New Cassette ?????????

[Phil485]

Hi All,

I've just posted in the welcome section but I'm now looking for my first bit of advice.
I'm just getting back into Road Cycling after a looong lay off but I'm relatively fit and I've got semi strong legs from sailing.
I have picked up a second hand Trek 1000 bike that I've had since last November time. I'm doing 20 odd miles a couple of times a week and when it gets a bit lighter I'll start commuting again 12 miles ish each way. My rides are averaging about 16- 18 mph. The thing is on the flat or gentle hills I'm in the biggest chainring and I'm working on the three smallest of the cassette sprockets ( terminology is probably a bit lost) cassette is a 26 to 12 T, 8 speed.
I know that generally to get more speed the steps are

1) change the rider / get him to lose a load of weight
2) lighter wheels and tyres
3) other things

but is it worth making changes to the drive train or is this a normal state of affairs? I know surrey/ berks isn't the Alps but I've not yet had to go down to the granny ring. Cadence sensor arrives in a couple of days so I'll be able to check what I'm spinning in the big gears.

any suggestions??

 

[Rob3rt]

Are you saying you are riding in large chainring (how many teeth? 50? 53?) and the 12t cog at the back often?

 

[Phil485]

Large chainring (need to pop to the garage to check size) , but probably the 15 or 13 most of the time on the flattish stuff then onto the 12 for any downhill stuff.

 

[Rob3rt]

If you are riding in those gears and only averaging 16-18mph, your cadence must be low. For 90 rpm in those gears you should be cruising at 24-27mph, 29-30mph in the 12t. This is assuming you run a compact chainset, i.e. big ring with 50t, if you run a standard double, 53t big ring, then the speeds would be even higher. I understand you say average, but I would imagine someone who cruises at 24-27mph would be averaging above 16-18mph over 20ish miles.

 

[MattHB]

an average of 16-18 is still not shabby though! no matter what your cadence is

 

[Phil485]

Cheers Matt, its tricky riding by yourself. Couple of the guys at work mountain bike but I'm the only roady.
Looks like I just need to spin faster!!
This was this morning http://app.strava.com/activities/35300033
24 mph is a distant dream for cruising so I must have low cadence. hopefully my cadence sensor will arrive before the weekend and I can see how I'm doing.

 

[Phil485]

for the record, its a 50T on a triple, not sure what the other two smaller ones are.

 

[Phil485]

Well fitted the cadence sensor and went for a ride today. As Rob3Rt says, I was probably spinning those gears in the high 60's. I tried to keep my cadence in the high 80's and early 90's through this last ride. My legs feel like they have done a lot more work, but I have got a load of PR's on Strava so it must work.
Cheers for the advice. Must spin faster and work up to those big gears again!!

 

[black'n'yellow]

I know that generally to get more speed the steps are

1) change the rider / get him to lose a load of weight
2) lighter wheels and tyres
3) other things

If by 'other things' you mean improved aerobic fitness, then you would be correct.

 

[Phil485]

I really meant upgrading the drivetrain, but I can see aerobic fitness as being pretty up there,

 

[YIMan]

Isn't Aerobic fitness improvement in 1) Change the rider/get him to lose weight........

 

[black'n'yellow]

Isn't Aerobic fitness improvement in 1) Change the rider/get him to lose weight........

could be...

 

[geo]

Can anybody who understands the gearing better than me please help. I am looking to change my wheels and will therefore need a new rear cassette. I currently ride a compact (not sure of exact gearing !! ). With my intention to take my bike to France this year for a couple of the tour climbs, can anybody offer advice on which cassette I should consider ? I find the 11-23, 11-27,11-28 etc quite confusing, thanks.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Well fitted the cadence sensor and went for a ride today. As Rob3Rt says, I was probably spinning those gears in the high 60's. I tried to keep my cadence in the high 80's and early 90's through this last ride. My legs feel like they have done a lot more work, but I have got a load of PR's on Strava so it must work.
Cheers for the advice. Must spin faster and work up to those big gears again!!

Ironically your legs probably haven't even done more work - just used slightly different muscles. Grinding the gears with a slower cadence uses more leg muscles than spinning the high gears - it shifts the empathsis to cardio instead. Give it a week, and it'll most likely end up feeling easier on your legs (and definitely your knees) than grinding at 60 ever did!

 

[Rob3rt]

Can anybody who understands the gearing better than me please help. I am looking to change my wheels and will therefore need a new rear cassette. I currently ride a compact (not sure of exact gearing !! ). With my intention to take my bike to France this year for a couple of the tour climbs, can anybody offer advice on which cassette I should consider ? I find the 11-23, 11-27,11-28 etc quite confusing, thanks.

What is confusing about it?

If you want to go up hills easier, then a larger rear sprocket is desirable. Compact chainsets have a 50t big ring and a 34t inner ring, so your easiest gear is going to be 34:23, 34:27 or 34:28, with the 34:28 being the easiest gear, so easiest to climb hills with, but a waste of time having those easier ratios if you can go up the hills in a bigger gear. However, as all of the proposed cassettes start at 11t, then the gaps between the gears is going to become larger the higher the biggest cog which will mean it is harder to fine tune the gearing on the flat. It is a compromise.