New to all this curly wurly bar stuff . Bought a Giant Revolt for a bargain price , getting on fine for commuting and winter hack duties but could do with lower gearing for steep hills . Been used to MTB gearing, chain set is Shimano R460/R350 whatever that means ? Non series Tiagra ? No idea ! C/rings are 48/34 with a 11-34 cassette . With that combo which would be better a smaller c/ring or a different cassette ? What's the smallest c/ring I can get away with if that's the best option ? Or is there no reason why I couldn't just get a Deore MTB chain set ? Seems a conventional b/b .
It's already got the smallest chainring you can use on that chainset. That gearing is really rather low for a cx bike already. You may get away with a mtb chainset although chainline may be an issue.
48/34 & 11/34...
Not a fat lot left really..
Tried a triple ?
Or do some intervals..
😐
Not sounding very promising is it ! So have I been spoilt by MTB gearing then ? There are hardly any climbs on the Quantocks I can't do even on a Spicy ! The road climbs I'm thinking of I can do fine on an MTB .
You can buy a 11-36 cassette, depending on how many sprockets the block has. Or maybe even 40 if you use on of those supper star things. You'll need to ask else where about that
On my ride today I was contemplating a 28-40 MTB chainset. I'd love to know if that would work. My worry would be if you need a new front mech?
Tripling is faff as its a new left hand shifter. Plus a road triple is normally 30 on the smallest ring so not even that much gain. A treking or mtb triple would be great but again I don't know about front mech' implications
genreal sympathy. Hills don't get less steep just because you don't have drop bars
Jump off and walk up...it will be quicker than riding up in 34/34.
Swap your 34 for a MTB middle ring 32....
Swap your 34 for a MTB middle ring 32....
Can't with that chainset
I am shortly going to try a 11-36 cassette with an XTR 9 speed derailleur on my tripster.
currently I have an 11-32 but even if you get out of the saddle to try and power the 32 then your weight distribution isn't great if it is muddy.
Middleburn are also doing a supercompact chainset with a 30 inner ring...
Is the hill problem on or off road?
Road so far I've only tried on less severe climbs near me , got some proper stinkers I want to try 🙄
Just wondering if it was a tyre pressure problem. High pressure on skinny tyres can be tough on climbs.
Edit off road climbs
34/34 ?! Are your brake blocks rubbing alot?
Have you been fitted?
Without being rude it might be worth sticking with it. That's already way lower than normal road bikes which generally suit almost every one. Maybe adjust your style. Can't actually be too pompous about this as my Pickenflick runs a 28 inner ring with, occasionally, the standard 11-32 cassette. Most of the time a 25 max on the back is fine and by gum I am crap at hills.
1:1 ratio should be fine for pretty much anything, even off road hills. The climbing position is more efficient on a CX than an MTB. Give it time.
About the only other option is to go to a 12-36 cassette if the mech will stretch to that.
FWIW I run 34/48 chainset with a 12-36 cassette when the bike is in Three Peaks CX mode, I tend to revert to an 11-28 the rest of the year.
as above ... give it time, roadie gearing is so different to MTB and you just learn to cope, rather like riding SS. That said I have a triple set up on my Trek but rarely use the granny now.
That ratio might be OK assuming you can get out of the saddle, but if the hill is muddy you need to stay seated to keep traction on the back wheel, so really need a spinny gear.
Hence I am going to try 34 - 36.
TA make a 33t 110 bcd chainring: the only lower option is to either run a 'super compact' from the likes of:
[url= http://www.middleburn.co.uk/products/cranks/road-touring-cyclo-x/ro2-x-type-touring ]middleburn[/url]
[url= http://www.suginoltd.co.jp/us/products/road/ox.html#pnH4OX901DCompactPlus ]sugino[/url]
[url= http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/cranksets/grand-cru-50-4bcd-crankset-mkii.html ]velo orange[/url]
or go the cheap route and run 2 rings on a triple. i might go this way...
Or a mtb chainset. 28/38 or 28/40.
i use an xt 9 speed mech and a 36 cassette works great.
Nick
Are your tyres really draggy? I'm running a standard compact up front with with 11-32 at the back and it's fine for anything round here in the Peak and I'm a pretty average climber tbh, I found 11-25 a bit brutal off road.
Maybe you just need to get used to it? It won't be geared as low as a mountain bike because it doesn't really need to be, but I guess if you're used to spinning really low gears, it might feel stiff at first.
I've got a sram x7 chainset 26 x 39, xt front mech, 11-30 cassette, 105 10 speed rear mech and 105 sti. All works together nice and low gearing.
not mountainous around here but ride 1x8 38x11-28 on road and off swap the rear wheel and use 38x11-32. Its a good combo imo
48 is high for a cx and 34 is low, sure i can push uphill faster 34x34
So can he, or I use a 28x40 MTB chainset on a road bike
I know you don't need a gear that low but what about those that do
I'm not quite sure why if gears of less than 34x34 aren't needed as its as quick to walk why touring bikes and mountain bikes go down as low as 22x34 or why people buy 40 teeth sprockets to run with 32 front rings.
Its interesting that Burti was using 30x34 in the Giro. He is a touch lighter and more powerful than me. Surprised he didn't just get off and walk
maybe he was too pro to walk.
If an old duffer like me can do Crowcombe Hill on my CX bike (36-32) I'm sure the OP can do it on 34-32. 😉