Lower Gears!

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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ron2old
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Joined: 15 Feb 2013, 11:46am

Lower Gears!

Post by ron2old »

Hi! Just bought a new bike and joined CTC. Went out a couple of times with my local group and now discover I need lower gears than the new bike came with as standard. Does anyone know the easiest and best way I can acheive some lower gears. The bike I bought is a Pinnacle Arkose 3 and comes with a 50/34 compact front a 12 - 30 rear cassette and Shimano 105 changers and rear derailluer. Should I buy a new bottom bracket and crankset (is this even possible) or do I have to buy a new rear gear and cassette or both. Does anyone know what is possible for me because I definately want to continue with the cycling in more comfort.
thirdcrank
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by thirdcrank »

ron2old wrote: ... now discover I need lower gears than the new bike came with as standard. ...


I hope you don't mind my asking but how did you discover this?

I ask because for a reasonably fit rider on a bike without a big load, that's quite a low gear already, especially anywhere without really steep hills. If it's a matter of not being able to keep up with stronger riders, it may be that getting a bit fitter may help more than shelling out on lower gears. Also (and I hope this isn't the case here) there are riders who will tell you that anything cheaper than what they ride is crap, but anything more expensive is a waste of money, etc. so be wary of somebody slagging off a new bike.
Vorpal
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by Vorpal »

This is about a different bike, but it may be worth reading.
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Wesh-Laurence
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by Wesh-Laurence »

I had the same problem with "off the shelf" bikes. I only took up cycling in my mid 50s and found the gearing on all bikes too high except on mountain bikes.

I bought a Specialized Tricross bike 4 years ago. I had to push it up a lot of hills when I was touring. I eventually changed the triple chainset to one with lower gearing. I have now built my own touring bike which has exactly the same gearing as my mountain bike 11-32T cassette 22-46T triple chainset using shimano STI levers.

To lower the gearing isn't easy because when you change a drivetrain component you have to make sure that it is compatible with the other components.

In order of the lowest cost options up here is what you change:-

1) If you don't have to change your shifters, change the rear cassette and possibly the rear derailleur to have a larger sprocket. However I don't think that is a viable solution with your shifters/derailleur combination.

2) Replace the chainset to one with lower gearing, as I said earlier you need to ensure the replacement chainset is compatible with the shifters and front mech.

I don't know enough about your current drivetrain to give you a definitive answer. Hopefully someone else will enlighten you.

If you Google "Shimano Tech Docs" there is a lot of information about all Shimano components which specifies what components are compatible with what.
reohn2
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by reohn2 »

First off if you are indeed struggling to getup the hills on 30r/34f it depends on where you're riding+fitness+your weight.
FWIW I'm usually a 175(winter) to 250miles(summer) per week rider but have been off the bike for 3months,I'm just begining to get back on and carrying 5kgs of extra timber.On some hills yesterday 32r/38f was only just adequate and these weren't anything serious.I had to laugh at my lack of fitness but I know where I'm at and I know the fitness will return and the timber will drop off with miles.
If you're riding with seasoned riders,they won't always understand you're lack fitness and it maybe a good idea to only ride with them for part of the ride and also to do some riding alone until you've built up a strength base in the legs.
Cycling fitness from scratch doesn't come with a few rides,it takes time and miles if you haven't cycled before or since your youth say.It's the lack of knowing that a newbie will suffer from mostly,this is hard to explain but can only come with experience and miles.
That said,if you're riding 10sp rear a 9sp MTB rear mech and a 10sp MTB 11-34 cassette will get you a 1to1 bottom gear.
If you're rear is 9sp a 9sp MTB mech and 11-34 9sp cassette will get you the same bottom gear.
I'd also buy a chain with that conversion,you can then save you're present r/mech,chain and cassette for when you get fitter.
Whichever,the cost will be about £60to£85

If you have STI shifters they very likely won't work with a triple chainset,so if you did want a triple up front,things get really costly,new triple sti's+chainset+BB+front mech won't leave much change from £250to£300 :shock:
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
I would say your gearing is ok for a road bike with not much luggage.
Just work on your fitness, like said ride part of way with mates, and do some traing in the week to build fitness especially strength.
Do some short 20 mile hill rides the relax on the way home over the last few miles. That way you feel ok without finishing in a heap and feeling low.
If you were touring then you would need a Granny gear unless your terrain is pretty flat.
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bigjim
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by bigjim »

I'd take things a bit at a time. I'd change the rear cassette for a 11-34 or I think they do an 11-36 now.
You may need a longer rear mech but you may get away with the one you have at the moment.
You also may need to check that you have enough chainlength to cover crossover. You can always add a couple of links.
This should only cost about £30.
I think the all new Shimano STIs are triple compatable now. Cheaper to manufacture just one type.
BertYardbrush
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by BertYardbrush »

The specification for the Pinnacle Arkose 3 2013 says that the rear cassette is a 12 27.
The rear derailleur is a Sora RD3500 which I think can take up to a 32 cassette.
Try changing the cassette.
Ayesha
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by Ayesha »

:D :wink: Refer to the 'Acronym' thread.

MTFU, Must Try to get my Fitness Up.
RJS
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by RJS »

HI Ron,
I don't completely agree with the others, including Natural Ankling, and we live in the same area, I can't manage without a mountain bike triple, and the fast majority of the group I ride with have a triple, including those who are a lot stronger than me. It is of course true that fitness will help, but I think you will get more enjoyment getting the miles in on a gear you are happy with. As bigjim says you the cheapest option is likely to be the cassette. More knowledgable folk I'm sure will help if you do decide on a triple
Cheers, Rob.
MikeF
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by MikeF »

reohn2 wrote:First off if you are indeed struggling to getup the hills on 30r/34f it depends on where you're riding+fitness+your weight.
+your age! I am certainly glad of 27inch gear eg 34/34 for some of the hills round here and there's definitely one hill and probably others that I cannot manage even with that ratio, but then I haven't a lightweight road bike!
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JohnW
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by JohnW »

Have you checked that your saddle position is right? Correct height and front/back position can make more difference than you may imagine. Is the bike the right size for you? The big retailers are devils for selling the wrong size.

Like thirdcrank, I think your bottom gear (34/30) is quite low, although I now find (I'm 69) that, in extremis I need a bottom gear of 30/28, which is about the same - and I've been doing reohn2's miles all my life. I was riding 42/52 on the front until I was past 60, but there were younger men riding MTB chainsets (22/32/44) and 32 big rear cogs, which give a much lower gear - and these were keen Audax men. We are all different - if you do eventually find that you need lower gears - after trying all the other options - then go for it. Your bike will be capable of lower ratios, but it may work out expensive. I don't know where you bought your bike, but if you don't do the conversion yourself, go to an old fashioned, traditional Bike Shop. Where are you located ron?

Good advice is to go for a secondhand bike to start with - much less expensive - it may not give you all you want, but it'll help you to learn what you don't want . Too late for that now though.

There are a lot of things to be considered if you're a comparative newcomer - don't let anything put you off).
coast 2 coast
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by coast 2 coast »

The quickest and cheapest option, without too much faf, and easily low enough for most peoples requirments, is an 11-36 cassette and a slightly longer chain.

It gets requires more effort and gets substantialy more expensive if you require gears lower than this.
JohnW
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by JohnW »

coast 2 coast wrote:The quickest and cheapest option, without too much faf, and easily low enough for most peoples requirments, is an 11-36 cassette and a slightly longer chain.

It gets requires more effort and gets substantialy more expensive if you require gears lower than this.


I'm not familiar with the bike. Are you sure that the bigger range is available on a cassette with the same number of sprockets? If it isn't are you sure that the rear changer can cope with the additional travel? If it isn't, are you sure that the revised cassette isn't wider than the existing one and that the wheel won't need redishing? If it isn't, are you sure that the brake/gearchange levers (or whatever they-re called) can cope wityh the additional sprockets? If it is, are you sure that the changer can cope with the larger biggest sprocket?

I'm not contradicting, I'm just asking.
ron2old
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Re: Lower Gears!

Post by ron2old »

Wow! Thanks for all the replies guys and girls. Truly amazing and a lot of help. I now know that if I got nothing else right then joining the CTC was definately right with all this help on hand. Can I ride with you lot you all seem to understand me! My username (ron2old) tells you that I'm no spring chicken (63). As for right size bike I think I got that right as well. It came in three sizes small, medium, or large, and at 5' 6" I chose the small. May I say that I,m also very happy with the bike and fit but have been told I need lower gears to ride with the group and I do find it a struggle on the hills (although I strangely enjoy the challenge). When I went out on my first ride with the local CTC the first guy to speak to me said nice new bike but those tyres are too wide and nobbly for the sort of riding we do. They are 700x35 cyclocross nobblies and came with the bike. The next guy to speak said I hope that's got a triple on the front because your going to need it today. After we got going I managed to keep up on the flat but then got dropped on the first hill and even had to push the bike up another. In the end the group carried on (which I was glad about) and a nice lady called Clair stayed with me and guided and encouraged me to the tea stop. I've been out again since with a slower group and everyone in that group keeps telling me I need lower gears as well.
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