Regearing my SARS roadbike

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 11, 2016

                                         FSA carbon fiber chainwheel crank 53 - 39


I regeared my SARS road bike, inspired by the Mt. Province, Banawe Sagada ride last June to lower gears. I had 3 x 10 set up, with Deore triplet 44 32, 22 set up with 11 to 36 rear cogs, medium cage rear derailleur.  It had so many issues though. When at 44 x 32 the chain jumps to 32 without provocation resulting in loss of timing or failed climb.  It wont go down to 22 when asked for.  So it was better to use a mt. bike.

But you have issues with MTB:  it is heavy (none can match the lightness yet of road bike even the wt of iron bikes.  And the friction with wide tires easily tires you out.  So the ideal is the road bike that has low gears when elevation gets high.

The solution according to experts and mechanics is to go to 2 x10 or 2 x 11.  But such are expensive proposition even for a MTB. Your 2 x  10 crank, xt will set you back by 7t.  And you are not even sure.

So I experimented with putting back the original chainwheel/cranks set of FSA 53 39. I hope it will fit the chain.  Fortunately I had to buy a new chain for `10 speed. The mechanic said that the chain was pretty worn out (I could see the clearance of the chain in some section of the chain wheel to be from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.) That was after 4 years of use and long distance riding to Laguna loop, Real, Atimonan,

Bike rides to Antipolo via Teresa

Wheels of Happiness

I have done several bike rides to Antipolo via Teresa.  With my hill climber bike, it looks like a cinch now.   I do the climbs using 44 x 17 or 19.  It is spinning more or less with plenty of developing pedalling rate and aerobic capacity.  I do not stand and stay seated during the climb   The idea is not to speed up but finish the climb maintaining the rpm as much as possible.

I find it easier to do the climbs.  I see out the outer lane, to lessen the effort.  There is less panting and grunting as I use my hill climber.  Surprisingly, the climb takes less than 30 minutes.  It used to be more than that

This is how to train to be stronger?

Wheels of Happiness

August 25, 2015

After last Sunday's Bugarin ride, I rested yesterday.  But today, it was a little bit rough.  I biked to Sto Rosario past Lafarge and did 5x hill climb, first was over geared, then under geared. then under geared standing, over geared and then easy climb (32 x 32)

And then I went up the Mahabang Parang hill and I had to use 32 x32.   I did not have to stand and hurry up the pedalling, I was tired and breathless.

Then, not happy with that, I did a messengerial work.  I biked to BK at Frontera Tiendesitas.  It was a good choice because there was a lot of traffic even at Angono.  The intersection going to Baytown has now become a bottle neck.  And so with the Elem School at floodway before the Highway 2000 (fishport).  Traffic too at Puregold and C5.  But I made it on time 9 am.  I was trying to fast pedal at 90 rpm as taught by Ed Valdez.   High cadence pedalling means you have to learn to breath faster and higher heart rate.  It leaves you breathless and tired after the ride.  I had to sleep after eating and weashing up

Upgrade of my SARS roadie into a Cyclocross (RB and MTB)

Wheels of Happiness


I have finally completed the Hill Climber bike project. I did the following: replaced the chain wheel 53 x 39 with 44 x 32 x 22 Deore with 175 mm arm, installed a 3 way STI (sora), had a long cage RD (sora) and 10 speed 11 to 36 cogs: 11 13 15 17 19 21 24 26 32 36. I chose the STX, the more expensive but lighter cogs (with holes and spider arms) vs Alivio which is heavier.

The whole project cost me P7,800 for the sti, cogs, and the rear derailleur. I still have to find a 3 plet front derailleur. (The one I use is an old sora for 2 chain chain rings only)

Why do I have this project:

1. I have to use friendlier gear ratios as I am not getting younger.

2. When we go back to Banawe and Mt. Data, I will not run of gears.

3. I plan to join the guys who go on island hopping tours using cylocross bikes (I still to buy 25 mm wide tires) O I may go solo in August to Mindoro and up to Panay island

4. Convenience.

Test trial of my SARS Hill Climber

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal Philippines

                                               Deore triplet crank

                                       Sora rear long cage roller, and STX ten speed 11 x 36

                                        Rear view of the finished project

Ever since we came from Benguet, Mt Province, and Sagada where we quit some of the stages, I vowed that we would return with a bike with gears suited to the grade.  MTB only will do.

So I upgraded/converted my SARS bike to be my hill climber:

Here are the mods:

1. Removed the FSA 53 x 39 crank and replaced it with Deore triplet with 175 mm arm, 44 32, 22

2.  Outfitted a 3 way SORA sti, removed the front left Ultegra 2 way STI

3.  Replaced the ultegra rear roller with a Sora long cage rear roller

Upgrading the road bike into a Hill Climber

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   July 18, 2015

The challenges of the Mt Province, Sagada and Banawe climb made me rethink and retooling myself to handle such difficult climb and I started reading researching about hill climbers bike. So the alternatives are:

1. Shift to an MTB, comes with a triplet and maybe an 11 to 36 gear (Shimano SLX or XT) This will be set you back by P20t.

2.  Buy a new crank with low gear preferably a triplet (I bought a Deore tirplet before 44 32, 22) precisely to hone up my climbing skills at Mahabang Parang (going to Antipolo)  I had one this all ready.  I spent P650 for a Shimano MTB bottom bracket outfitted to my Sars Bike. The mechanic mentioned he could not make the 44 work.  Fortunately for me I did. However, only two chainrings work because the STI for the rear has only 3 stops. (However I learned that the Sora had 3 stops

3. Buy the 105 ten speed 11 32 with long cage RD (this will se me back by P3,800.  2t for the RD and  P1.8 t for the gears.