Getting old, still love my Specialized Tarmac, but
10-21-16, 06:18 PM
#1
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Getting old, still love my Specialized Tarmac, but
the knees are beginning to tell me I need another gear. If I want to change the front cassette to add a granny gear what should I purchase and how difficult is it to swap out? I'm going to keep this bike though, just need to alter it a bit as I get older and the hills begin to seem higher and longer.
10-21-16, 06:22 PM
#2
Optically Corrected
Changing out the cassette would be easier than changing your crank/chain rings... what is the range of your current set-up?
10-21-16, 07:25 PM
#3
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It's a stock 2007 Specialized Tarmac Expert
Rear Cogs: Shimano Ultegra 12-27
10-21-16, 07:39 PM
#4
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10-21-16, 08:02 PM
#5
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Yea, it looks like the 2007 had a (53/39), would the compact - 50/34 give me that much more relief when I hit the hills? And is it pretty easy to install?
10-21-16, 08:31 PM
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Whether changing a crankset is easy or not depends on how comfortable you are working on your bike. It's not complicated. Pretty sure that model has an FSA crank with Mega Exo bottom bracket. If you get a crank that uses current BB (assuming the BB is still in good shape), you'll likely just need an 8mm allen wrench.
You can see what you're getting into here:
10-21-16, 08:40 PM
#7
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It should give you noticeable relief on the hills.
Whether changing a crankset is easy or not depends on how comfortable you are working on your bike. It's not complicated. Pretty sure that model has an FSA crank with Mega Exo bottom bracket. If you get a crank that uses current BB (assuming the BB is still in good shape), you'll likely just need an 8mm allen wrench.
You can see what you're getting into here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxAj-zbynPI
Whether changing a crankset is easy or not depends on how comfortable you are working on your bike. It's not complicated. Pretty sure that model has an FSA crank with Mega Exo bottom bracket. If you get a crank that uses current BB (assuming the BB is still in good shape), you'll likely just need an 8mm allen wrench.
You can see what you're getting into here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxAj-zbynPI
10-21-16, 09:58 PM
#9
don't try this at home.
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You have a 10 speed Shimano rear derailleur? Some local riders have replaced the rear derailleur with a mountain bike derailleur, and went to a 32 or 34 largest cog in the back.
It's fantastic on steep climbs. Of course, there's much bigger gaps between cogs.
You have a 12-27:
12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27
Deore 11-32:
11-12-14-16-18-20-22-25-28-32
Deore 11-34:
11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34
I think they had their bike store do this:
From cyclingabout.com
One of my bikes has a 30 front - 29 rear lowest gear. I find myself still wanting lower gears at times!
The other bike has a 34 front - 28 rear low. It's fine on hills under 10%, and "okay" on steeper hills.
It's fantastic on steep climbs. Of course, there's much bigger gaps between cogs.
You have a 12-27:
12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27
Deore 11-32:
11-12-14-16-18-20-22-25-28-32
Deore 11-34:
11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34
I think they had their bike store do this:
From cyclingabout.com
10 Speed Option: Shimano 10-speed STI Shifters with a 10-speed MTB Cassette and 9-speed Derailleur
This is a pretty popular hack. If you’re using 10-speed road shifters (Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, Dura-Ace), you can hook them up to a 9-speed MTB derailluer, a 10-speed MTB cassette and a 10-speed chain.
As the 9-speed MTB derailleur pulls in the same way as a 10-speed road, you are essentially just increasing the derailleur cage length to increase the overall capacity. Keep in mind the 10-speed shifters will ONLY work with 10-speed road front derailleurs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is a pretty popular hack. If you’re using 10-speed road shifters (Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, Dura-Ace), you can hook them up to a 9-speed MTB derailluer, a 10-speed MTB cassette and a 10-speed chain.
As the 9-speed MTB derailleur pulls in the same way as a 10-speed road, you are essentially just increasing the derailleur cage length to increase the overall capacity. Keep in mind the 10-speed shifters will ONLY work with 10-speed road front derailleurs.
One of my bikes has a 30 front - 29 rear lowest gear. I find myself still wanting lower gears at times!
The other bike has a 34 front - 28 rear low. It's fine on hills under 10%, and "okay" on steeper hills.
Last edited by rm -rf; 10-21-16 at 10:02 PM.
10-21-16, 10:03 PM
#10
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You said in same thread in another forum here that you had a triple with a 30 T granny. You are not going to get better than that, you need a cassette with a larger cog, like a 11-30 Ultegra. (or a MTB hack).
10-21-16, 10:12 PM
#11
don't try this at home.
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EDIT:
MulliganAl: can you check your bike and post the actual gearing, front and rear? Is it 53/39 front? Or 53/39/30? If it's a triple, you may be able to put a 28 or even smaller granny on it, but the shifting between chain rings might not the best.
10-speed rear, and 12-27?
EDIT 2 -- I see you posted below-- yes, a 53/39 12/27 standard double.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Compare your 12-27 with a standard 39-53 or compact 34-50 crank.
Mike Sherman's Gear Calculator will update the charts on the fly as you change cadences or cogs. It pops up a message saying you can bookmark the current settings to retrieve later.
Here's the 12-27 and 39-53 10-speed configuration: Link to calculator.
Here's the 12-27 and 34-50 10-speed configuration: Link to calculator.
The attached charts show speeds at typical spinning cadences. 39-53 and 34-50 charts.
The compact crank runs out of gears a little below 20 mph in the small chainring, and the standard crank can stay in the small chainring into the low 20 mph range. The compact is a little more than one more shift easier in the biggest cog.
MulliganAl: can you check your bike and post the actual gearing, front and rear? Is it 53/39 front? Or 53/39/30? If it's a triple, you may be able to put a 28 or even smaller granny on it, but the shifting between chain rings might not the best.
10-speed rear, and 12-27?
EDIT 2 -- I see you posted below-- yes, a 53/39 12/27 standard double.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Compare your 12-27 with a standard 39-53 or compact 34-50 crank.
Mike Sherman's Gear Calculator will update the charts on the fly as you change cadences or cogs. It pops up a message saying you can bookmark the current settings to retrieve later.
Here's the 12-27 and 39-53 10-speed configuration: Link to calculator.
Here's the 12-27 and 34-50 10-speed configuration: Link to calculator.
The attached charts show speeds at typical spinning cadences. 39-53 and 34-50 charts.
The compact crank runs out of gears a little below 20 mph in the small chainring, and the standard crank can stay in the small chainring into the low 20 mph range. The compact is a little more than one more shift easier in the biggest cog.
Last edited by rm -rf; 10-22-16 at 06:29 AM.
10-21-16, 10:26 PM
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If it's Shimano, you can probably get a 12-30 cassette on there.
That will give you a 26" low gear- 60 RPM at 4 MPH.
That will give you a 26" low gear- 60 RPM at 4 MPH.
10-21-16, 11:01 PM
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10-22-16, 06:23 AM
#14
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Sorry GeneO, that was a cut/paste error, I don't have a triple, it's a 53/39 front.
10-26-16, 02:33 PM
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I elected to "downgrade" my rear derailleur from Sram Red (short cage) to Force (long cage) and install a Sram WiFLi cassette, getting me a 32 to go with my 50/34 in front. Of course, I needed a new chain too.
This has made a huge difference in how long and how steep I can climb all day--compared with the 11-28 I had.
This has made a huge difference in how long and how steep I can climb all day--compared with the 11-28 I had.
10-26-16, 04:36 PM
#17
Its Freakin HammerTime!!!
Im 43 and its HILLY here. I had togo 50/34 and 11/28. I dont care about being first up the mountain either.
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10-25-16 07:08 AM
