TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share Hey Techies, please help! A while ago I posted a question regarding changing my gearing to give me a bit more oomph on the downhills. I have recently taken my bike to get a 53 ring fitted but apparently Shimano do not do an 11 tooth for an old 8 speed sora cluster any more. My old bike has just such an 11 tooth, also a sora. Can I change just the smallest gear, or must I swap the whole cluster? I am not really keen on this although it appears to be the easiest and quickest solution, simply because of the wear factor on the old cluster. Also can I do it at home, given that I have a chain wrench and that funny little splined spanner that I've forgotten the name of? TiBones2009-01-08 01:04:46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed Posted January 8, 2009 Share cassette lockring tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share dats da wun. Fanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Lizard Posted January 8, 2009 Share what about fitting a 54 on the big ring? That should have the desired effect. I am sure that it will be possible. If you change only the smallest ring on the cluster you could experience problems with shifting, I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share cant get a 54 for an 8 spd sora. Guy at the shop asks (in all seriousness) why dont I just change the back to a 10 spd? I then asks him I asks - so then do I need to change my RD? Yes he says he says to me. Then I asks him what about shifters? Yes he says.. And then I asks with tears in my baby blues - and now that Im up to 10 spd, will I need to change my chain and Crank and bottom bracket and blades? Yes he says. OK thanks I say. All I want is an 11 t for a bike that I could ill afford at the time! D@@s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted January 8, 2009 Share If you have an 11, see if it fits. If it fits, it fits. Whatever happened to experimentation? The youth of today are such poofters. Remember, if it aint broke, fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Lizard Posted January 8, 2009 Share On the chainrings I don't think the 8, 9 or 10 speed plays a role. So why not try in 105 or ultegra ranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Lizard Posted January 8, 2009 Share Johan: won't it affect the shifting if the second smallest ring on the cluster is for instance a 13 or 14? (I can't remember how those 8 speed clusters were geared.) Changing from a 13 to 11 might still be ok, but a 14, I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted January 8, 2009 Share Johan: won't it affect the shifting if the second smallest ring on the cluster is for instance a 13 or 14? (I can't remember how those 8 speed clusters were geared.) Changing from a 13 to 11 might still be ok' date=' but a 14, I don't know.[/quote'] Shifting is subjective. I can shift perfectly on old bikes with no ramps and pins in either sprockets or chainrings. I can also perform a crappy shift on a brand new hyper16valvetitaniumramped sprocket from the latest whizzbang supplier. Two and more tooth jumps are common elsewhere on cassettes. Why would it thus make a difference at the high gear end of the cassette? Like I say, experiment and stop speculating. After all, the OP seems to have everything right there at his disposal. It's a 10 minute exercise. Do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share If you have an 11' date=' see if it fits. If it fits, it fits. Whatever happened to experimentation? The youth of today are such poofters. Remember, if it aint broke, fix it. [/quote']I live by that credo much to the Missus' disapproval. However I need at least one of my bikes and if I cock up, both will be U.S. Merely a (sort of) affirmative from you JB means I'l give it a bash! Thanks also Reg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Guy in Pink Posted January 8, 2009 Share TiBones, For more Oomph on the downhills you need to learn to spin more, ever higher gears are not the answer. Do some training with a partner and race each other with you both on your 39/15 on the steepest downhill you have. When you can maintain 60km/hr for 500meter on that gear you will be getting there. No-one ever won a race on the downhill (Except in that discipline of course) To win races you need to be worrying about getting more Oomph on on the climbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share Thanx TGIP - I spin out downhill at about 83 Kph but, thanks to my friend gravity, I should be able to propel my ample frame a bit faster. Downhills are my friends. I also have no ambitions to win a race, just go faster. 48 years and 106 kgs never gonna get me into the elites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoBigBen Posted January 8, 2009 Share I have done that (swapped just the 12 for an 11). Worked OK, not as smooth shifting from 7th to 8th and back but it was cool. Just do it ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Guy in Pink Posted January 8, 2009 Share BigBen, An 11 will wear much faster than a 12, as only about 4 teeth in contact with the chain, opposed to about 6 on a 12. The pressure on each tooth is higher, and the wear rate skyrockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiBones Posted January 8, 2009 Share Mebbe the answer is to use the 11 on a race like the fast one and change back to 12 on those races what got uphills. @BigBen - thanx if its been done I will bravely go where others have dared to tread and Ill ignore the wear until I can use the little bugger as a neutral! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Lizard Posted January 8, 2009 Share And that's the reason why I don't ride on my 11 that frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now