R700-Changing rear 9spd Cassette

I have a R700 with 105 comps. I live in the mountains & would like to change the rear cassette to
provide a lower gear ratio. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Fred

 

"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a R700 with 105 comps. I live in the mountains & would like to change the rear cassette to
> provide a lower gear ratio. Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks, Fred

I think the biggest cassette that you can use with your existing components is the 12-27. If you
need even more gearing, you can install a MTB (XTR, XT or LX) rear derailluer and cassette on your
bike. Those cassettes can be had in 11-32 or 12-34 cogs which could get you up some STEEP hills. You
might need a longer chain too.

 

"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a R700 with 105 comps. I live in the mountains &
would like to
> change the rear cassette to provide a lower gear ratio.
Any
> suggestions?
>
> Thanks, Fred

You don't state what you have now, or whether it's double or triple, and how low a gear
ratio you want

With an otherwise standard Shimano 105 triple nine speed set-up, (52-42-30 crankset), I'm using a
custom 13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-28, which works for me - about 28 gear-inches. A "standard" 12-27
Ultegra nine speed cassette would also work

If you've only a double, a 39T small ring and the 28T large sprocket will get you down to about 37
gear-inches. You can try a larger rear sprocket, but at the expense of wider gaps between adjacent
sprockets. You can get Shimano compatible ATB cassettes with 11-30, 11-32, or 12-34. IMHO, though,
the 11T is a waste of time on a road bike with a 52T or 53T large chainring, so better to customize
these to a 12T or 13T smallest sprocket

 

13/30 will work fine

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 14:34:18 GMT, "Dave Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I think the biggest cassette that you can use with your existing components is the 12-27. If you
>need even more gearing, you can install a MTB (XTR, XT or LX) rear derailluer and cassette on
>your bike.

 

A longer chain can be critical when installing a larger cassette. At a recent local club ride, I
stopped and assisted a rider who had put in a larger cassette without checking chain length. His
bike was in the big-big combination. The chain and derailleurs were locked up. The rd was extended
straight forward and the chain was tighter than a guitar string. We had to loosen the rear wheel and
bring it forward to loosen the chain enough to drop it onto a smaller gear.

r.b.

"Dave Thompson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have a R700 with 105 comps. I live in the mountains & would like to change the rear cassette
> > to provide a lower gear ratio. Any suggestions?
> >
> > Thanks, Fred
>
> I think the biggest cassette that you can use with your existing components is the 12-27. If you
> need even more gearing, you can install a MTB (XTR, XT or LX) rear derailluer and cassette on your
> bike. Those cassettes can be had in 11-32 or 12-34 cogs which could get you up some STEEP hills.
> You might need a longer chain too.