Hello,
I USED to ride an Ebike for about 3 years. Now I own a Whyte Cambridge. This has a Rear Mech SRAM Apex 1, 11 Speed & (Whyte Forged Cranks,) Direct Mount 44T Narrow Wide Chainring.
I find it a little tough to go uphill on some steeper gradients when I am loaded with panniers etc. (Let us not forget I am still finding my cycle legs !).
First option :-
My LBS says all I need is to match the BCD (130mm) and find a smaller chainring. ( I would like to try say 40T).
As it is DM does the whole crankset need to be removed when replacing the chainring ?
Also do I need to be aware of chain ring offset ?
I assume by reducing the chainring from 44t to 40t will also reduce the gear inches by 10% ? So making it easier to pedal uphill by a similar factor ?
(Assuming all other factors are the same).
I am not in a big hurry here as I have only been riding this bike for about three weeks. My LBS said I should really give it 6 weeks before changing anything .
Can someone give me a few pointers on what to buy and whether this will impact the bike in any other way. (For example will the chain need to be reduced in length and by how much?). I don't mind spending a little more to get the better options.
Second option :- maybe just get some suitable bar ends so I could come out of the saddle more easily and push up the hills ? Would this work ?
This bike is a flat bar so I don't find it easy to do this at the moment. Any suggestions for suitable bar ends ?
1 by Drivetrain.
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
Sounds a bit of a Dodo!
Reducing the chainwheel size will of course reduce the gearing but it's not as linear as 10% = 10%. You will almost certainly need to shorten the chain, one full link at a guess.
Bar ends will make any flat bar bike eminently easier to climb on.
Personally i'd be returning the bike as not fit for purpose, you shouldn't have to make these changes to make it rideable.
1x is a crock for most people, a marketing gimmick. At least one bike brand has started making their previously 1x machines with a 2x option!
Reducing the chainwheel size will of course reduce the gearing but it's not as linear as 10% = 10%. You will almost certainly need to shorten the chain, one full link at a guess.
Bar ends will make any flat bar bike eminently easier to climb on.
Personally i'd be returning the bike as not fit for purpose, you shouldn't have to make these changes to make it rideable.
1x is a crock for most people, a marketing gimmick. At least one bike brand has started making their previously 1x machines with a 2x option!
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
Ergon GP5 grips give you more hand positions but they are pricey, at about £60. There are plenty of cheaper bar ends.
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
Presently your gear range with the
44t chainring is:- 28.5 to 109inch
A 40t ring gets you:- 26 to 99inch
A 39t ring(the smallest you can get on a 130bcd chainset) gets you:- 25.3 to 96.5inch
The choice is yours but I'd ask myself how much use do I give the high end gears.If the answer is not at all then I'd be thinking of a 110bcd chainset with 36t ring or even smaller,ie;a 34t ring offers a very useable 22 to 84inch range
These bar ends are quite good:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROMAX-FULL- ... xyqUpQ7Jv9
44t chainring is:- 28.5 to 109inch
A 40t ring gets you:- 26 to 99inch
A 39t ring(the smallest you can get on a 130bcd chainset) gets you:- 25.3 to 96.5inch
The choice is yours but I'd ask myself how much use do I give the high end gears.If the answer is not at all then I'd be thinking of a 110bcd chainset with 36t ring or even smaller,ie;a 34t ring offers a very useable 22 to 84inch range
These bar ends are quite good:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROMAX-FULL- ... xyqUpQ7Jv9
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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gregoryoftours
- Posts: 2385
- Joined: 22 May 2011, 7:14pm
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
reohn2 wrote:These bar ends are quite good:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROMAX-FULL- ... xyqUpQ7Jv9
They look like a whippet's kidneys!
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
gregoryoftours wrote:reohn2 wrote:These bar ends are quite good:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROMAX-FULL- ... xyqUpQ7Jv9
They look like a whippet's kidneys!
Having never used a whippets kidneys as bar ends I wouldn't know,however you may have and have more experience than I
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
hopefully you will get stronger and fitter as time goes on, so although the gearing changes that are easily possible are fairly limited, you might yet find that the range is adequate for your needs.
Having said that, I am no great fan of 1x transmissions; they offer a range of gears that is comparable to that offered by a 2x6 transmission (thirty years ago...) and the sole benefit (apart from a footling at best, non-existent at worst weight saving) is the absence of a double-shift. Against that there is a terrible chainline, poor efficiency in many gears, high wear rates (because of the sprocket sizes used), short-lived/expensive consumables etc. I think this sort of transmission makes some sense offroad, less so onroad, in good part because of the gears that are most commonly used in each situation.
You may well find that as time goes on your idea of a perfect bike for your needs changes anyway; you can make changes to any given bike but sooner or later the itch for a new/different bike will need to be scratched; it is all part of the fun of it.
cheers
Having said that, I am no great fan of 1x transmissions; they offer a range of gears that is comparable to that offered by a 2x6 transmission (thirty years ago...) and the sole benefit (apart from a footling at best, non-existent at worst weight saving) is the absence of a double-shift. Against that there is a terrible chainline, poor efficiency in many gears, high wear rates (because of the sprocket sizes used), short-lived/expensive consumables etc. I think this sort of transmission makes some sense offroad, less so onroad, in good part because of the gears that are most commonly used in each situation.
You may well find that as time goes on your idea of a perfect bike for your needs changes anyway; you can make changes to any given bike but sooner or later the itch for a new/different bike will need to be scratched; it is all part of the fun of it.
cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: 1 by Drivetrain.
reohn2 wrote:Presently your gear range with the
44t chainring is:- 28.5 to 109inch
A 40t ring gets you:- 26 to 99inch
A 39t ring(the smallest you can get on a 130bcd chainset) gets you:- 25.3 to 96.5inch
The choice is yours but I'd ask myself how much use do I give the high end gears.If the answer is not at all then I'd be thinking of a 110bcd chainset with 36t ring or even smaller,ie;a 34t ring offers a very useable 22 to 84inch range
I would echo these thoughts and go for the 34 or 36 option. A much more sensible range of gears. What I don't understand is why Whyte supply this bike with crankset with 130 BCD! Even most road bikes with double chainset come with a 110 bcd.