jeff44

The classic bikes I have present a problem to me in that the gearing does not work where I live. For example, the 52/42 front and 12-24 6 speed in back means either tree trunk size legs or a lot of standing over the seat. My modern bike has a compact crank 50/34 front and 12-28 10 speed rear, which means more spin time while sitting, my preferred position. Is a Velo Orange compact but old looking crank one answer? I could try to find a 12-30 6 speed to use with the 42 or perhaps find a Campy triple. I live in lower western CT which is the only place on the East Coast where the terrain goes from sea level to over 1,000 feet in 15 miles. Cycling is not easy here unless along the coast and as "the old guy" I need all the mechanical help I can find. Suggestions? Thanks, Jeff

Bandera

Welcome to the 70's!

For competition "back when" a 24 or 26T low paired in hilly terrain w/ a 42 was how we fitted out a race bike.
Previously the Half Step 52/49 or 47 made our set-up "easy" by comparison.
It wasn't exactly easy but it was the style of riding: big power and standing as required to hang in the hills.

However, the Paramount P-15 w/ a triple was the proper machine for a gentleman cyclist of distinction back then.
We built touring triples as a matter of course for the century riders in the local touring club, usually w/ barcons and a Brooks saddle.
Different requirements other than racing existed and so did the hardware.

-Bandera

iab

A TA crank has a 50.4 bcd and can take a 26-tooth chainring. Can be setup as a double or triple.

A #3 Regina cog can be up to 31 teeth.

I fail to see a gearing problem.

Sheldon Brown's Hetchins setup with a 50-28 double TA.

ThermionicScott 

Yep, there are lots of options for lower gearing in the C&V world. Just depends on what hardware you have now, how much of it you're willing to swap out, and how low you need to go.

My '87 Bianchi has a mishmash of regular 6/7/8-speed 105 components on it, and that allows for a 35" low gear (38T small chainring, 28T big cassette cog with my 26" tires), which I can ride up 18% hills without needing to get out of the saddle. And if I need or want lower gears in the future, there are lots of easy and inexpensive parts substitutions that will make that happen.

mgreen3691

I just went through this myself trying to get my new to me 1989 Bottecchia more appropriately geared for the terrain I live in. Although still in discovery mode I think moving from a 42T to 39T inner chain ring and swapping out the ridiculous 12-20 6 speed "Florida Freewheel" for a 7 speed 11/30 I think I can now manage. I have not tried the really steep stuff around me yet but I still have the option of a triple if I think I need it. We'll see...

Here is my post regarding this if you are interested.

Velognome 

Do steeps the old fashion way, walk the bike. There's no shame in hoofing it if you need to.

Paramount1973 

I put a VO Grand Cru triple crankset on my Paramount. I live in hilly terrain and I don't walk up hills.


P4140483 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr

kroozer 

The Italians were very snobbish about their racing bikes and hardly bothered to produce any good quality wide-range equipment. I think they'd rather get hit by a truck than be seen with low gears on their bikes. It's possible to put together a nice vintage Italian wide-range drive-train, but it's not common and it is rather expensive.
Vintage French cranks are great and offer many options for low gears. But nobody produced a really good wide-range derailleur until the 70's, with the Suntour GT, VGT-Luxe, etc. After the mid-1970's there were many good wide-range cranks, derailleurs, and freewheels available. I think the Japanese picked up on it the best, and this helped them take over the bicycle market.

pastorbobnlnh 

@jonwvara at Red Clover Components can sell you a 122BCD or 144BCD triplizer. I doubt you can find a 12T 6 speed freewheel. A 13-30 is more likely.

If you really need to be able to climb some steep hills on a C&V bike you can try what I use.

RobbieTunes

I never seemed to have a problem with hills when I was 10 years old on a banana bike.
Since we can't go back in time, perhaps I need a banana bike.

Velognome 

PB, in low gear do you get dropped by snails?

top506

A second for one of Red Clover Components triplizers. Here is a Campy NR with one of Jon's rings:



Top

pastorbobnlnh 

Depends on the gearing the snails use and whether they are spinners or mashers.

Just for the heck of it--- here it is pictured in High-Low to compliment the Low-High combination above. After all, one needs to be able to use every gear!

devinfan

Or you can take the route I've been using so far this year, haven't been beaten by a hill yet: 44 x 18.

bikemig 

Those racing snails are pesky critters to deal with in going up a hill.

To the OP: the sugino xd 600 triple looks great on an old bike and it will give you all the gearing you need and then some to keep up with those racing snails (or trying to keep up with @Velognome when's he's hoofing it up that hill, )

John E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgIL6eHHgZU

How low can you go? 8.6 gear inches

davester

My solution was to use the Red Clover triplizer (which involves replacing the bottom bracket) and fit a Soma cage to my Campy NR rear derailleur.

jimmuller 

You mean 44 / 18, don't you? On second thought 44 x 18 = 792. If that is in gear millimeters, it translates to 31.18in, quite reasonable for most hills.

Bandera

44X18 is 64GI, lower than the 70GI I ride on my fixed gear around here.
There are still a lot of miles ridden on Old School gearing in hilly terrain, it just takes the Old School technique, miles in the legs and a bit of grit.

-Bandera

devinfan

What I've found is that I'm actually better climbing hills, even steep ones, on a singlespeed. When I'm riding a geared bike I often spend mental and physical energy trying to get into the "right" gear and then doubting my choice. On a single you can put all your focus into getting up the hill, which is where it should be. I also like being able to stand on the pedals without worrying about ghost-shifting.

Bandera

Check out the Long Distance sub-forum, several highly committed FG folk there doing 1,200KM Brevets in <90 hours and other hard core efforts.
They are an excellent resource for modern fixed gear long distance riding in challenging terrain and adverse conditions.

FWIW mid 60-low-70GI seems to be the consensus for getting it done, plus lots and lots of seat time, solid technique and more grit than a gravel pit......

-Bandera

Rocky Gravol

This is my high-low, after I swapped my 52/42 crank to a 53/42/34.
It looks about as scary as Pastorbobs.
Next step, a long cage derailleur.

Rocky Gravol

I once made a jab at one of Pastorbob's photos of his bike cross chained,
his reply was you need to able to use every gear.

I worry about a catastrophic failure if I blow a shift.
My LBS tells me "just don't do that"

My hill climbing bike, with a 48/42/28 crank to a 14-34 six speed.
The high-low combo, what a difference a derailleur makes.

ThermionicScott 

A long cage RD certainly won't hurt, but you shouldn't be using the small-small combination in actual riding anyway. You'd be better served by using the middle ring and a larger cog on the freewheel.

(It's the big-big combination that might pose any danger.)

Rocky Gravol

Yes I understand about not cross gearing,
But like I said, it's not that I would do it riding,
I just would like to know that if I do it by mistake,
I won't end up walking home.

Big to big on the pkn


Big to big on the Grand Touring