Improving the climbing gears on my Roberts

[Jonny69]

The long cage 105 derailleur will take a 34 no problem. If you’re set on sticking with the shorter cage Ultegra, however, I’d be looking to drop the smaller front ring from a 39 to a 34.

I’m also tempted to say if you don’t already have the new shifters and you’re thinking of getting another cassette anyway, to go straight to 10-speed. Wider range 9-speed are a bit gappy; 10-speed seems to be able to solve the gappiness.

 

[widowmaker]

I did think about going for a 10 speed set up, whilst I was replacing the cassette.

Thanks for the info chaps

 

[mattr]

I suspect it's a 130BCD crank, so 38 tooth is minimum chainring size.

 

[pigman]

I have used 50x34, 12-30 using a standard (short) cage Ultegra 6600 rear mech no problem

 

[widowmaker]

I have a new 9 speed chain and a M739 long cage XT MTB mech in the spares box that takes up to 32, ill buy a 11-32 cassette and give it a try. I was hoping to leave the D/ace cranks as they are as they suit the bike.

This will be a small outlay so I can see if it suits the terrain/my knees

 

[hamster]

One other way is to by a tripleizer ring, which is an inner double ring with extra mounts to allow a granny on it. You can then keep your nice DA cranks and turn them intuo a triple. IIRC Spa Cycles carry them.

 

[widowmaker]

Thanks Hamster, I never even knew they existed