Zaskar GT ...more road based gear set needed

[bladerunner]

Hi Guys,
I bought a minty GT last year for £250 which was like new! best push iron i've ever owned and takes my 100 kilo weight with ease! brakes, forks, frame and wheels still feel up to the job no matter what type of riding I do on it.....however most of my riding is on road or semi paved walk ways and im after upping the gearing as I set off on the largest front gear and even up hill drop down to the second at worst!

what gear sets do you guys suggest as currently 18 mph is comfort cranking and 25mph is spinning as fast as I can manage in top gear.

36mph is doable down hill using just gravity as I'm well past being able to assist at that point! but I'm wanting to do some more road miles and find after 20 miles or so...well I'd like to do less cranking and use a bit more torque!

links,suggestions,prices and ratios available are all welcome
____________________
Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[Ste]

What have you got at the moment?

[G]

Having considered doing similar when I had a GT Aavalanche and now having a 'proper' hybrid, I'd say just go for the latter.

It copes with my 80kg and 20kg of stuff on the back just fine.

Including (ok, only about 10kg on the back), up some stupidly steep off-road stuff.

Bigger wheels along with a 50/11 maximum have got me 44mph with a steep hill and me still JUST contributing. Thin tyres means less rolling resistance, so can keep higher speeds up for longer when less steep.

[Seb]

What tyre size are you running at the moment? Switching from smaller 1.5ish slicks to something like 2.5 hookworms will still give you that slick rolling resistance but will also substantially up your gearing without having to replace cassettes and such.
____________________
2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[stinkwheel]

Put simply. You either want a casette which goes smaller or a bigger chainring, or both. With an outside possability on larger diameter wheels or shorter cranks.

Casette is probably easier but if, as I suspect, it already goes down to 11, you're looking at a larger chainring(s), plus or minus a new front deralieur depending on what's currently fitted.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[bladerunner]

I've got 11 on the back so not much room for improvement I'd guess ...and 44 on the front...is it possible to get big enough chainring to up the gearing by 25%?
____________________
Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[G]

55 tooth sprocket is possible (well, may have to be 54 or 56) - but you'll have to up the other sprockets a similar amount.

For the amount you'll be spending, I'll stand by my suggestion of just getting a road bike or similar - you'll probably be able to get a second hand one for the sort of money and get the bonus of still having a bike good for off road too.

[Seb]

Hi

[bladerunner]

Thanks for the advice guys I'll look at both options! I do have an old pug roadie that's some 30 years old now and granted its easier to cycle that up a slight gradient at a higher speed than I can manage on the flat with the GT....only I like the ability to stop on the fatter tires as well as the smoother ride on non paved local cycle tracks. The furthest rides I do are 20 miles max unpaved and more often as little as 4 miles on road....maybe time to service the pug and have a bike for road and a bike for off road use !
____________________
Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's