Need more gears! (126mm options)

Mycroft H

The eternal problem; you find yourself zig zagging up that steep hill as you've ran out of gears. I'm running a 7 speed (with 126mm dropouts) 12-24 with a 52-42 up front. Regularly find the need for a bailout gear; something I can drop into while climbing up the featherbeds.

Any decent 7 speed cassettes that run up beyond a 28t? Can't find any

Alek

This may be difficult these days...

If your chainrings are 130BCD, perhaps you can change the smaller front cog to 38?

cdaly_

You can get a Shimano 'MegaRange' 14-34t freewheel which is essentially a 6-speed freewheel with an extra 34t granny gear. You would have to see would your rear mech cope with the extra 10 teeth.

Mycroft H

I'm afraid I have a lovely shimano 105 Freehub. Thankfully I've not to deal with snapping axles again...

lescol

There are a few to choose from in St John Street Cycles:- http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cassettes-7-speed-dept72_pg1/?currency=eur

Mycroft H

Always forget about that place.

If I dropped to a 38T Chainring would it affect the sifting drastically to the 52?

smacl

Mycroft H wrote: »

Always forget about that place.

If I dropped to a 38T Chainring would it affect the sifting drastically to the 52?

I swapped my 42T for a 39T a couple of months as I couldn't get a suitable 42t. No noticeable difference to the shifting. Is your 52t ramped?

Eamonnator

Mycroft H wrote: »

Always forget about that place.

If I dropped to a 38T Chainring would it affect the sifting drastically to the 52?

Shouldn't do. Smaller gap than 50-34 or 36-52.

Mycroft H

smacl wrote: »

I swapped my 42T for a 39T a couple of months as I couldn't get a suitable 42t. No noticeable difference to the shifting. Is your 52t ramped?

No, It's not ramped. It looks like it's the original one from the early 1990s.