Road Cycling Essentials

Saytan · 3 Apr 2012 at 18:05

why not just fit a 52 on the triple?

Saundie · 3 Apr 2012 at 18:08

fire_munki said:
To the mechanics here: does a triple chainset use the same spacing as a double? I've got a triple at the mo with 50 tooth big ring and am spinning out to easily. Can I swap to a double without changing the shifter?

I hope so, as if not it's looking pricey, I got triple original as I thought I'd struggle but rarely go into the bottom and if I didn't have it would just grind it out.

Which groupset do you have? Your front derailer may be able to take a 52T chainring, which would be cheaper than replacing the entire thing. Also, if you haven't already got a cassette with an 11T sprocket, getting one will give you higher gearing without much hassle.

One More Solo · 3 Apr 2012 at 18:33

But if you do decide to swap a triple for a double, it shouldn't be a problem. Just stick the double on and adjust the limit screws on the front derailleur.

eXist · 3 Apr 2012 at 18:37

Kimi said:
I posted this in the big bike thread, but i think its better here

Guys can you help me out here, this might not make sense as im typing at work real quick, but i need an opinion, my mate bought a Giant TCR Advanced 2 last October, and we went out and done a few 40 miles runs, everything was fine. Then in December the shifter broke (Shimano 105) where a spring fell out and it went slack, so he took it back to the shop and they fitted a new one, no worries. We done a 30 mile run then put our bikes away for xmas, until Jan, then the next ride, the little aluminium bit where the shifter connects to the frame broke, the shifter with momentum got carried up and hit and broke the carbon frame where it says Giant on here http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/....2/7309/44385/

Anyway, he takes it to the shop, and they send it away to Giant for analysis, this was in Jan, hes been bikeless since.

The shop said that Giant said it was caused by chain stretch? and wont replace the frame under warranty but will sell him a new frame for £600, which they then reduce to £500

Now, my point is, as the shop replaced and fitted his shifter, surely they should be kind of responsible, as i think they over torqued the screw when they put it back on and weakened the aluminium carrier because these things should just snap like that? they must have a setting for bolting ali to carbon?and i know that he treated the bike like gold dust so im 99% sure its not through miss use?

Anyway i just wanna get my buddy a bike back, because its boring riding alone

you dont need to torque the rear mech on to the hanger, your mate has probably hit the rear mech at some point during the xmas "storage Period", then once the mech has a slight bend it can catch on the rear wheel ripping the hanger clean from the frame, i would be incredibly surprised that there was any damage to the frame....

Are you sure it doesnt just need a new replacable hanger fitted?

As a bike shop mechanic, i can honestly say that its almost 100% down to your mate at some point bending the mech slightly....

If the bike shop fitted the new rear mech incorrectly your mate would have noticed his gears all over the place before he put it in storage, as you never mentioned anything then you can assume the warrenty work was done correctly which then ties in with what i would presume to start with....your mates fault.

Jonny ///M · 3 Apr 2012 at 19:19

eXist said:
you dont need to torque the rear mech on to the hanger, your mate has probably hit the rear mech at some point during the xmas "storage Period", then once the mech has a slight bend it can catch on the rear wheel ripping the hanger clean from the frame, i would be incredibly surprised that there was any damage to the frame....

Are you sure it doesnt just need a new replacable hanger fitted?

As a bike shop mechanic, i can honestly say that its almost 100% down to your mate at some point bending the mech slightly....

If the bike shop fitted the new rear mech incorrectly your mate would have noticed his gears all over the place before he put it in storage, as you never mentioned anything then you can assume the warrenty work was done correctly which then ties in with what i would presume to start with....your mates fault.

Pretty much this. Nodody ever leans the bike on anything or lets it fall over...

The fact it worked for a bit means it worked, if it wasn't set up correctly it would have shown up almost instantly.

I only have sora on my bike but somehow putting it in the shed made my rear mech hit the spokes in 1st gear, I ran it with the low screw in using 2nd as my easiest gear until I got myself an ultegra one. That was the mech physically bent rather than the hanger but both are easily bent.

fire_munki · 3 Apr 2012 at 19:50

I have 2009 Cube Aerial all standard bar a lil bit of carbon in the form of seatpost.
The bike can be seen here: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-cube-bikes-aerial-09-33020
The shifter and chainset are both Tiagra, with a long caged 105 rear mech.
Wasn't sure if the spacing was diff (coming from a mtb background here) so would need a shifter as well.
Guess with a long rear mech I'd want a new one at some point too.

DIABLO · 3 Apr 2012 at 20:31

fire_munki said:
I have 2009 Cube Aerial all standard bar a lil bit of carbon in the form of seatpost.
The bike can be seen here: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-cube-bikes-aerial-09-33020
The shifter and chainset are both Tiagra, with a long caged 105 rear mech.
Wasn't sure if the spacing was diff (coming from a mtb background here) so would need a shifter as well.
Guess with a long rear mech I'd want a new one at some point too.

A cassette with higher gearing might be an alternate option.

6thElement · 3 Apr 2012 at 21:29

fire_munki said:
To the mechanics here: does a triple chainset use the same spacing as a double? I've got a triple at the mo with 50 tooth big ring and am spinning out to easily. Can I swap to a double without changing the shifter?

I hope so, as if not it's looking pricey, I got triple originaly as I thought I'd struggle but rarely go into the bottom and if I didn't have it would just grind it out.

I've never tried it mismatched but I think a road brifter needs to match the crankset.

fire_munki · 3 Apr 2012 at 21:35

I was hoping that the spacing was ok, I can see some nice cranks on the bay but if it needs a new shifter too that might be pushing it.
Can anyone confirm either way?
If not I'll be following the new cassette route and getting a 11-25. Does the one tooth less increase the ratio that much?

eXist · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:26

fire_munki said:
I was hoping that the spacing was ok, I can see some nice cranks on the bay but if it needs a new shifter too that might be pushing it.
Can anyone confirm either way?
If not I'll be following the new cassette route and getting a 11-25. Does the one tooth less increase the ratio that much?

think of it as a % instead of a number

50 tooth - 53 tooth is 6%

wereas

12 tooth - 11 tooth is ( a number i cant be bothered finding out but more that 6% ) lol....

6thElement · 3 Apr 2012 at 22:45

Play with the numbers on this webpage, it will answer all your questions.

In summary your current 50x12 will give you 36mph at 110rpm, 50x11 will give 39mph

Personally I run a compact crankset 50/34 with a 12-25 cassette because going those sort of speeds top end doesn't matter to me as much as needing to stop if something pulls out and my ability to climb anything near me

Jonny ///M · 3 Apr 2012 at 23:23

As far as I know cheaper shimano shifters like my sora 3400 and older 5600 triple works with a double. I run a double and it has 3 clicks...fitted older sora triple to a double and it works fine(customer wanted it that way).

Not 100% sure for higher end triple shifters as I've never tried it. Triple chainsets use a spacer to move the chainset further away from the frame to make space for the smaller cog...so I'd assume the space between the rings is the same.

New chainset and front mech is worth a punt anyway.

Saundie · 4 Apr 2012 at 07:09

fire_munki said:
If not I'll be following the new cassette route and getting a 11-25. Does the one tooth less increase the ratio that much?

I would suggest that you make this your first choice, as an 11T sprocket will give you 9.1% higher gearing than your current 12T sprocket. Changing the big ring for a 52T yields a 4% increase over the 50T. Another thing to consider is derailer capacity. The current Tiagra front derailer has a capacity of 20T, which means changing the 50T to a 52/53T ring will exceed the "official" limit. I'm not sure how much of an effect that'll have on shifting - it's not something I've tried myself.

On the other hand, an 11-25 cassette is well within the official range of the 105 rear derailer, so swapping in one isn't going to cause you any issues. If you do go for the 11-25 cassette and still find yourself wanting more (i.e. your name is George Hincapie and you ride everywhere in the big ring

) then you can investigate changing the front as well.

fire_munki · 4 Apr 2012 at 08:49

I don't think I'd change just the front ring, it was going to be a full new chainset 53/39.

A bit more info regarding my set up, most of the time on my ride home it is flat-ish and am up towards the top 3rd of the cassette.
A 11-25 cassette will also only change the final ratio as I already have a 12-25 with the 30-39-50 chainset.
It's not the top speed so much as more the fact that i'm running out of gears spinning along on a gentle decline.
Don't know what rpm I'm doing though.

I've seen a couple years old Raceface one on the bay or brand new SRAM ones. Unless road bikes are that diff from mtbs I reckon I could use any chainset brand. Assuming the spacing on a double is the same as a triple bar the lil ring.
Although any new chainset will have to wait a couple weeks but I want to come into spending cash with all the info I can get.

Kimi · 4 Apr 2012 at 10:10

eXist said:
you dont need to torque the rear mech on to the hanger, your mate has probably hit the rear mech at some point during the xmas "storage Period", then once the mech has a slight bend it can catch on the rear wheel ripping the hanger clean from the frame, i would be incredibly surprised that there was any damage to the frame....

Are you sure it doesnt just need a new replacable hanger fitted?

As a bike shop mechanic, i can honestly say that its almost 100% down to your mate at some point bending the mech slightly....

If the bike shop fitted the new rear mech incorrectly your mate would have noticed his gears all over the place before he put it in storage, as you never mentioned anything then you can assume the warrenty work was done correctly which then ties in with what i would presume to start with....your mates fault.

Obviously i cant say 100% that he didn't bend the hanger over xmas, but ive seen where it was stored and i doubt thats what it was. I got a couple of pics here so you guys can see what im on about.

i thought it was the bottom bit of the frame where the chain goes, but its actually the bit that goes up to the saddle. Im not sure if that part has a name

The bike shop said this was caused by "chain stretch"

6thElement · 4 Apr 2012 at 10:35

That's the seat stay, certainly not in a usable state anymore

PermaChanged · 4 Apr 2012 at 11:28

High5 is on offer with a Groupon deal, I saw this in the Big Bike Thread and thought it might interest you guys!

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=21614433&postcount=27396

You get

• One High 5 Water Bottle 750ml
• Five High 5 Energy Gels - citrus
• Five High 5 Energy Gels - summer fruits
• 20 High 5 Zero Tabs - cherry
• 20 High 5 Zero Tabs - citrus
• 20 High 5 Zero Tabs - XTREME
• Free delivery

For £16.99

Saytan · 4 Apr 2012 at 12:14

that cassette does look well used....

Streeteh · 4 Apr 2012 at 13:15

So, 6 weeks and a few dozen stern phonecalls later Halfords have finally got the part they need to fix my bike. I will apparently have it back by the end of the week, i really cannot wait. Whilst I appreciate the extra strength training that riding an old MTB to and from work 4 days a week, I have had quite enough of it, especially considering the frame is 2 inches too small for me! Next time i'll be saving up the money required and buying from my LBS i think, lesson learned.

I've bought myself my first ever cycle computer. I ended up going for the Cateye commuter (£32 from CRC which was quite a good price) as apparently it has an excellent backlight (i frequently cycle during the dark, especially in the winter months). I think it'll be interesting to find out what speed i'm cycling at as atm its pure guesswork. Endomondo gives me a guesstimate, but i have a feeling the true figures will be quite different.

Indigo · 4 Apr 2012 at 13:50

Not sure if anyone is interested in this or knows much about it but entry for the Great Manchester Cycle on Monday 4th June (Bank Holiday) is only £10 at the moment.

I've entered today as I live in Manchester so though why not. A 13 mile loop of closed roads with options for 13/26/52 miles.

Can't wait.

Heres a link:

http://www.greatcycle.org/