switching wheels between racing and training

[rudycyclist]

I, like most people, use different training wheels than I race with. My training wheels have a 26 t cassette. My race wheels have a 23 on them. Can my rear der get caught in spokes if I don't change my limits on it everytime I change my wheels? Are there any other disadvantages of changing wheels and using a different cassette for racing?

 

[carbonguru]

Techincally, you should train with the SAME CASSETTE RATIO as you race on. When you do, you'll find that your training and racing results will be so much more positive, while your body and legs thank you for the ability to work within its limits. Your rear FD too won't have any mechanical surprises either when you're 100m from the finish line Sprinting for the win.

I, like most people, use different training wheels than I race with. My training wheels have a 26 t cassette. My race wheels have a 23 on them. Can my rear der get caught in spokes if I don't change my limits on it everytime I change my wheels? Are there any other disadvantages of changing wheels and using a different cassette for racing?

 

[ozelise]

Agree with Carbon, but to answer your question, you shouldn't have to (I assume it has the same number of cogs, and ideally the same brand/group). Your chain length should be OK as well (generally anything 27 or under)

 

[John M]

I, like most people, use different training wheels than I race with. My training wheels have a 26 t cassette. My race wheels have a 23 on them. Can my rear der get caught in spokes if I don't change my limits on it everytime I change my wheels? Are there any other disadvantages of changing wheels and using a different cassette for racing?

If the wheels have the same hubs, no adjustment should be necessary, although a slight tweak of the cable tension is sometimes necessary which can easily be accomplished with your adjuster barrel.

If the hubs are different brands, sometimes a slight adjustment is needed as well. There shouldn't be enough difference that you would have to move the limit screws.

 

[gclark8]

I wonder if one of the hubs/axles has been incorrectly re-assembled at some time. The lock nuts and spacers in Shimano hubs go on in a particular order.

 

[PeterF]

I, like most people, use different training wheels than I race with. My training wheels have a 26 t cassette. My race wheels have a 23 on them. Can my rear der get caught in spokes if I don't change my limits on it everytime I change my wheels? Are there any other disadvantages of changing wheels and using a different cassette for racing?

I have two sets of wheels. One set are Campy Proton's with a chorus 12-25 cassette and the other set are Campy Eurus' with a Record 11-23 cassette. They're not a perfect fit, so when I switch them, I need to spend a minute or two tweaking the limits and the tension. Personally, I use the Eurus' on my A-bike all the time for racing and training, and the Proton's are on my b-bike which is for winter and bad weather. The only reason I would switch would be if one set was out of commission for a few days. If I had a set of Zipp 404 carbon tubies or something of that ilk, I would probably save them exclusively for racing, but I find that many of today's mid range wheels (Ksyrium SL's, Eurus, Dura Ace et al), are made to withstand the rigors of training and still be true on race day.

 

[bobbyOCR]

The spacing for shimano R500 axles and DT Swiss 340 axles is different. The 340 is a little bit closer to the chainstay, so a small tweak in chain tension and maybe limits is needed. There aren't enough true hills to force me to my 25 though, so sometimes I don't switch the limits.

It is a little hassle though, so when race season is over, the DTs come out very rarely.

 

[melslur]

Question: In changing from a 12-25 to 12-23 cassette, should the RD ideally be adjusted slightly? I know the 12-25 in effect contains 12-23, but just curious if I should even think about a slight adjustment.

Thanks

 

[carpediemracing]

Question: In changing from a 12-25 to 12-23 cassette, should the RD ideally be adjusted slightly? I know the 12-25 in effect contains 12-23, but just curious if I should even think about a slight adjustment.

Thanks

Technically, the B screw should be adjusted. It is the screw that determines how much the rear derailleur pivots forward and upward around its main pivot bolt (i.e. the bolt that screws into the frame). The screw adjustment depends on chain length, large cog size, and chainring size differences.

The B screw allows a mechanic to "pull back" on the derailleur to tension a chain that is slightly long or to tension the chain when the cassette/chainring sizes are not ideal (for example, small cassette with a mountain bike derailleur and a double crankset).

Conversely, the mechanic can allow the derailleur to "rotate forward" to give more slack to the chain (less friction) or get the upper pulley closer to the cassette cogs (better shifting).

The B screw is usually accessed from behind the the bike and it is screwed into a washer type piece with a tab sticking out (where the screw sits) and sits right under the dropout. Some odd Campy derailleurs had a toothed cam piece which adjusted the B screw adjustment (and they had no screw). Many lower end derailleurs do not have a B screw.

You can determine the max B screw adjustment by unscrewing it as much as possible in your small ring x big cog so that the upper pulley does NOT hit the large cog. I tend to adjust my B screws so that they are as far out (i.e. allow the derailleur to move forward) as possible. On some derailleurs I simply remove the B screw since it is unnecessary for my cassette/s.

I found that a 25 does require some B screw adjustment on the current Campy derailleurs I have (regular Chorus or Record). 23's, 21's, no adjustment necc.

If you use the same make/model hubs and cassettes, then limit screw adjustments should not be necessary.

hope this helps
cdr

 

[capwater]

Techincally, you should train with the SAME CASSETTE RATIO as you race on.

Assuming you train and race on the same terrain. I'll run an 11-21 for flat crits, but train on 12-23s whilst riding out in the rolling country.

 

[cyclepromo]

If the wheels have the same hubs, no adjustment should be necessary, although a slight tweak of the cable tension is sometimes necessary which can easily be accomplished with your adjuster barrel.

If the hubs are different brands, sometimes a slight adjustment is needed as well. There shouldn't be enough difference that you would have to move the limit screws.

John,

On examining the first post I noticed that his signature mentions two different wheelsets;

-Bontrager X Lite wheels (Training)
-Reynolds Carbon DV Stratus (Racing)

Would those two models have ahuge difference?

 

[bobbyOCR]

John,

On examining the first post I noticed that his signature mentions two different wheelsets;

-Bontrager X Lite wheels (Training)
-Reynolds Carbon DV Stratus (Racing)

Would those two models have ahuge difference?

The difference is tiny through all of the wheelsets which are used for 10-speed, they all use identical spacing. The largest difference I have seen was between a pair of Pro-Lite Como's and Mavic Ksyrium Elites, and it was 1mm. This difference can affect shifting though.

It shouldn't take adjusting the limit screws, unless you use your whole cassette in a race.

They all technically have a very similar freehub body. If the gears don't work when you switch, then adjust, if they do, don't adjust. Simple.