Would 30 gears be a mistake?

[Brock]

I'm currently looking to treat myself to a shiny new do-everything bicycle and I'm rather taken with the Fahrradmanufaktur T-Randonneur. Is the 10 gear system considerably less reliable/fiddly/durable than 8 or 9 speed?
I fancy something a bit speedier than my old dead tourer, but it'll still be used as commuter/shopper/beer transporter etc.

Would 10 speed be a mistake?

 

[mad al]

I've only recently gone down the 10 speed road and found it great. I can't see why there would any more problems than with 8 or 9 speed but maybe a bit further down the road with one may disagree

 

[Crackle]

Current audax is a 10 speed, it requires no more adjustment than my 7 speed mtn bike which is the only comparison I can make.

I like 10 speed close ratio blocks because it means that I can change often to keep my cadence even but I've heard others say, they prefer slightly wider ratios between changes. Either way a 10 speed works well, exactly what ratios suits your riding style only you will know.

 

[gbb]

I'm currently looking to treat myself to a shiny new do-everything bicycle and I'm rather taken with the Fahrradmanufaktur T-Randonneur. Is the 10 gear system considerably less reliable/fiddly/durable than 8 or 9 speed?I fancy something a bit speedier than my old dead tourer, but it'll still be used as commuter/shopper/beer transporter etc.

Would 10 speed be a mistake?

Reliable ?, yes
Fiddly ?, no
Durable ?.....no. Having progressed through 8, 9 to 10 speed systems, the one thing you realise is how less durable 10 speed components are compared to 8 speed.
My old 8 speed Sora clad roadbike...around 6000 miles, only one change of chain and all the chainrings and cassette were still useable.

I noticed when i progressed to 9 speed that the chain didnt last anywhere near as long.

Moved onto 10 speed, i had to replace the chain after one year, its ready for change again and the cassettes showing wear, so will want replacing.

It's inevitable in my book. The lighter / smaller the chain, the more it will wear.

But, you get the benefit of a wider range of gears....pro's and cons as always.

 

[John the Monkey]

Gbb is spot on.

If durability is a big concern, don't go higher than 8 - 8 speed chains seemingly last forever (and are cheaper). 9 speed (like the Tiagra I have on my tourer and "fast" bike) is less so, and 10 speed less still.

 

[Brock]

Interesting, thanks chaps.
Not sure I get it though. A 10 speed chain is narrower I believe, is that the only difference? If so, why does that result in less durability?

hmmm because the same load is spread across a smaller surface I guess.

Ah well, I can handle a bit of extra maintenance. I even invested in a park tool chain wear gauge last year so that'll come in handy I suppose.

 

[John the Monkey]

Mind you, that's a lovely bike.

Sod it, what's a few more chains a year?

 

[Brock]

Mind you, that's a lovely bike.

Sod it, what's a few more chains a year?

Wow, my very own thoughts... To the letter.
GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

 

[gbb]

Interesting, thanks chaps.
Not sure I get it though. A 10 speed chain is narrower I believe, is that the only difference? If so, why does that result in less durability?

hmmm because the same load is spread across a smaller surface I guess.

Ah well, I can handle a bit of extra maintenance. I even invested in a park tool chain wear gauge last year so that'll come in handy I suppose.

Spot on

 

[rich p]

Are you going to use it as a tourer too? The lowest gear is only 30/25.

 

[John the Monkey]

This is what puts me off;

KMC X 93 chains are what I use;
8 Speed - £9.99 (rrp £11.99)
9 Speed - £14.99 (rrp £15.99)
10 Speed - £24.99 (rrp £29.99) (prices as current on Chain Reaction).

It's not such a big deal on an infrequently used bike, I guess - but an extra tenner per chain on a day in, day out bike like my LHT would worry me, personally.

 

[MacB]

I'd go 8, or even 7 speed for the longevity, but I do have concerns around 'future proofing', choice already seems limited in 9 speed. 10 speed offers all the latest upgrades, close ratios etc but really doesn't match my style of riding.

Tis a very nice bike though

 

[stevew]

Dunno about all them there gears, seem expensive to keep running. Also dunno how much you are spending but i like the look of this http://www.enigmabikes.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=21
Then you could have it built up as you want, that would be nice eh ?
Saw them at the Cycle Show and thought they were rather cool, also they're not far from Kent !!

Just an idea, nothing more.

 

[Brock]

Dunno about all them there gears, seem expensive to keep running. Also dunno how much you are spending but i like the look of this http://www.enigmabikes.com/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=21
Then you could have it built up as you want, that would be nice eh ?
Saw them at the Cycle Show and thought they were rather cool, also they're not far from Kent !!

Just an idea, nothing more.

Gosh, they look lovely.
I decided against a self specced build in favour of the Fahrradmanufaktor because of its catchy name it has all the gear I want as standard.. dynamo hub and lights with wires routed neatly through the frame, cross brakes, a lightweight rack etc.. I know these sound kind of trivial and I could have them fitted on any bike but the amount of decisions I'd have to work through to get the finished article put me off.
I bought one of their T100s for the other half in Germany a couple of years ago, cost about 350 quid I think and it's still going strong after a winter of commuting and over 3000 miles fully loaded touring, so I have a lot of trust in their design and componentry.
They do look lovely though..

 

[MacB]

Gosh, they look lovely.
I decided against a self specced build in favour of the Fahrradmanufaktor because of its catchy name it has all the gear I want as standard.. dynamo hub and lights with wires routed neatly through the frame, cross brakes, a lightweight rack etc.. I know these sound kind of trivial and I could have them fitted on any bike but the amount of decisions I'd have to work through to get the finished article put me off.
I bought one of their T100s for the other half in Germany a couple of years ago, cost about 350 quid I think and it's still going strong after a winter of commuting and over 3000 miles fully loaded touring, so I have a lot of trust in their design and componentry.
They do look lovely though..

very good point on it being fully kitted out, amazing how quickly those little add ons escalate your spend.