jonc123

I have a 10 Speed LHT I tour with fully loaded with 4 panniers. Since the bike only has about 1400 miles on it I would like to wear the drivetrain out before doing a major upgrade someday. For now the bike does have problems with some steep hills or you could say it's mostly not the truck but the truck driver.

What is the easiest way to get another lower gear? Would a 11-34 cassette play well with everything or would it be better to change the front 26 tooth to a 24 (if that can even be done)?

I've researched this some, but it's really confusing. It seems what works and what doesn't is trial and error sometime. Trying to work out some of the trial and error before I go to LBS.

Here is what I have:

Bike: LHT 10-speed Microshift Barends

Crankset: Andel RSC6, 26/36/48t

FD: Shimano Sora FD-3503

RD: Shimano XT-T780-L SGS

Cassette: Shimano HG-50-10, 11–32t

Thanks,

Jon

mantelclock

With your equipment you could do either or both. Just going to 24 up front will give you a lower low than going to 34 in the cassette.

Recycle

My 9 speed LHT came with a 26/36/48 and an 11/34 cassette. I swapped one chain ring to get 24/36/48 then, a few years later, changed to a 12-36 cassette. There are some duplicate gear combinations, and I have to avoid a full cross chain of 48/36. but I really appreciate the 17 gear inch granny.

indyfabz

The other day I noticed that the LHT is now speced with a 32t large cog. smh. Why the change? My 2011 model (9 speed) has a 34t large cog. I have looked into putting on a 24t small chainring. A LBS said I would need a new FD because whatever it came with does not support a 24t small ring from a chain rap perspective. Plan to get a second opinion on that one.

indyfabz

Did you need a new FD? If not, what FD are you running? One LBS told me the FD my LHT came with could not handle a 24t small ring.

Biketouringhobo

My Surly LHT 26in 52cm 2008 came with 9Speed
my Crankset was 26-36-48t gone to 24-34-46t and
now I have Shimano Deore 24-32-42t adding 22t
and 11-34t cassette 9 speed

Biketouringhobo

not TRUE!

indyfabz

How can you SAY that without knowing what FD I am running?

Biketouringhobo

I had the Shimano Sora triple FD with 24-34-46 worked fine for me on my SURLY LHT
and now I am using Shimano Deore 22-32-42t with Shimano XT FD

bikemig 

I second the idea of getting a 24 tooth inner chainring. I prefer steel over aluminum for a 24 tooth inner; those are getting hard to find in 74bcd. One place that has them is Rivendell:

Sugino Steel Chainring - 74 x 24t - 12027

mantelclock

And get the handy tool, too.

Tourist in MSN

If you change the cassette, before you ride it anywhere make sure the chain will work on the big sprocket and big chainring. You might need a longer chain when you add teeth.

jonc123

Well, I knew it might not be that easy!!

Are the 24 tooth aftermarket sprockets interchangable with what I have or am I looking for a particular type or brand? I'll probably let the LBS mess with it, so I assume it is something they can order from QBP. I'll wait a while and keep on reading here, might learn something!

I'm not readily seeing the HG-50 model cassettes on the Shimano website, looking around on the computer I see lots of 11-36 but not a lot of 11-34. Looks like the XTR model would save me nearly 1/2 pound but I'm unsure I need titanium or the cost.

Biketouringhobo

What year is your Surly LHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Biketouringhobo

The Shimano Sora FD-3503 is a 9Speed FD
Derailleur Capacity 20t

Deore M591 9 Speed Traditional
Derailleur Capacity 22t
max ring 48t
look on Cool Bike Parts and Accessories from the Coast of Maine since 1976

jonc123

I talked to LBS, they say they can get that ^^ chainring. They are going to call me back. If not, I can order it and they will install it. I like the idea of switching that out first and seeing how it does. Thanks. I did see the aluminum one in the special order section (QBP) of the LBS. Did not see the Steel model.

Tim_Iowa

You can use any 24t chain ring for 74 mm Bolt Circle Diameter; that's the size that fits your crank. A steel ring will last longer than aluminum.

You can use any Shimano or SRAM 11-36 cassette with your current rear derailleur; it doesn't have to be an HG-50. The more expensive models are lighter, but their aluminum cogs may not last as long as the cheaper steel ones. Titanium cogs are light and wear pretty long, but it's expensive as you've found.

You'll probably need a longer chain along with the larger cassette.

These things are all pretty easy to do yourself, if you have the proper tools: crank puller, chainring nut wrench, cassette lockring tool, chain whip, chain tool.

jonc123

I know I could do the work myself, but I don't plan on making many changes like this often. That Shimano titanium cogged cassette would save lots of weight; people spend more money than that to save less weight I'm sure! Maybe a little too much $$. I wonder what the reduction in weight would do performance wise, since it's on the wheel? One thing, it's not like the weight of a tire on the outer circumference.

I see the titanium model just has a few of the rings in titanium, the rest in aluminum. I think I'll stick with the steel, I'm not going racing.

bikemig 

Like Tim said, the aluminum is fine as well. Everything else being equal, I prefer steel for the small ring in 24 tooth because it will last longer and the weight penalty is pretty small. I've done some riding in the Ozarks; I'm not surprised that you want to improve your climbing gears for loaded touring. There are some challenging climbs in that area.

jonc123

At this point, I'm not in good enough shape to do the big hills in the Ozarks. I just got the LHT last fall in late September and managed to put around 1400 miles on it before winter (which didn't really start until January). The places I have more of a problem is coming out of these river valleys in flatter areas.

I'll see how the 26 to 24 tooth change goes. It wouln't seem like it would do a whole lot, but maybe so...I'm not familiar with all this yet! I wonder if I should go ahead and have them order a 11-34 cassette. I do know I like the spacing on the 11-32 I have now.

I always have the option of walking the bike; I have no problem with that and it saves my legs some and makes the rest of the ride more enjoyable.

bikemig 

Trial and error is the best way to figure out what you need. You'll like the difference a 24 tooth makes. Nothing wrong with walking. In the meantime you're getting stronger and you'll figure out whether other changes might be in order as well. I will say this. I've done my share of riding in mountains, hills, and windy flat areas. A long headwind is probably the hardest thing you'll have to deal with. But hills are plenty tough as well and generally, at least in my experience, tougher than mountains. Paved mountain roads tend to be graded; roads often just get plastered up and down hills, plus you get a lot of them one after the other. You're riding in a tough area.

Doug64

It looks like your LHT might have 26" wheels (avatar)? If it does, the 24 tooth chainring and an 11/34 will be the same as a 22 chainring on a 700c wheeled bike, about 17.4 gear inches.

That is what I'm running on my bike and is a good combination: 700c wheels, 44/32/22 with an 11/34 cassette. I not much help with 10 speed systems, because all my experience is with 9 speed parts' compatibility. However, chainrings and cassettes are pretty much the same.

jonc123

Yes, 26". I'll start with the 24 tooth on the front & try it out a bit and go from there. I'll probably wind up changing the cassette also.

It's good to do this now, when the day comes to upgrade because of worn components I'll know what gearing I need.

Tourist in MSN

If it costs more for labor than the tools, get the tools. For one thing, it is useful to know how to fix your bike. And when you get a new cassette and chain, you should have the tools to replace that since those are expendable items. I just ordered three new cassettes from Amazon a few weeks ago. You can learn a lot on simple stuff from you tube. Things like changing a cassette is pretty simple stuff.

I probably have a total of 50 miles on my Aluminum 24T sprocket. Don't use it that much, only the steep hills. It is almost as good as new. My point is that of all the chainrings I have, the granny gear is the last one I would look for a steel one since it gets so little wear.



I do not know if your cassette is on so tight that you need a real chain whip to get it off or not, but at this link I described how I use a short piece of chain and a good cord to substitute for a chain whip for traveling. https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/80...l#post14023387

But at home I use a real chain whip.

djb

I expect any triple FD would have no problem with going from 26 to 24, I've gone from 30 to 26 and didn't have to do anything.
Take a look at Sheldon Brown's gear calculator to do before and various after options for the exact gear inches.