Gearing which way to go

[94chas]

Hi All
finding my gearing abit high for the hills around here have 22 tooth rear and 42 front is it best to go smaller on the front have seen 39 tooth on ebay, or bigger on the back have seen a 7 speed shimano block with 28 tooth down to 14 tooth.
Any Thoughts
Regards Chas

 

[Ian Raleigh]

If you want to go lower than 42t, you need to first check if the chainset you have will take smaller rings!

If its 144BCD like Campagnolo chainsets from the 80's, then 41t is the lowest it can go.

I run 42/52 and a six speed block on the rear 14-26 i can just manage up the hills but is a struggle :roll:

 

[mjray]

Shim do a mega range block. I don't remember exactly what's on it but www.Sheldonbrown.com/gears includes it.

 

[markyp]

late 80's campag with 135BCD = 39tooth
Shimano with 130BCD = 38tooth

 

[Spokesmann]

A 24 or 28 at the back would help. I put a Megarange on my 72 Continental with a 36 tooth rear sprocket, 42/52 at the front - climbs anything now.

 

[Spokesmann]

OK aesthetically its not going to get the purist vote, but for out and out ease of climbing hills this 12-speed set up worked a treat...

 

[pigman]

If you go big at the back, you will need a rear mech that cope. You cannot just stick a mega range block on and work it with a standard short arm mech

 

[Spokesmann]

If you go big at the back, you will need a rear mech that cope. You cannot just stick a mega range block on and work it with a standard short arm mech

As per my picture.

 

[94chas]

Re:

Hi Guys
thank you for your replys my cranks are 1st generation chorus the rear mech.is indexing 7 speed chorus my friend has sent me a 39 tooth stronglight chain ring which he says will fit so I,ll try this first,if its not low enough I,ll go up to 24 tooth on the rear sprocket.
My friend says I should train more often!!
Regards Chas

 

[bm0p700f]

People in the 70's, 80's and early 90's were just harder. When did the rot start? Keep your 42/22T gearings and squint at every hill it make them seem flatter.

After writing this I should ride my alan with 44T/18T gearing up hartest hill (17% peak it best we can do in suffolk) thats a real struggle.