Seskin hill / Mahon Falls

Deisetrek

Hello all ,

I do good mileage every week all year round , would consider myself fit ( or so I thought) . My normal Saturday spin would take me around the perimeter of the Comeraghs , nothing too hilly but a good spin all the same ( up to 70 miles or so ) . Because I have entered the 160 km route for the Sean Kelly Tour in August , I ventured up Seskin Hill and the Mahon Falls today for the first time . Oh my God , thought my heart would leap out of my chest a couple of times , had to dismount and take a breather twice on both climbs . My question is , using a 52/42 front chainring combination and a 11/23 cassette , should I be thinking of changing to a triple on the front , or will I eventually be able to rech the top of both without dismounting as was my original target with my present gearing set up ? Is is essential to have a triple for climbs like these??

DirkVoodoo

Deisetrek wrote: »

Hello all ,

I do good mileage every week all year round , would consider myself fit ( or so I thought) . My normal Saturday spin would take me around the perimeter of the Comeraghs , nothing too hilly but a good spin all the same ( up to 70 miles or so ) . Because I have entered the 160 km route for the Sean Kelly Tour in August , I ventured up Seskin Hill and the Mahon Falls today for the first time . Oh my God , thought my heart would leap out of my chest a couple of times , had to dismount and take a breather twice on both climbs . My question is , using a 52/42 front chainring combination and a 11/23 cassette , should I be thinking of changing to a triple on the front , or will I eventually be able to rech the top of both without dismounting as was my original target with my present gearing set up ? Is is essential to have a triple for climbs like these??

Wow, that's pretty hardcore. Sounds like you have the fitness alright but most people would struggle with 42-23 up mahon falls.

No need to switch to a triple. You can get a compact if you want, a regular 39 or the cheapest (easiest) option would be to get a new rear cassette.

Do you race? I can't imagine why any casual cyclist would need a 42 tooth inner ring.

Quigs Snr

42 / 23 is too big unless you are a strong racer... especially if you need to dismount.

39 / 27 would be more like it. So get that inner chainring changed to a 39 and the rear one to a 27. Job done, those hills are still tough enough but they will be more manageable for you that way. Changing to a triple means new cranks, right hand shifter, front derailleaur, bottom bracket, possibly rear derailleur and chain also. Not worth it. If you want to do it cheaper go for the 27-12 cassette on the back and either the 39 chain ring on the front or a compact crank. A lot cheaper either way.

Caroline_ie

Seskin is super steep ,,, you will need a super pair of legs to manage that on a 23 cassette without a triple or compact chainset.

Deisetrek

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Wow, that's pretty hardcore. Sounds like you have the fitness alright but most people would struggle with 42-23 up mahon falls.

No need to switch to a triple. You can get a compact if you want, a regular 39 or the cheapest (easiest) option would be to get a new rear cassette.

Do you race? I can't imagine why any casual cyclist would need a 42 tooth inner ring.

No DirkVoodoo , I don't race just a leisure cyclist . A 52/42 combination came with my bike when I originally bought it . So are you saying I should change my inner ring from a 42 to a 39 , and run a 52/39 combo ? Also what 8 speed combination should I be looking for on my rear cassette ? Thanks in advance

DirkVoodoo

Deisetrek wrote: »

No DirkVoodoo , I don't race just a leisure cyclist . A 52/42 combination came with my bike when I originally bought it . So are you saying I should change my inner ring from a 42 to a 39 , and run a 52/39 combo ? Also what 8 speed combination should I be looking for on my rear cassette ? Thanks in advance

like Quigs says, 39-27 will be fine.

It's amazing that you were sold that setup in fairness. My sister got a bike and I was surprised to see an entry level road bike with a compact. She hasn't cycled in years and struggles up some of the smaller "hills" around the place.

Yeah you just need a 39 tooth ring with a 130 BCD I think, new cassette for an 8 speed should be cheap enough off CRC, if you have 52 on the upper end then something like a 12-27 cassette should be fine.

Deisetrek

Quigs Snr wrote: »

42 / 23 is too big unless you are a strong racer... especially if you need to dismount.

39 / 27 would be more like it. So get that inner chainring changed to a 39 and the rear one to a 27. Job done, those hills are still tough enough but they will be more manageable for you that way. Changing to a triple means new cranks, right hand shifter, front derailleaur, bottom bracket, possibly rear derailleur and chain also. Not worth it. If you want to do it cheaper go for the 27-12 cassette on the back and either the 39 chain ring on the front or a compact crank. A lot cheaper either way.

Thanks Quigs , your reply came whilst I was writing , I will look at those combinations

RobFowl

8 speed and 52/42 sounds like a mid 90's combination. Standard now is 53/39 front. I find a 35 on the back gets me over anything in this country but a 27 as Quigs said is a nice back-up.
If you're not racing its unlikely you'll need anything smaller then a 14 so I'd try to get a 39 inner ring and a 27/1 combination , the ratio from 27 to 12 on and 8 speed might be too much.

Deisetrek

RobFowl wrote: »

8 speed and 52/42 sounds like a mid 90's combination. Standard now is 53/39 front. I find a 35 on the back gets me over anything in this country but a 27 as Quigs said is a nice back-up.
If you're not racing its unlikely you'll need anything smaller then a 14 so I'd try to get a 39 inner ring and a 27/1 combination , the ratio from 27 to 12 on and 8 speed might be too much.

Well RobFowl ,

A 52 / 42 combination with a 12/26 Sram rear cassette is the set up for the 2006 Trek 1000 ( discovery channel colours). I actually changed to the 11/23 in emergency one time (turns out to be a bad idea by the look of it) . I can only find a 12 /26 on chain reaction , Wiggle seems to not go above 26 either , would a 39 to 26 get me up these hills ? Sorry guys/ gals for all the questions .

short circuit

Deisetrek wrote: »

Well RobFowl ,

A 52 / 42 combination with a 12/26 Sram rear cassette is the set up for the 2006 Trek 1000 ( discovery channel colours). I actually changed to the 11/23 in emergency one time (turns out to be a bad idea by the look of it) . I can only find a 12 /26 on chain reaction , Wiggle seems to not go above 26 either , would a 39 to 26 get me up these hills ? Sorry guys/ gals for all the questions .

You will have to look in the mountain bike cassette section to find bigger oens.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_HG50-I_8_Speed_Cassette/5300002265/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_HG70-I_8_Speed_Cassette/5300004526/
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34749
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1189
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31547
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5212

Deisetrek

short circuit wrote: »

You will have to look in the mountain bike cassette section to find bigger oens.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_HG50-I_8_Speed_Cassette/5300002265/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shimano_HG70-I_8_Speed_Cassette/5300004526/
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34749
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1189
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31547
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5212

So I can buy any one of these mountain bike cassettes and they'd be compatible with a road bike ?

rottenhat

No, if you go too big you'll find that the derailleur isn't long enough and the jockey wheels will hit the cassette when you try to shift to the largest cogs. There's not going to be a huge difference between a 12-26 and a 12-27 in any case - if 39 x 27 is going to be enough, 39 x 26 should be okay too.

If, on the other hand, you find that you still have to get off the bike on Seskin, you won't be alone - there were riders practically keeling over in front of me last year.

Deisetrek

rottenhat wrote: »

No, if you go too big you'll find that the derailleur isn't long enough and the jockey wheels will hit the cassette when you try to shift to the largest cogs. There's not going to be a huge difference between a 12-26 and a 12-27 in any case - if 39 x 27 is going to be enough, 39 x 26 should be okay too.

If, on the other hand, you find that you still have to get off the bike on Seskin, you won't be alone - there were riders practically keeling over in front of me last year.

Thanks for that , all replies very helpful , will order a 12/26 and a 39 and see how I get on ..........thanks again everyone

Junior

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Seskin is super steep ,,, you will need a super pair of legs to manage that on a 23 cassette without a triple or compact chainset.

I time trialled up seskin a few years ago on a 23

We're proper men down this way !

zzzzzzzz

Junior wrote: »

I time trialled up seskin a few years ago on a 23

We're proper men down this way !

I did the kippure time trial with 39/23.

HIGH FIVE! YEAH!

Admittedly, half way up I was crying inside and I really missed my 26. COME BACK 26... ALL IS FORGIVEN!

trad

Went over that climb with the Ras many years ago. A prominrnt cyclist from that neck of the woods was asked what gears did he use to climb the steep bits, he said " 42 X roofrack"

Junior

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I did the kippure time trial with 39/23.

HIGH FIVE! YEAH!

Admittedly, half way up I was crying inside and I really missed my 26. COME BACK 26... ALL IS FORGIVEN!

Pfft 42 up front ...