Road Cycling Essentials

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I need an extra set of pedals now, the Ultegras are 260g and looking pretty hammered, could pick up another set for around £100 or go for something lighter like the Xpedo Thrust Ti 8. Fits SPD so I won't need to replace my cleats and only 170g.

Or I could switch completely to Look, Time, Speedplay etc? But have zero experience with any non SPD pedals. Would also need two sets (2 bikes).
 
uniQ did the LBS build yours? if so, how much did they charge, all my bits should be here soon and thinking about getting it done instead of faffing
 
uniQ said:
I need an extra set of pedals now, the Ultegras are 260g and looking pretty hammered, could pick up another set for around £100 or go for something lighter like the Xpedo Thrust Ti 8. Fits SPD so I won't need to replace my cleats and only 170g.

Or I could switch completely to Look, Time, Speedplay etc? But have zero experience with any non SPD pedals. Would also need two sets (2 bikes).
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The Look KEO family is excellent. An absolutely mahoosive platform to stamp down on, I use these.
 
I can't quite work out the names of the different types of gears, but I currently have a Sora double crankset, I manage pretty well with it, I've only been defeated by one hill, a massive 20something percenter. Saying that, I do enjoy nice long hilly rides and found last year that sometimes it was just a bit of a pain having to work REALLY hard all the time, even just on a nice leisurly day out.

Do many of you guys run triple chainsets? Does the lower gear tend to be easier than the one found on the double?

Now the shifter is a triple, so would it simply be a case of swapping the actual gears, say for this? http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/51946/Shimano_Sora_FC3503_Triple_Chainset

I guess I'd need a new chain, but the derailleur would work do you think?
 
Kimi said:
uniQ did the LBS build yours? if so, how much did they charge, all my bits should be here soon and thinking about getting it done instead of faffing
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The best quote I had was £100, although none of the places near me including the closest Cervelo dealer sounded like they had a clue how to fit Shimano in a BBright bottom bracket properly. So place I wen't too wasn't the cheapest or closest but they new their **** and were genuinely bike enthusiasts, workshop was bigger than their shop floor.

I know most of my LBS stores just charge an hourly rate and say roughly 2-3 hours for a bike build.
 
godinman said:
I can't quite work out the names of the different types of gears, but I currently have a Sora double crankset, I manage pretty well with it, I've only been defeated by one hill, a massive 20something percenter. Saying that, I do enjoy nice long hilly rides and found last year that sometimes it was just a bit of a pain having to work REALLY hard all the time, even just on a nice leisurly day out.

Do many of you guys run triple chainsets? Does the lower gear tend to be easier than the one found on the double?

Now the shifter is a triple, so would it simply be a case of swapping the actual gears, say for this? http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/51946/Shimano_Sora_FC3503_Triple_Chainset

I guess I'd need a new chain, but the derailleur would work do you think?
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Do you have a double/standard? If so it would probably be cheaper to just replace the chain rings with a compact ratio than switch to a triple. And buying a cassette with a wider ratio.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=38170
 
Ahem, it's a double, I'm not sure if it's standard or what, how could I check? What's a compact ratio? Would I still have 2 front gears but one just be much larger than the other or...? I'd like to keep the same top speed.
 
You'd not be able to fit a 34t chainring (as found on a compact) on a standard double chainset. Your best bet would be to replace the cassette with a 12-28 or similar, the 39x28 combination would be close to what you'd achieve with a 34x25. If you already have a cassette that goes that low then changing your chainset is the next option.
 
godinman said:
Ahem, it's a double, I'm not sure if it's standard or what, how could I check? What's a compact ratio? Would I still have 2 front gears but one just be much larger than the other or...? I'd like to keep the same top speed.
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Standard (Double) - Most commonly - 53/39
Compact (Double) - Most commonly 50/34
Triple - 50/39/30

Have a play with your cassette/cadence and the various ratios here:

http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=...19,21,23&GT2=DERS&UF2=2099&TF=85&UF=2099&SL=2
 
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Right, so. I may have to MTFU. It would appear that I already have a compact, gear are thus -

11-25
34-50

Hmm, it's probably why I haven't been struggling massively on the hills!
 
platypus said:
Meh, I'd like a compact just to say I've got one but it'd be pointless in Cambridge :p.
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im simply wasting weight in my case :D havent used the smallest one yet! and ive covered nearly 2k miles on my bike.. with 8.4km climbing this year :o

godinman said:
Right, so. I may have to MTFU. It would appear that I already have a compact, gear are thus -

11-25
34-50

Hmm, it's probably why I haven't been struggling massively on the hills!
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yup MTFU ;)
 
A cassette with 27/28 would likely make all the difference then. Otherwise options are to put a longer rear mech on and use a MTB cassette with a 32 cog etc. But by the sounds of it I would have thought you would be fine with a 27 or 28 on the rear.
 
I've got 46/36 and 12-27 on mine and I only struggle on the stupidly steep stuff (20%+) so yeah, sticking a cassette with a 27 low end on should make the world of difference. I'd stick a cassette with something in the 30's on if I could for the steep stuff but 27 is the max I can go without sticking a long cage rear on.

grudas said:
with 8.4km climbing this year
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Yeah but you weigh as much as a crisp packet so that's no great feat :p
 
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