Options for gearing on new Giant Talon 1 XL

[cowasaki]

Well I've just picked up my new bike, a Giant Talon 1, and it is just what I wanted except for the gearing! It's geared, in my opinion, extremely low. I rode along a tow path for 4 miles on the way home and the only gears I could use, at all, were the larger front with the smallest 3 at the back. Every other position and my legs were going at a ridiculous rate......

The front derailleur is a Shimano Deore and the front Crankset is an FSA COMET with 36/26 teeth.

Is it possible to stick the 36T in place of the 26T and fit a larger sprocket in place of the 36? OR just replace them both with maybe 30 and 40 ??

If thats not feasible what could I replace the front crankset with that would still work with the chain and derailleur that I have?

Thanks


EDIT: The front shifter and front derailleur, will they handle a triple? When I click to change sprocket the dial only goes to half way and if I click again it tries to move further but is limited by the front derailleur's high/low adjustment...... Just thinking, would I be able to replace the front crank with a Deore triple front crank as there is a "Deore M590 Triple Chainset inc. BB51 BB | 48/36/26T | 175mm" which seems to fit the bill (I'll have to measure the stroke but if it fits and the shift and derailleur work then I've got a full additional range at the top where I want it whilst leaving the other two ranges unaffected.

EDIT2: Or this one "Shimano Crankset DEORE XT FC-M8000-3 3x11, 40-30-22 teeth, 170 mm, black" although I would prefer 48/36/26 as per the previous.

[531colin]

Observe experienced cyclists. You will probably find they pedal faster than you do. (or you were doing 20mph on the towpath)
If you engage bottom gear, you will find that you must pedal pretty fast in order to go quickly enough to balance the bike.
There are (slight or perhaps marginal) gains in gear shifting to be had from using a double instead of a triple chainset; if you are going to use your new bike for its intended sort of riding it might be a pity to change the gears straight away instead of changing the way you pedal.

[cowasaki]

Thanks everyone. I've used the bike a few more times and love it to bits. I used it on the Preston Guild Wheel and felt limited on the top end as I prefer to pedal more slowly but with more power. Looking at the bike it's all Deore except the front crank so I decided to just have a look and found that the shifter is definitely a 2/3 so would work with 3 but the front derailleur is only 2. Just out of interest I checked out options and found a company in Germany selling what was required at a very low price....

So I've decided to change the front chainset, bottom bracket and derailleur as it will give me no disadvantages but the extra option. I've chosen to get Deore stuff so that everything is Deore rather than Giant's cost cutting exercise of having nearly everything and I've just ordered:

XT 10-speed Crank FC-T8000 48/36/26 175mm
XT Hollowtech II Bottom Bracket BB-MT800
XT Front Derailleur FD-M786A Down Swing 2 x 10 black

I realise that the rest of the kit is the lower range but when I selected the above it came to £185 inc delivery and the lower range would only have saved me £50.

I'm justifying this to myself by saying that the discount I got on the bike is more than the cost of the above plus the Shimano PD-GR500 that I also bought and gives me just what I want

Will probably need a chain and maybe a cable but otherwise that should do it.

[Airsporter1st]

Thanks everyone. I've used the bike a few more times and love it to bits. I used it on the Preston Guild Wheel and felt limited on the top end as I prefer to pedal more slowly but with more power. Looking at the bike it's all Deore except the front crank so I decided to just have a look and found that the shifter is definitely a 2/3 so would work with 3 but the front derailleur is only 2. Just out of interest I checked out options and found a company in Germany selling what was required at a very low price....

So I've decided to change the front chainset, bottom bracket and derailleur as it will give me no disadvantages but the extra option. I've chosen to get Deore stuff so that everything is Deore rather than Giant's cost cutting exercise of having nearly everything and I've just ordered:

XT 10-speed Crank FC-T8000 48/36/26 175mm
XT Hollowtech II Bottom Bracket BB-MT800
XT Front Derailleur FD-M786A Down Swing 2 x 10 black

I realise that the rest of the kit is the lower range but when I selected the above it came to £185 inc delivery and the lower range would only have saved me £50.

I'm justifying this to myself by saying that the discount I got on the bike is more than the cost of the above plus the Shimano PD-GR500 that I also bought and gives me just what I want

Will probably need a chain and maybe a cable but otherwise that should do it.

With any luck, you might be able to offset some of the cost by flogging the stuff you remove.

[531colin]

Looks to me like you are listing a triple chainset and a double front mech.
10 speed MTB triple front mechs. may be harder to find?

[Brucey]

for 3x10 drivetrains with 'trekking' chainsets (including those with 44T or 48T chainrings) using the indicated shifters it suggests these FDs

FD-T8000-3
FD-T8000-6
FD-T780-3
FD-T780-6
FD-T781-3
FD-T670-3
FD-T670-6
FD-T671-3
FD-T610-3
FD-T610-6
FD-T611-3
FD-T6000-3
FD-T6000-6

may be 3x10 compatible here http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/2.9?cid=C-432&acid=C-441

Also indicated are various 3x11 options, but these don't seem to include ones with larger sized chainrings.

cheers

[cowasaki]

for 3x10 drivetrains with 'trekking' chainsets (including those with 44T or 48T chainrings) using the indicated shifters it suggests these FDs

FD-T8000-3
FD-T8000-6
FD-T780-3
FD-T780-6
FD-T781-3
FD-T670-3
FD-T670-6
FD-T671-3
FD-T610-3
FD-T610-6
FD-T611-3
FD-T6000-3
FD-T6000-6

may be 3x10 compatible here http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/2.9?cid=C-432&acid=C-441

Also indicated are various 3x11 options, but these don't seem to include ones with larger sized chainrings.

cheers

Thanks. I was advised to get the 591 by the cycle shop but went for the XT equivalent due to the only slight increase in price. Looks like they advised the wrong part! I've emailed them to change the order to the XT 3x10-speed Front Derailleur FD-T8000 High Down-Swing 63-66°

I THINK my current derailleur is a DEORE 2x10 Front Derailleur FD-M6025 Down-Swing