[Closed] Wide range 8sp cassette and mech?

Forgive me if I have misread the question a bit. But I have a sunrace 8 speed 11-40 cassette which is running fine with a claris rear mech with an extender thingy. Works fine, might drive you nuts if you are one of those folk that are sensitive to jumps to gears, but doesn't fuss me.

Smaller chainrings?

@theboatman - that sounds OK.

@tjagain - we could, however a cassette at around £25 will be cheaper I think, plus it would equate to a much larger gear range. Open to being told there is a better way!

Those chainrings are pretty big , 36T & 26T chainrings  for middle and small will make pedaling much easier regardless of cassette range.

Changing cassette alone may not make enough of a difference imo.

Funnily enough im having a parts clearout and have available ;

almost new shimano HG41 11-34T 8 sp cassette

almost new shimano 32T 8/9sp chainring

brand new shimano 22T 8/9sp chainring.

you can have the lot for £25 if interested.

I agree - but the cost of chainrings seems dafty....

Where can I get 26t and 26t 110bcd 5 bolt chainrings - and would I need to buy a smaller than 52t main chainring?

Final - and I think daft question - if I drop 4t on the front is that the same gear ration wise of adding 4t at the rear?

I am still erring to a wide range cassette - I would end up with 30t-40t
Changing chainrings I would get 26t-32t, so a higher gear for more money than a cheap new cassette?

Remember that there are 2 restrictions on rear mechs - maximum cog size and capacity. You might get away with a 40T cassette using the existing mech, or you might need an extender of some sort, but you're also expecting it to cope with a larger overall capacity - 52-30=22 and 40-11=29. That's a 51T range, something I doubt a Claris mech will cope with and might involve a longer chain too.

Ahem , previous posted edited with not so stealthy sales pitch.....

🙂

https://www.cyclerepublic.com/shimano-black-rd-m310-altus-sgs-rear-derailleur.html officially supports 34T sprocket, but I could have sworn I've read reports of it working with 40T sprockets, it officially has a 43T capacity.

I hate how the 8-speed 11-34 cassettes have that massive tooth jump 11-13-15-17-20-23-26-34 , I'd much rather replace the 11T with a 30T. https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-hg41-8-speed-cassette-107087.html is £14.50, they could be had for ~£9 a few years back from Halfords! 😮

pm me brown sauce.

@scotroutes - that was what I was concerned by. hmmm.

So what is my cheapest route to a lower geared bike?

I should have noted I'm running the
Claris mech with extender and a 40t NW chainring only.

Brown sauces rings have a different BCD, won't work

So what is my cheapest route to a lower geared bike?

Might be to fit a Trekking crankset (like an Acera/Tourney) but that would need a new BB too and potential fiddling with front mech shifting. I'm not sure on the cross-compatibility between Claris shifters/mechs and crank spacing of the Trekking groupsets.

GAH, so I could be in for an Alivio trekking drivetrain...

Best all purpose tough as old boots one size fits all is Shimano Deore RD-M591-SGS, we run it on all sorts of set ups, old six speed raleigh record ace with old style shimano wide cassette, wife's eight speed road bike with Sunrace climbing cogs, 10 speed road bike and 11 speed with mahoosive sunrace cassette on it, it's bomb and idiot proof.

GAH, so I could be in for an Alivio trekking drivetrain…

What's that joke.. If I wanted to go there. I wouldn't have started from here... 

You can buy an alivio mtb alivio triple for not much money or you could.

Spa cycles will build any chainset you want and supply an appropriate bottom bracket to get the chain line correct. Really helpful on the phone. Bottom bracket £11 chainset £90

Is the chainsaw required to adjust the bottom bracket to get the chain line correct?

Slowoldman

Sorry edited before I saw you joke

Go 9 speed?
Think mines an 11-42 XT cassette,
With sram x7 derailleur and x9 shifter.