multitool but outside of that I'm pretty clueless! I've also had the same bike for years, never had disc brakes, drop bars etc until now so it all seems a bit different. My main concern actually isn't can I make it up the hill but damaging my knees, I am not adverse to walking up a hill if the bike is loaded and too hard but the crunching sound my knee makes concerns me and the docs don't seem to want to know as it's not painful 🤷‍♀️ I'm super active and it would destroy me if I ended up with a knee that didn't work in a few years 😬

 

[Punkawallah]

I suspect a lot would depend on your budget?
If you are struggling with knee pain on hills, it might be resolved with a bike-fit, where someone looks at your bike, and your riding position, and then gives you feedback on what, if anything, you can adjust/change for best results. This might include a different set of rings on your ‘pedal/crank/spindle’ arrangement at the front to make pedalling easier, with the trade off being a slower top speed.
Brake/gear-wise I’d certainly be inclined to have a word with your local bike shop. It’s easier to see what a problem is with the bike there in front of you :-)
Good luck!

 

[Ajax Bay]

How long are the cranks? You are 5'10" (same as me) so 170mm is 'normal'.
H2-BB is (my) abbreviation for a Hollowtech 2 bottom bracket which is what the (24mm) spindle of your 105 chainset rotates in.
Any replacement chainset needs to use the same BB or you'd need to replace the BB at the same time (easy to do with simple tool).
I think the CdF has a threaded BB shell.
The 'knee aching' thing is probably a seat height issue rather than gearing if you haven't had the issue before. @Punkawallah has suggested a bike fit but I think you should try to get things roughly right first. I'd get in touch with a local cycling club and find someone who you can ride over to and they can give simple advice (eg sit on seat and heel on pedal).

 

[DRM]

Regarding the brakes, I think your going to have to try adjusting the pads first, iirc it's a 3mm allen key, however TRP used a thread locking fluid on the grub screws used to adjust the pads, that are on both sides of the caliper, at the bottom of the arched part the cable pulls, because of the threadlock you should use a top quality allen key, as you don't want a cheap one to round the inside of the grub screw making it impossible to move, now when it starts to move it will go with a sudden crack, after that they will turn easily, I've found that a piece thin card (Cereal box) cut in a finger shape is about right to give the correct clearance between pad and disc, you should also centre the caliper to the disc, do this by loosening the two mounting bolts on each caliper, apply the brakes and tighten the mounting bolts up, then release the brakes, you may have to fine tune the brake pad clearances after this step, don't forget your bike may also need new pads, this adjustment should be done as the pads wear, to take up the increased pad/disc gap over time
for the rear derailleur cable, go through the rear gears from the largest cog to smallest, but don't pedal, this will make the cable go slack, release the short piece of outer cable, and slide it up the inner cable, put a smear of grease on the inner where it sits inside the outer cable, then put the outer cable back in place, click back up to the larger cog to tension the cable, this will then prevent sticking at the rear derailleur end of the gear cable.

 

[louf24]

How long are the cranks? You are 5'10" (same as me) so 170mm is 'normal'.
H2-BB is (my) abbreviation for a Hollowtech 2 bottom bracket which is what the (24mm) spindle of your 105 chainset rotates in.
Any replacement chainset needs to use the same BB or you'd need to replace the BB at the same time (easy to do with simple tool).
I think the CdF has a threaded BB shell.
The 'knee aching' thing is probably a seat height issue rather than gearing if you haven't had the issue before. @Punkawallah has suggested a bike fit but I think you should try to get things roughly right first. I'd get in touch with a local cycling club and find someone who you can ride over to and they can give simple advice (eg sit on seat and heel on pedal).

They are 170mm also. Thanks for explaining I'm not sure it's a seat height issue as I'm pretty sure I've got it just right now. Do you know if it could be related to the forward/backward position of the saddle? That's the only thing I can think that is much different in positioning to my old bike, other than that bike has longer cranks (180cm), but after a quick google, it seems that longer cranks are likely to make those issues worse not better so don't think that's relevant. My knee has also become more 'crunchy' in the last 6 monthsor so, so perhaps it's actually not specific to the bike and more down to my knee and increase in time spent cycling!

 

[louf24]

Regarding the brakes, I think your going to have to try adjusting the pads first, iirc it's a 3mm allen key, however TRP used a thread locking fluid on the grub screws used to adjust the pads, that are on both sides of the caliper, at the bottom of the arched part the cable pulls, because of the threadlock you should use a top quality allen key, as you don't want a cheap one to round the inside of the grub screw making it impossible to move, now when it starts to move it will go with a sudden crack, after that they will turn easily, I've found that a piece thin card (Cereal box) cut in a finger shape is about right to give the correct clearance between pad and disc, you should also centre the caliper to the disc, do this by loosening the two mounting bolts on each caliper, apply the brakes and tighten the mounting bolts up, then release the brakes, you may have to fine tune the brake pad clearances after this step, don't forget your bike may also need new pads, this adjustment should be done as the pads wear, to take up the increased pad/disc gap over time
for the rear derailleur cable, go through the rear gears from the largest cog to smallest, but don't pedal, this will make the cable go slack, release the short piece of outer cable, and slide it up the inner cable, put a smear of grease on the inner where it sits inside the outer cable, then put the outer cable back in place, click back up to the larger cog to tension the cable, this will then prevent sticking at the rear derailleur end of the gear cable.

Thanks that's really helpful, think I'll go and watch a video on adjusting the brakes to see it being done and then give it a go! Also thanks for the heads up about the allen key! Already had a nightmare trying to get a bolt out to fit my mudguards as it was totally rounded off (not by me!) Gave up in the end and hubby eventually managed with some pliers and a lot of swearing 😆

 

[Gillstay]

Needs a bloody good clean first and foremost.

I wouldn't consider that dirty, unless I was riding around the front room.