What gearing changes should I make to my Tarmac for better climbing in Maine?
04-13-20, 02:07 PM
#151
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To clarify, I don't do it myself, but LBS guys do. They've done it "countless" times, and in Boulder CO they have a huge amount of experience. YMMV :-)
04-15-20, 07:02 PM
#152
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Thread Starter
This is a great hill setup.
The deal with steep areas is that you tend to be in the bottom of your low gears or the top of your high ones. This means that midrange selectivity isn't so important -- and when it is, you can just swap in a narrower cassette because the extreme ends won't be so useful in such riding situations.
If 34x34 isn't enough to get you up those hills, a smaller ring combo up front (probably requiring a new crank) will probably be the ticket. Spinning out in high gears is really not an issue. Even with a 46 big ring, you don't spin out until 40mph -- at which point aero rather than your ability to spin the pedals is what's holding you back.
The deal with steep areas is that you tend to be in the bottom of your low gears or the top of your high ones. This means that midrange selectivity isn't so important -- and when it is, you can just swap in a narrower cassette because the extreme ends won't be so useful in such riding situations.
If 34x34 isn't enough to get you up those hills, a smaller ring combo up front (probably requiring a new crank) will probably be the ticket. Spinning out in high gears is really not an issue. Even with a 46 big ring, you don't spin out until 40mph -- at which point aero rather than your ability to spin the pedals is what's holding you back.
04-15-20, 07:23 PM
#153
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Thread Starter
Having just made the change from 52/36 & 11/28 to 50/34 & 11/34 I truly appreciate your comment, and I believe I am going to use it as the quote on my profile from now on if you don't mind, as that does perfectly sum up everything that's been said here.
04-15-20, 07:36 PM
#154
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Thread Starter
Ok, so I disappeared for a week or more while waiting for the parts to come in and then be installed. I went with the LBS in Rockland Maine (SideCountry Sports) which was a great choice - I am really happy with the entire experience there.
SO what I ended up doing was keeping my FSA crank and changing the front chainrings to 50/34 (down from the 52/36), a new 105 rear derailleur, chain, and 11/34 cassette (instead of 11/28). I've ridden it twice and I am really happy with it - I found that I am able to keep it in a harder gear while on the small front ring and either climb out of the saddle or just sit and climb easier. Even keeping it in the 34/28 is easier than what I had before as my lowest gear so basically I picked up another three or four easier low end gears that allow me to really slow down and just breathe while climbing, or go with a lot more aggression at hills because everything is a little easier. I was able to do a fairly long stretch slightly downhill with a tailwind and in 2nd to hardest gear ride at about 27mph at 100rpm. Overall this was the ideal solution for me, thank you to everyone who provided their opinions and advice, I appreciate all of it.
SO what I ended up doing was keeping my FSA crank and changing the front chainrings to 50/34 (down from the 52/36), a new 105 rear derailleur, chain, and 11/34 cassette (instead of 11/28). I've ridden it twice and I am really happy with it - I found that I am able to keep it in a harder gear while on the small front ring and either climb out of the saddle or just sit and climb easier. Even keeping it in the 34/28 is easier than what I had before as my lowest gear so basically I picked up another three or four easier low end gears that allow me to really slow down and just breathe while climbing, or go with a lot more aggression at hills because everything is a little easier. I was able to do a fairly long stretch slightly downhill with a tailwind and in 2nd to hardest gear ride at about 27mph at 100rpm. Overall this was the ideal solution for me, thank you to everyone who provided their opinions and advice, I appreciate all of it.
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04-15-20, 07:47 PM
#155
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Thread Starter
My Specialized Tarmac is stock with a 52/36 up front and a 11-30 cassette in the rear. I've used this on several very long 100+ mile rides with long mountain pass climbs. Has served me well and no difficulty in climbing long grades 10+ miles at 7-8% incline. If I was to make any change it would be to a 11-32 rear cassette just for the added gearing on a big hill. No plans to do that though.
My much older LeMond Zurich is a triple with 52/42/30 and a 12-25 cassette. I rarely ever used the 30 up front. Once climbed a short half mile hill in 30/25 that was at 14-15% grade. Biggest problem was keeping the front wheel down!
My much older LeMond Zurich is a triple with 52/42/30 and a 12-25 cassette. I rarely ever used the 30 up front. Once climbed a short half mile hill in 30/25 that was at 14-15% grade. Biggest problem was keeping the front wheel down!
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04-16-20, 04:39 AM
#156
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04-16-20, 08:37 PM
#157
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04-17-20, 01:21 AM
#158
Newbie
I currently have Cannondale Hollowtech crank off a 2012 Supersix Evo. The current chainrings are FSA 50/34. They are 110BCD 5 bolt. I would like to switch to 48/32 chainrings. Bike is 10 speed dura ace. I see Praxis Works Buzz chainrings as an option. Cassette is 11/28, and it's the lowest the RD can go.
Could anyone please recommend some other choices that are hopefully cheaper and still good quality.
Many thanks
Could anyone please recommend some other choices that are hopefully cheaper and still good quality.
Many thanks
04-17-20, 01:53 AM
#159
Senior Member
You'll likely need a new crankset.
04-18-20, 12:49 AM
#160
Newbie
Are you sure that the Praxis Works Buzz chainrings would actually fit? 110BCD 5-bolt cranks only normally support down to a 33T small ring, and even that is flying pretty close to the sun: most manufacturers peg 34T as the minimum. The 48-32 Buzz chainrings rely on special milling on Praxis cranksets in order to work, they're not compatible with most 110BCD cranks.
You'll likely need a new crankset.
You'll likely need a new crankset.
04-18-20, 01:15 AM
#161
Senior Member
Probably not.
The issue here isn't that Praxis wanted to use a proprietary scheme that's incompatible with most cranksets. It's that it's impossible to mount a practical 32T chainring to a traditional 110BCD crank spider. The reason that 110BCD chainrings from most manufacturers don't go lower than 33T or 34T isn't that most manufacturers are stupid or don't care, it's that there's not a reasonable way to make it work without using a weirdly-modified crankset like what the Praxis chainrings require. You're trying to use a chainring smaller than what your crankset was designed to accept.
The issue here isn't that Praxis wanted to use a proprietary scheme that's incompatible with most cranksets. It's that it's impossible to mount a practical 32T chainring to a traditional 110BCD crank spider. The reason that 110BCD chainrings from most manufacturers don't go lower than 33T or 34T isn't that most manufacturers are stupid or don't care, it's that there's not a reasonable way to make it work without using a weirdly-modified crankset like what the Praxis chainrings require. You're trying to use a chainring smaller than what your crankset was designed to accept.
Last edited by HTupolev; 04-18-20 at 01:19 AM.
