Touring gears dilemma

[snorri]

Or should I think about other options?

Almost every tour I have been on has been interupted by visits to bike shops along the way to have worn out Shimano parts replaced. I think Rohloff must be a better option.

 

[Danny]

Almost every tour I have been on has been interupted by visits to bike shops along the way to have worn out Shimano parts replaced. I think Rohloff must be a better option.

Hmm...I'm not sure if I was wanting quite such radical options!

I'm no great fan of Shimano, but the Deore changers on my current bike have lasted for years and stood up to quite a lot of abuse.

 

[Danny]

My gut reaction would be to go with the 26-36-48 chainset, but with a tighter cassette. I'm using a 24-38-48 chainset with an 8 speed 13-26, and I can vouch that this will get a lardy fatboy up Ventoux without totally losing the will to live.

How much stuff were you carrying with you though?

Your setup sounds close to what I have on my current bike. I find it is fine when I am not riding with panniers, but I know when I am fully laden there have been times when I definitely would welcome a lower gear.

 

[Amanda P]

Almost every tour I have been on has been interupted by visits to bike shops along the way to have worn out Shimano parts replaced.

Unless it's a truly epic tour, and parts wear out during the course of a round-the-world trip, it's usually best to replace the worn-out parts before setting off.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I sympathise with your problem. My lowest is 26/34 and there are times when it could be lower. Because the rear cassette comes with an 11 tooth, the top is 48/11, which I may have used, but I don't think I wold miss it if it weren't there. My days of 'having' to overtake coaches on Alpine descents are over. I now only do it if I really want to.

I do have a 12/28 cassette which I use for unloaded touring and have toyed with getting a TA chainset to use with this and give me the 20 -100 inch range I would use, but with better spacing.

It's that 11 tooth that is the real joker - they're only there to give mountainbikers an 'over drive top' with compact chainsets, but they are awkwardly spaced and effectively reduce a 9 speed cassette to 8 useable gears for tourists.

I've never had anything wear out on Tour, except brake blocks.

 

[Kirstie]

I have used both set ups on my tourer ie:

26-36-48 touring chainset with 11- 32 mtb cassette
and
22-32-42 mtb chainset with 11 - 28 road cassette

I definitely, without reservation, prefer the latter. It's not actually because of the ratios either, it's because there are smaller gaps between the gears which is much much better for riding on the road. With the bigger mtb cassette the difference between the gears was much too great for me.

 

[snorri]

, it's usually best to replace the worn-out parts before setting off.

I have to live up to the thrifty Scot reputation, and cannot replace parts until they are worn out. , this usually seems to happen during a tour. I am particularly averse to the Shimano dirty tricks department which insists you replace your pedal cranks at the same time as the front cog is replaced. How many people have worn out their pedal cranks?

 

[Amanda P]

Ah, now a really thrifty Scot would replace the bits that are about to wear out before setting off, then put the almost worn-out ones back on on his return, and wear them out properly before putting the nearly-new ones back on once more when the old ones finally had no life left in them.

 

[Danny]

I have used both set ups on my tourer ie:

26-36-48 touring chainset with 11- 32 mtb cassette
and
22-32-42 mtb chainset with 11 - 28 road cassette

I definitely, without reservation, prefer the latter. It's not actually because of the ratios either, it's because there are smaller gaps between the gears which is much much better for riding on the road. With the bigger mtb cassette the difference between the gears was much too great for me.

Thanks - it is helpful to hear from someone who has had experience of both types of setup.

And since you always look scarily fit on you avatar I think I'll avoid going for higher gears.

 

[Amanda P]

Note to self: change avatar to something fitter-looking...

 

[Danny]

Note to self: change avatar to something fitter-looking...

No offence but your avatar makes you look like you've just risen from the dead

 

[Danny]

To add to my confusion about gears, when I was in my LBS the other day one of the staff told me I shouldn't be using the big chain ring with the second biggest cog, nor the little chain ring with the second smallest cog, as both of these would cause excessive wear.

I always thought the "rule" was avoid large chain ring to largest rear cog, and small chain ring to smallest rear cog.

Is my LBS right? If so this quite significantly reduces the number of usable gears

 

[Kirstie]

I'd definitely recommend a 22 granny ring or lower. My friend who is a seasoned tourer runs a 20tooth granny ring on his - he says its only for emergencies but it will get you up anything in wales or the west country, particularly if you are fully loaded front and back.