Bicycle Mechanics - Road To Touring............

Two years ago I bought a Trek 1200 which is a great bike but not the bike I should have bought
for what I now have in mind, which is long day rides in the mountains of South Carolina
and North Carolina.

Question. Can my BB be swapped out for a touring or MB BB with much lower gearing?


LastPlace

Two years ago I bought a Trek 1200 which is a great bike but not the bike I should have bought
for what I now have in mind, which is long day rides in the mountains of South Carolina
and North Carolina.

Question. Can my BB be swapped out for a touring or MB BB with much lower gearing?


LastPlace

Bottom bracket has nothing to do with your gearing. You already have a triple on that and most likely a 12-15 cassette. You could sneak by with a MTB cassette to give you a different gear range.

Capwater,

Thanks. For no good reason I assumed that changing the front cassette would mean a change of BB.


LastPlace

Capwater,

Thanks. For no good reason I assumed that changing the front cassette would mean a change of BB.


LastPlace

There is no cassette in the front. The cassette is the cluster of gears on your rear hub. You could go with a compact up front, but your current triple crankset ought to have a wide enough range of gears.

I don't know what derailure that bike would have, but if it's a short cage derailure, wouldn't that not work with anything larger than about a 27 or 28 tooth cog?

I don't know what derailure that bike would have, but if it's a short cage derailure, wouldn't that not work with anything larger than about a 27 or 28 tooth cog?

Triple will have a long cage derailler. I've seen 29s on short cages for hill climb TTs.

capwater,

Sorry I was being inaccurate in my choice of words. Thank you for understanding what I was trying to ask.

I do have a 12-24 'Cassette' out back and a 30-42-52 triple
up front.

Basically I am trying to get lower gears because of age and injury issues and
my desire to ride in nearby mountains.

LastPlace

You running 9 speed rear? An SRAM 12-26 or Simano 12-27 cassette in the rear will do wonders for your situation.

Sorry I was being inaccurate in my choice of words. Thank you for understanding what I was trying to ask.

I like this thread ,and the vintage thread, because people here will help you. I learn something here nearly every time I log in.

Yes, you can install a touring triple (26/36/46). Sugino makes them compatible with Shimano square taper BB spindles. You will have to shorten the chain.