what cassette?

davek said:

OK, so I got me some new wheels, with 105 cassette hub on the rear. Question
now is what cassette(s) to get...

Current range is 14-28 (with 52/42 chainrings). The 14t doesn't see an awful
lot of action, not with my knees, so I'm not too concerned about the top end
of the gearing range. But I use the 28t a fair bit going up hills. And I
sometimes feel like I could do with an even smaller gear.

So, I'm pondering a few options.

Currently looking like an appealing possibility is the SRAM Powerglide 5.0
cassette, which has 8 speeds in the range 11-28 or 11-32. I presume this
will fit on a Shimano hub?

I don't mind too much the fact that with such a range, the gears will be
quite widely spaced - it's still an improvement on my current five-speed
set-up. But given that I don't use my 14t sprocket that much, I'm hardly
likely to be wearing out the 11t in a hurry. Does anyone know of any
off-the-shelf alternatives that go up to a 28 or higher but start higher
(say 13 or 14t) at the top end, to a more useful range of closer spaced
gears?

The other possibility is to change the chainrings for smaller ones. The
trouble with that idea is that the chainset is an ancient Suntour job and
won't fit the 'standard' sizes of chainrings currently available. So, I'd
need to get a whole new chainset, in which case I can consider getting a
proper roadie cassette (11-23) and a triple. But I'm not all that keen on
the idea of a triple with non-indexed shifters.

I've also been hearing a lot about the FSA compact double 50/34 chainset,
which sounds very appealing indeed, but I understand they are very pricey,
yes? Does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives?

Another possibility is having more than one cassette so I can switch
according to the terrain. Are cassettes easy to change? I almost ripped my
arm out of its socket unscrewing the freewheel the other day - someone
please tell me it's easier than that.

Anyway, thanks for reading this far. Any advice/comments gratefully
received. I'd be interested to know what sort of set-up other people are
running and how they feel about it - particularly those of you who, like me,
are towards the lower end of the performance scale.

d.

cassettes are a piece of [censored] to change. you just need to have a chain
whp and the tool that fits in the locknut...

davek <[email hidden]> wrote:

: I've also been hearing a lot about the FSA compact double 50/34 chainset,
: which sounds very appealing indeed, but I understand they are very pricey,
: yes? Does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives?

THere's no really cheap alternatives, but you can get a TA Zepher Light
for £130. 34/48, 34/50 or 36/50. I'd suggest that you could usefully just
use the 48 big ring.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OK, so I got me some new wheels, with 105 cassette hub on the rear.

Question

Quoted message said:

now is what cassette(s) to get...

Current range is 14-28 (with 52/42 chainrings). The 14t doesn't see an

awful

Quoted message said:

lot of action, not with my knees, so I'm not too concerned about the top

end

Quoted message said:

of the gearing range. But I use the 28t a fair bit going up hills. And I
sometimes feel like I could do with an even smaller gear.

So, I'm pondering a few options.

Currently looking like an appealing possibility is the SRAM Powerglide 5.0
cassette, which has 8 speeds in the range 11-28 or 11-32. I presume this
will fit on a Shimano hub?

Yup. Shimano do 11-28 in 8 too.

Quoted message said:

I don't mind too much the fact that with such a range, the gears will be
quite widely spaced - it's still an improvement on my current five-speed
set-up. But given that I don't use my 14t sprocket that much, I'm hardly
likely to be wearing out the 11t in a hurry. Does anyone know of any
off-the-shelf alternatives that go up to a 28 or higher but start higher
(say 13 or 14t) at the top end, to a more useful range of closer spaced
gears?

Shimano irritatingly don't do big -> big cassettes - I think their reasoning
is that if you want the big sprocket for going up hills, you will want a
little one for going down them. You can always mix up a pair of cassettes
(if you stick to the cheaper ones which don't use spiders).

Quoted message said:

The other possibility is to change the chainrings for smaller ones. The
trouble with that idea is that the chainset is an ancient Suntour job and
won't fit the 'standard' sizes of chainrings currently available. So, I'd
need to get a whole new chainset, in which case I can consider getting a
proper roadie cassette (11-23) and a triple. But I'm not all that keen on
the idea of a triple with non-indexed shifters.

Non-indexed shifters are perfect for a triple - loads less hassle setting
up, and it means you can trim while riding much more easily. Something like
a tiagra front (52/42/30) with a 13-23 cassette in back would be great (and
coincidentally just what I've got!). (30/23 is equivalent to 42/32, and
you've got the option of having more spread later if you want with a
cassette change).

Quoted message said:

I've also been hearing a lot about the FSA compact double 50/34 chainset,
which sounds very appealing indeed, but I understand they are very pricey,
yes? Does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives?

A non-compact drive (110mm pcd) MTB chainset with the granny off?

Quoted message said:

Another possibility is having more than one cassette so I can switch
according to the terrain. Are cassettes easy to change? I almost ripped my
arm out of its socket unscrewing the freewheel the other day - someone
please tell me it's easier than that.

The great advantage of cassettes - they don't tighten under load unlike a
freewheel.

cheers,
clive

davek said:

OK, so I got me some new wheels, with 105 cassette hub on the rear. Question
now is what cassette(s) to get...

It doesn't matter what you get. Leave it in the glove box of the car for
long enough and it'll turn into Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

...d

Arthur Clune:

Quoted message said:

THere's no really cheap alternatives, but you can get a TA Zepher Light
for £130.

Hmm. Still way out of my price range. I'm really trying to do this
completely on the cheap - ie, scouring ebay for bargains (the wheels were
£35).

Quoted message said:

I'd suggest that you could usefully just
use the 48 big ring.

Yup. A 48*11 would still be a considerably bigger gear than the biggest my
current set-up gives (52*14). This is why I'd be keen to find a cassette
that starts with a 13 or 14t smallest sprocket - I want to be able to use
all my gears!

d.

Clive George:

Quoted message said:

Yup. Shimano do 11-28 in 8 too.

"No longer available" according to Wiggle. SRAM stuff seems to have a good
rep anyway.

Quoted message said:

You can always mix up a pair of cassettes
(if you stick to the cheaper ones which don't use spiders).

Good one. Hadn't thought of that. Although if I was going down that route I
think I'd probably get one of Sheldon Brown's custom jobs to make sure the
cogs were properly compatible.

Quoted message said:

Non-indexed shifters are perfect for a triple - loads less hassle setting
up, and it means you can trim while riding much more easily.

Really? I'd be worried about over-shifting. With just two chainrings I know
that shifting is just a case of putting the lever as far up or as far down
as it will go. Of course, over-shifting on the rear is more likely, given
the larger number of gears, but there I'm assuming it's actually less of a
problem because of the smaller size differences involved. I envisage getting
into all sorts of trouble accidentally shifting from a 30 chainring up to a
52 at an inopportune moment. Still, if you say otherwise, I shall take your
word for it.

Quoted message said:

Something like
a tiagra front (52/42/30) with a 13-23 cassette in back would be great

(and

Quoted message said:

coincidentally just what I've got!).

Righty ho! I'll be keeping my eyes on ebay for a cheap triple. I'm really
dseperately keen to keep this upgrade job as cheap as possible. This bike is
currently an all-purpose (road/touring) job, but if I ever get around to
buying separate road and touring bikes, I've got this one earmarked for
conversion to a fixie, so it would be a waste to spend lots of money on it.

Quoted message said:

A non-compact drive (110mm pcd) MTB chainset with the granny off?

Yebbut... that sounds a bit perverse, if you don't mind me saying.

Quoted message said:

The great advantage of cassettes - they don't tighten under load unlike a
freewheel.

I was hoping that was the case but didn't know for sure.

Thanks,

d.

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Clive George:

Quoted message said:

Yup. Shimano do 11-28 in 8 too.

"No longer available" according to Wiggle. SRAM stuff seems to have a good
rep anyway.

Hmm - suffering shimano shortage? It was a pretty standard cassette - look
at how many varieties settle sell. (whether they can get them is a different
matter).

(what about the HG60 and HG70?).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You can always mix up a pair of cassettes
(if you stick to the cheaper ones which don't use spiders).

Good one. Hadn't thought of that. Although if I was going down that route

I

Quoted message said:

think I'd probably get one of Sheldon Brown's custom jobs to make sure the
cogs were properly compatible.

I'd look at how he does it, then do it myself, so I got to keep the spare
cogs :-)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Non-indexed shifters are perfect for a triple - loads less hassle

setting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up, and it means you can trim while riding much more easily.

Really? I'd be worried about over-shifting. With just two chainrings I

know

Quoted message said:

that shifting is just a case of putting the lever as far up or as far down
as it will go. Of course, over-shifting on the rear is more likely, given
the larger number of gears, but there I'm assuming it's actually less of a
problem because of the smaller size differences involved. I envisage

getting

Quoted message said:

into all sorts of trouble accidentally shifting from a 30 chainring up to

a

Quoted message said:

52 at an inopportune moment.

Not a problem in practice. (downshift is where it would go wrong, but it
doesn't actually give grief)

Quoted message said:

Still, if you say otherwise, I shall take your
word for it.

Just IME :-)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

A non-compact drive (110mm pcd) MTB chainset with the granny off?

Yebbut... that sounds a bit perverse, if you don't mind me saying.

Yes :-) But it's potentially loads cheaper than a compact road double -
which will only come in flash varieties.

cheers,
clive

David Martin:

Quoted message said:

It doesn't matter what you get. Leave it in the glove box of the car for
long enough and it'll turn into Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

rofl.

d.

Quoted message said:

It doesn't matter what you get. Leave it in the glove box of the car
for long enough and it'll turn into Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

<Tony_Baron>
Vat David Martin, he a BAD man
</Tony_Baron>

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

davek said:

OK, so I got me some new wheels, with 105 cassette hub on the rear.

Question

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

now is what cassette(s) to get...

It doesn't matter what you get. Leave it in the glove box of the car for
long enough and it'll turn into Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

..d

Some0ne else has read "Good Omens" by Niel Gaiman. And yes it does feature
bicycles..

Julia

In news:[email hidden],
JBB <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

"David Martin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 20/5/04 11:50 am, in article [email hidden],

davek said:

OK, so I got me some new wheels, with 105 cassette hub on the rear.
Question now is what cassette(s) to get...

It doesn't matter what you get. Leave it in the glove box of the car
for long enough and it'll turn into Queen's 'Greatest Hits'.

..d

Some0ne else has read "Good Omens" by Niel Gaiman. And yes it does
feature bicycles..

You don't have to read it: it's on the first page, IIRC. (I've not read past
the first few pages. Not that I've anything against it, just not had the
chance.)

A