What to do... aluminium or carbon?

[vickster]

Both are doubles (compact 50/34), although there are difference with the cassettes – 11-32 on the SRAM might be of benefit if things get hilly, although my commute is mostly flat. My Flight is Sora triple (30/42/52) with 12-25 at the rear, but I rarely use the smallest ring, and can't quite maintain big ring + smallest cog... I mostly find myself plodding along at 18-22mph in 50F/15R (6th) or 42F/13R (7th) these days, although I'm using the big ring much more than I used to 6 months ago.

And this is where you lost me - the only thing I know about gears is whether I can turn the pedals comfortably (especially as I have a gammy knee) and make some sort of progress

 

[mrmacmusic]

And this is where you lost me - the only thing I know about gears is whether I can turn the pedals comfortably (especially as I have a gammy knee) and make some sort of progress

Sorry

My current rear cassette is 8-speed with 11-25 teeth, and my chainset a triple with 30, 42 and 52 teeth, and most of the time I'll be in the middle ring and 6th or 7th at the back, although I find on a good day I'm fine shifting up to the big ring

Ultimately, the 11-32 SRAM Apex on the Defy Composite 2 would not only give a wider range of gears than the 105 on the Synapse Carbon (11-28 rear cassette), it would in fact would offer a wider range than my current triple Sora setup! The 105 setup would offer a near identical low gear for hills.

 

[Zakalwe]

You'll lose a few cogs in the middle of the range however. If you rarely ride in the granny gear on your triple I'd say that 34x28 would be plenty low enough.

 

[mrmacmusic]

You'll lose a few cogs in the middle of the range however. If you rarely ride in the granny gear on your triple I'd say that 34x28 would be plenty low enough.

Cheers Zakalwe Actually, I only just looked at a gear calculator today, and was surprised to realise that there's pretty much nothing in it between my current lowest 30x25 and compact gearing 34x28 (gear ratio 1.20 vs 1.21). Yes, I'm rarely in the granny ring, and am quite comfortable climbing the hills on my commute in the middle ring and 3rd or 4th at the back (e.g. 42x21 or 42x19). I'm sure it'll take me a bit of time to get used to the compact though!

 

[Sittingduck]

34-50 with 11-28 at the back is a great setup, imho. Plenty of range and not too many big jumps. I would take 105 over Apex, any day of the week.

 

[mrmacmusic]

34-50 with 11-28 at the back is a great setup, imho. Plenty of range and not too many big jumps. I would take 105 over Apex, any day of the week.

Cheers

Am I right in presuming that you shouldn't use all 10 gears for both chainset rings because it'll deflect the chain too much – i.e. perhaps gears 1-7 on the 34T and 4-10 on the 50T chainring..?

 

[Zakalwe]

Avoiding the extreme opposite ends is good practice generally, to avoid sideways stress on the chain and to go easy on the jockey wheels. With Shimano and Campy front mechs you can "trim" the derailleur, make slight adjustments to the position and stop the chain rubbing against the derailleur as you get near to the ends.

 

[Sittingduck]

Cheers

Am I right in presuming that you shouldn't use all 10 gears for both chainset rings because it'll deflect the chain too much – i.e. perhaps gears 1-7 on the 34T and 4-10 on the 50T chainring..?

Yes, you're correct. Personally I avoid the 2 largest sprockets, when I'm in the big chainring and the 2 smallest sprockets when in the small chainring. Others will say avoid 3 or 4 sprockets, which I do with a triple but not a dbl.

 

[fuji-stu]

34-50 with 11-28 at the back is a great setup, imho. Plenty of range and not too many big jumps. I would take 105 over Apex, any day of the week.

I have this set up for both my bikes.(compact) works a treat around here not to low geared but just enough to get over the really big lumps around the lakes

 

[mrmacmusic]

Can't you get to an Evans to test ride the Dale and maybe an LBS to try the Giant? Pick the nicest feel?

Didn't make it to Evans, but I did go to a semi-local shop to see and try a Trek Madone 3.5C (2012)...

It looked awesome, felt 'right', and although I only had a short test ride, it was enough to confirm that I really want the Trek!

So, it looks like it's going to be carbon not aluminium after all... I just hope the Boss is happy to get the credit card out tomorrow

I'll need to suss out which mudguards to go for - the Trek has fixings for proper ones (like the SKS Thermoplastics I've currently got on my Flight), but I'm still unsure which 'guards would be the best fit, and if fitted ones would in fact be better than something like Crud Roadracers mkII. Any recommendations??

 

[vickster]

I have Cruds on mine - only ones that fit - they look better on a road bike and are light but frankly they are pretty plasticky and c*** - others will of course disagree. Perhaps the raceblades, I think they are called, sort of in between full guards and the cruds

 

[fuji-stu]

I've tried the cruds but because they go under the brake calliper they never fit properly and always let a bit of spray squeeze past and soak me so I now use the SKS race blades they don't go right under the callipers and stay where you put them too there not as light as the cruds but they stop ur arse getting wet

 

[mrmacmusic]

I have Cruds on mine - only ones that fit - they look better on a road bike and are light but frankly they are pretty plasticky and c*** - others will of course disagree. Perhaps the raceblades, I think they are called, sort of in between full guards and the cruds

Thanks Vickster – I've seen a few roadies on my commute with Crud Roacracers mkII, and they look OK but it sounds like they might be, as you put it, a bit c***

However, I'm thinking that since the Trek has got fittings for proper guards, it might be worth going for fitted ones seeing as I'll be riding the bike in all conditions. Despite those fittings though, it looks tight for guards, more-so at the front... even the narrowest SKS 35mm ones might need a bit of jiggery-pokery to get them fitted I think.

 

[mrmacmusic]

I've tried the cruds but because they go under the brake calliper they never fit properly and always let a bit of spray squeeze past and soak me so I now use the SKS race blades they don't go right under the callipers and stay where you put them too there not as light as the cruds but they stop ur arse getting wet

Thanks for that fuji-stu – from what I'd read, race blades see to move about a bit at the slightest bump in the road, although that's maybe down to the fitting, since it sounds like yours stay put

I like the look of the SKS Race Blade Longs... they would appear to be able to clip on and off if required, but still have a secure fixing and offer full coverage. Any thoughts on those anyone?!

 

[Sittingduck]

I used Crud road race for ages on my commuter. They work perfectly well