I have a 2004 Cervelo One tri bike ($500 special). While the gearing was great in Michigan, here in Colorado Springs, its just too high most of the time… I have to stand up and mash at the top of hills. I can’t afford a road bike so thats out of the question for the moment (unless one of you finds me a job). I have 650 wheels. Would a compact crank work for a 650 wheeled bike? Do they even make compact cranks for 9 speeds? Do I just get a new cassette? Or should I just HTFU because I’m out of shape from spending 3 months sitting on my ass studying for the bar?
Just get a 12-27 cassette. Should get you up most hills here in CO. There are some big jumps between some of the gears but the last three are 21-24-27 and above 21 its all about the same. I went with that for three years and finally changed up to a 10 speed triple. But thats a lot of coin compared to a casset.e Enjoy.
Bob
It would help if you told us what chainring and cassette sizes you have now.
On my road bike, which is 700C, I have a 53/39 and train with a 12-27 and race with a 12-25 most of the time.
Most people here seem to have compacts or triples though.
I’ll second the 12-27 cassette suggestion. Even with a 39 I can get up to most high places pretty easily.
You have two options:
1-Get a cassette with bigger cogs
2-Get smaller chainrings (a la compact crankset)
The first is obviously cheaper and easier so look at your current cassette first. You probably have 53/39 chainrings with 12-23 cassette (or something like that). As others have noted, you can pick up an Ultegra or 105 12-27 and see if that’s low enough. If not, start looking at compact cranks
Edit: You can use this gear calculator to help you figure out your current gearing and what different options will do for you. www.sheldon****brown.com/gears/
Thanks!
You might not need a whole new cassette. I got the 27 and 25 and had the shop take off two other gears. Beware, adding a 27 may affect your rear derailleur – I had to get a new one (“short cage”, I think is the expression).
if you do get a larger rear cog - don’t forget to lengthen your chain.
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Ok I checked the bike: 53/42 cranks and a 12-23 cassette. Would changing the cassette or the cranks give me more of a change?
If a normal road bike crank is 53/39, would that be enough for me to notice without needing a new chain or FD? I’d like to do this for under $100.
The change from a 23 to a 27 cassette cog is a factor of 1.17
The change from a 42 to a 34 chainring (common on compacts) is 1.24.
The change from a 42 to a 39 chainring is only 1.07, which is about the ratio between most of the cogs on a 12x23 cassette
So if you only need “one” extra gear, just change out the small chainring to a 39. This will cost about $40. No chain or FD required.
If you need more gears, go for the new cassette; which will run on the order of $60. You will likely need a new chain, unless there is a lot extra on the one you have.
If you need more than that, you need the compact as well. That is going to cost a lot more.
P.S. Welcome to Colorado Springs! (I live here too.)
Paul
Thanks! Do you ride Garden of the Gods? If you do, what is the lowest gear you use? I’m just wondering if I’m being a flatlander wuss here.
I ride in the Garden occaissionally. But, I go to the extreme on gears. I have two bikes, both cyclocross. One is my “race” bike, which this time of year is mounted with road tires and a 12x23 cassette. The other is my general purpose training, commuter, trail, mountain bike. I ride this bike everywhere, including the mountain trails. It has a 12x32 cassette. Both bike have a tripple chain ring, so that with the 12x32 cassette I have low gears for the mountain trails.
When I did ride a road setup around here, I found a 12x23 to sometimes be lacking. Yes, I could get over anything, but there are times when you just want to take it easy up the hills. So I would go with a 12x27. And honestly, I like the tripple. There is never a hill I have to ride harder than I want. Which means I can still ride hilly areas on my easy days and not over-do it.
Paul
I missed this thread the first time around. I too moved from Michigan to Colorado and before Boulder Peak last year put some compact cranks on my Felt S32 with 650 wheels. Made all the difference in the world.