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Hi, I've got a hardly used road bike @ 2000 with Daytona 9 speed on it. Dusting it down I've found the gearing too high. The BB has no wear as does the rest of the bike so if I keep it .....
1 - if I use replacement chain rings is the lowest gearing I can use 39/46 'cos it's 135mm BCD?
2 - what compact replacement will fit - would this be 34/50 gearing?
Thanks
Buy a new compact chainset. Try someone like Parkers or Geoffery Butlers - http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/eshop.asp?wci=subdept&wce=102 have loads of cheap 9sp/10sp chainsets. Buying a chainset is weirdly cheaper than buying individual rings since most replacement rings are only high end stuff.
The lowest you can go to on your existing chainset is 39t. Compact you can go to 34t/50t.
The cheapest option though maybe is to keep your chainset as you have it and put on a 13-27t or 13-29t cassette. If you are currently running a 23t up cassette this achieves a similar bottom gear effect to a compact.
Yeah depends on your current cassette, if you already have a 27 on it and are struggling then chances are you'll need to go to a compact to get a low enough gear, which would mean replacing the chainset (normally comes with a BB)
You'll be able to fit any 135mm chainring which IIRC will be anything 39t upwards so in theory you could run 39/40 chainrings though that'd clearly be a bit silly...
When you say the gearing's too high, do you mean in general or that you're running out of easier gears when riding up hills?
Thanks all - up hill I could do with lower gears and prefer highish cadence to really struggling to turn the cranks - I'm not bothered about being able to hit high speeds and still peddle. Can't remember exactly what the rear cassette is but I did change it in the past to give lower gearing - I'll check it tonight.
Sounds like a compact might be a good idea then.
Sounds like you've got a square taper crank. Just buy a compact, then if you fancy something a little stronger you can put larger rings on. I run a compact on the commuting bike, but found 34 a little low. I run a 50/36 now.
If you can see one a Campag Veloce/Centaur CT square taper compact will be a straight replacement for your current Daytona - probably a couple on eBay.
Despite what Campag state I've never had any problems running a 'normal' front mech with a compact chainset, just need to move the front mech doen seat post a little if you were running 52t outer and now on the smaller 50t of a compact..
If you go for a different maker - Stronglight, Shimano etc. then you'll prob need a new bottom bracket.
Don't get caught out when comparing prices of the new two piece external bb chainsets - mtb ones seem to come with b/bs, road ones seem to come without so that'll add £25+ onto price.
Road ones come without BBs because you can have either English or Italian threaded BBs which aren't compatible.
Good point Clubber, and in the old days all chainsets didn't come with bbs anyway. When you think you've found that 'bargain' chainset adding on the cost of the specific bb for it still comes as a shock sometimes!