Morning folks,

Got some Hill training planned for the next few weeks and I’ve turned my attention to gearing for May.

Currently running the stock 11spd 105 kit that came on my bike which consist of

11-28t 11spd cassette 50/34 shimano 105 chainset.

For a slightly heavier rider who’s not a great climber (I’ve stopped weight lifting and gone on a diet to help) what changes would you recommend to get round the Fred Whitton comfortably?

I was thinking 11-32 cassette and was wandering if it is possible to change just the small chainring for a 32 or 30 of they make them to fit?

smallest available ring on a 4-bolt compact is 34, as I understand it (33t on a 5-bolt).

so 11-32 cassette is the way forward. Shimano spec a medium cage for this but you might be able to squeeze a short cage in, if you’re careful.

34-28 is doable for the Fred, but if you need a proper low gear towards the end then 32 may be better.

Lose weight.

Working on it. Don’t have that much flab to lose. Bulk from decades of weight training not coming off so quick.

In that case. Run the lowest gearing you can. I did it in 2015 and ran 34f-32r. That got me up everything sat down and almost spinning.

Or like the guy I rode into the bottom of hardknot with. Take some cleat covers and start pushing at the cattle grid…

I’ve done it on 34:28 low gear, it was all rideable. Just save a bit in the tank for the end. Most people who end up walking do so either because they’ve gone off like an Elite road race at the start (and especially on the A66 section into Keswick) or because they’ve got bogged down in loads of traffic. Not usually because they’ve run out of gears.

Try to get some clear space around you in the final two hills, having to dodge slower riders is the main problem.

I’ve been thinking similarly as I’ve entered the ballot and don’t feel anywhhere fit enough so some lower gears are pretty desirable!

I’m running 10 speed so options are a little different.

Running a smaller from chainring is quite hard – using a road triple crank and just using the inner two rings is an option as is an MTB crank – expensive options though unless you can “borrow” from another bike.

You can get a Tiagra 34T casette in 10 speed which is an option – likely running into mech capacoty issues.

Another option that I might do is to run a 10 speed MTB rear cassette then up to 36T is available. I’ve a 9 speed Deore mech spare spare in the garage that should be compatible and solve the mech capacity issue. Not sure if using an MTB rear mech works for 11 speed but I’d imagine it likely does.

There are quite a few ideas on thr page below

Low Gear Range: Road Shifters & Gears For Easier Hill Climbing

11-28t 11spd cassette 50/34 shimano 105 chainset.

That’s fine, the first time I did it I used an 11-15 and that was fine as well. As above, just pace it sensibly.

You can get a 33 tooth for shimano cranks. TA specialites do one. I run 50-33 on the front and 11-32 on the back. The bike is geared to get up hardknott at the end.

For Hardknot I would be on an Mtb triple with 44/32/22 and 11/28 on the back

I got round with 34/28 as my lowest gear. I was about 14 stone at the time. A slightly lower gear would have been welcome in places.

You can get a 33 tooth for shimano cranks

You can on a 5-bolt but a 4-bolt? I’ve not seen anything less than 34.

110 BCD
http://www.wiggle.com/ta-110-pcd-zephyr-inner-road-chainring/
New Ultegra/105
http://www.wiggle.com/ta-x110-inner-chainring-for-shimano/

A new chainring for 3% lower gear, is it really worth it?

mtb 10spd cassette and 9spd mtb mech is easier.

edit: assuming its 10spd road shifters.

A new chainring for 3% lower gear, is it really worth it?

That was my conclusion when considering a 33T front ring – there are far more possibilities at the back end.

Yes

Thanks for the input so far folks.

It’s 11speed so mtb cassette isn’t an option.

I guess I could go for a mtb 11 speed cassette though and a mid cage mech?

Although 11-32t with a 33 front chainring is winning at the minute for me from above recommendations.

Thanks, interesting hearing peoples experiences.

cynic-al – Member

A new chainring for 3% lower gear, is it really worth it?

This, if you aren’t going to get over the steep ones in 34:32 then a slightly smaller ring isn’t going to help – a triple might or some sort of extender on the back if you can make it work.

Can`t remember quite what make of block I had but I dropped off the 11 and slid on a MTB 30 that just caught the splines on the hub I had , played around with the rear derailleur adjusters and fortunately all was good,trialled it for a month or so.
I had a target of 8 hrs in my head ,I`d done rough calcs that 12 miles was up steep hills and 100 miles up and down so I said 6mph average over the 12 miles so that left me 6 hours for the 100 miles. Was I glad of the 30 to help spin away the 2 hrs of climbing. Good luck.

slight hijack, but what do people think of the sub- or micro-compact chainsets that might start to become more popular

eg: Praxis Alba https://www.praxiscycles.com/product/alba-m30/

which would then enable people to access lower gearing for the big climbing sportives but then keep a closer range cassette for their ‘normal’ rides, without needing to bodge MTB cassettes or worry about cage lengths, etc.

Big day – put 11-32 on

Normal – run 11-28

You lose the 50-11 top gear (4.55) but your top on the sub-compact (48-11 = 4.36) is higher than second top 50-12 = 4.16 on a compact, and frankly the only time I’m not shitting myself spinning out in 50-12 is when it’s on Zwift.

I know the purists will sneer, as they did at compacts, and I know that proper riders are now also starting to go to mid-compacts at 52:36 because they’re so butch, but i rarely remember a ride when I’ve felt that having lower gears has actively disadvantaged me, I just haven’t used them on some rides.

edit – FSA are doing a 46-30 even……

http://www.fullspeedahead.com/fsa-super-compact-cranks/

I think you’ll be fine with a compact at front and 11-32, i’m 101kg and managed to get round Fred Whitton and Dragon Devil, if you fudge it to run an MTB cassette, the jumps between gears are horrific

It’s 11speed so mtb cassette isn’t an option.

SRAM do a PG1170 11-36 road (CX) cassette.

Great shout, what mech would run with that and an 11sped 105 shifter?

Yes but shimano road mechs are limited to 32 tooth maximum. You could run something like a goat link but as has been said, the gaps for a road bike wouldn’t be ideal

Chilled you’d need one of these to run an 11-36 cassette
http://shop.18bikes.co.uk/m9b162s599p2460/LINDARETS-Roadlink-2015/RS_GB/11511?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5IHEBRCLr_PZvq2_6qcBEiQAL4cQ0yrVwnxClJ1HyaZeiMauqDdIpcH09ONFYqMY6KKkD_YaAqao8P8HAQ

to get round the Fred Whitton comfortably

It never gets easier, you just get quicker….

But FSA (as mentioned above) are doing some ultra-compact chainsets. Not available in the UK yet AFAIK but hopefully coming soon – look useful.

Thanks guys. 11-36t with that Linderets road link is winning at the minute!

Spa cycles do super compacts and might have some smaller inner chain rings separately

http://www.spacycles.co.uk

Spa cycles do super compacts and might have some smaller inner chain rings separately

http://www.spacycles.co.uk

The last time I rode it my gears were 53/39 and 11/36, managed it in a respectable 6.30h that year.

36chain ring on 28 rear sprocket got round in 7hours, I use this set up all the time here in The Lakes might change the chain ring over to a 34 depending on fitness levels Have fun.

Did it in 2013 with a 9speed 50/34T up front and 11-32 cassette.

The 105 mech does 9/10 & 11 from memory

Despite the appalling weather I managed to ride up each of the passes which was my own challenge – I was determined not to have to walk. (although I did put touring pedals/mtb cleats on just in case!!)

theotherjonv
slight hijack, but what do people think of the sub- or micro-compact chainsets that might start to become more popular

I had a good look at the new Praxis chainsets but they use a proprietary fixing for the 32 ring, and I can’t be arsed with single use standards, so I’ve bought a Sugino OX901D compact+ chainset which looks great uses standard 110/74 BCD and comes with a ceramic BB, and should be very nice when my Bokeh rolling chassis arrives in 5 weeks time.

I’ve seen YouTube videos with people running the SRAM 11-36t cassette (11 speed) on a mid cage 5800 rear mech with the b-screw turned the other way.

Theres also a hack somewhere whereby you swap the cage out of a 5800 rear mech for one of the LX trekking ones which makes it easily do the 36t.

Wouldn’t get too worried about jumps in the gears if you go for a big range cassette.

out of interest – what is the widest range cassette you could run with shimano ultegra 10 speed shifters?

I ran SRAM Apex 11-32 with my ultegra 6600 shifters and mech

I have run a 40t cassette on ultegra 10 speed shifters with a short road mech by using the lidarets road link. That was 1x. I think the limit might be 36t for a double set up. Anyway, the road link is the easiest way to get a bigger cassette on an existing road set up.

34 front x 32 rear for me, as a 14st crap climber. Still had to walk up Wrynose! But it’s brilliant.

what changes would you recommend to get round the Fred Whitton comfortably?

The Fred Whitton’s not meant to be comfortable, it’s meant to be a challenge; hence Fred Whitton Challenge. The UKs toughest sportive or something?

Fitting a 36t cassette…..why not just get off and walk? It’d be quicker.
Does your bike have disc brakes aswell? Then you’d be riding something that closely resembles a mountain bike, not a road bike. And I hear they’re looking to ban mountain bikes altogether this year.

It’s a road ride at the end of the day; use a road bike with road gears. And make sure your cardio vascular system is in tip top condition like any road rider’s should be. Pissing about with easy gears and the like, FFS; you’re an adult male. MTFU!