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Getting a lower gear on a bike by changing the cassette

  • 01-06-2009 7:00pm
    #1
    olearydc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 241 ✭✭


    Hi all

    Some advice needed if that’s Ok.

    Will be doing the Cork to Galway cycle next week and have been doing some training. The thing is I have a Giant bike with 3 front sprockets (30..42..52) with a normal 9 sprockets at the back (11-25).

    With my bike, for whatever reason, anything over 30-40 mins my hands get numb. Tried double tape..seat up/down/forward/backwards...with no joy..But

    My brother has a Trek bike 2 front sprockets (39..52) and he has let me use it...have been trying it out for the last week or so…again for whatever reason its been a lot more comfortable to cycle (no numb hands.. & I wont even talk about my butt!)

    So I will be using that bike and will suss out the setup of my own bike later on.

    But not all is Ok. The Gearing on the Trek is a bit high for my needs .. ie I am 17.5 stone (all muscle! ..OK Maybe not! ) and need some granny gears like I had before

    The question I have is the Trek bike has another 9 speed cassette Dura Ace (11-25) called the CS-HG 70-9 and I was thinking of changing it to a wider spread ie Shimano HG80 9s Cassette (11-32 or even 11-34)..due to the fact of not having a very low front sprocket.

    Do you think that this cassettes is compatible or can you think of a better solution

    Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated..thanks in advance

    Regards
    Dan


Comments

  • #2
    penexpers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,038 ✭✭✭penexpers


    If you get 11-32/34 you'll need to change the rear dérailleur to a long cage one. Otherwise I don't think there's any reason why they shouldn't work.


  • #3
    olearydc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 241 ✭✭olearydc


    Hi

    Thanks for that

    Never knew that was a thing called a long/sort cage dérailleur! I had thought they were the same until you said it and then I went to the bikes and yes, Looks like I have a 'long' dérailleur on the Giant and a short one on the Trek

    I had thought I could do this cheaply (had no choice really..Have a wife!!:rolleyes:) so don't want to spend any more money buying a dérailleur.

    Do you think if I went to a bike shop, they could swap the gears (front and back sprockets and also the dérailleur's) between the bikes? would that be a viable solution?

    It looks like it would be some job..


  • #4
    blorg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,995 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    I'm not sure that even a long cage road derailleur would handle 34T. My own derailleur needs the B-screw in pretty much all the way to even handle 27 without the jockey wheels rubbing.

    One of the good things about 9 speed though is that you can put on a 9-speed MTB derailleur (if you had to change it anyway.)

    With the current rear derailleur you can go at least to an 11-28 rear cassette, beyond that it may need a new rear derailleur.


  • #5
    short circuit
    Closed Accounts Posts: 730 ✭✭✭short circuit


    Its not a simple swap between the bikes ...

    Ok it is simple ... but an awful lot to swap ...
    Bottom bracket
    Chain ring
    Front derailler
    Rear derailler
    Cassette
    Front shifter

    Why don't you try setting up your bike to the exact same setting as the Trek ... same saddle height ... same saddle to bar distance ... same saddle to bar drop etc ... and swap the saddle for a comfier bum .. and I think someone here got a better pair of gloves to sort out the numbness


  • #6
    E@gle.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭E@gle.


    11-32 are you thinking of climbing the alps on the way to cork?


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  • #7
    ROK ON
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    penexpers wrote: »
    If you get 11-32/34 you'll need to change the rear dérailleur to a long cage one. Otherwise I don't think there's any reason why they shouldn't work.


    Everyone says this, however I was helped by a cyclist down in Kerry on Saturday (I had a puncture and broke my tyre levers).

    He had a 53/39 on the bike with a short cage rear dérailleur and a 11/32 rear casette. I was surprised as most people say that this is not possible. But he climbed up BallaghOisin without a bother it seemed.

    PS, I know next to nothing about gearing technology/compatability, just relaying what I saw.


  • #8
    olearydc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 241 ✭✭olearydc


    Hi All

    Thanks for your replies..

    I think i will do as some of you said about setting up my own bike again..see how it goes...if no joy will maybe buy a 11-28

    PS.. [email]E@gle...when[/email] your my age & weight there is no such thing as a slope..only a mountain!!

    Be safe all


  • #9
    Raam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,318 ✭✭✭✭Raam


    ROK ON wrote: »
    He had a 53/39 on the bike with a short cage rear dérailleur and a 11/32 rear casette. I was surprised as most people say that this is not possible. But he climbed up BallaghOisin without a bother it seemed.

    Sure what's the point in climbing if it's not a bother?! ;)


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