# My S2 running out of gears



## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

I just keep running out of gears on flats with my S2 Ultegra factory build. What would be a good change to give the bike more pedal power? Should I change the cassette or change the chainrings? any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

Are you running a compact crank? What is your setup?


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

Here's the bike:


Component Group-Shimano Ultegra

Brakeset-Shimano Ultegra brakes, Shimano Ultegra levers

Shift Levers-Shimano Ultegra

Front Derailleur-Shimano Ultegra

Rear Derailleur-Shimano Ultegra

Crankset-Shimano Ultegra, 50/34t teeth

Bottom Bracket-Shimano Ultegra

Rear Cogs-12 - 25 teeth

Chain-Shimano Ultegra

Wheels- WH-6700 Ultegra

Tires- Michelin Pro4's


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

Yes, that's a compact crank. It's not a good choice for that bike or your flats. First thing I would do is replace it with a standard Ultegra 53/39 crank, and ride that for a while. If you still need more top end or more closely spaced gears you could get an 11-23 or 12-22 cassette. 

This is going to mean swapping the whole crankset, as I don't believe Shimano makes larger chainrings for their compact crankset. If you do your own wrenching, you can buy the crankset and sell your old one at a fairly small loss. If you rely on a bike shop maybe you can have them install the new one and let you keep the old one for resale. 

I also live on the flats and am familiar with this problem. I just made the same change on my wife's bike, which is even lower geared due to 650C wheels.


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

Great! that sounds like a good solution. Since mine is pretty new with no marks on it maybe I can find someone who has a 53/39 that would want to a trade too. Time to hit up the ebay first sellers I guess. Thanks for your suggestion!


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## Pin2Win (Feb 28, 2012)

I think I might swap out the cassette first....11-26maybe?


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## tahustvedt (Nov 12, 2009)

Pedal faster.


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

tahustvedt said:


> Pedal faster.


:mad2: no torque left on the bike


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## tahustvedt (Nov 12, 2009)

How fast are you going when you run out of gears?

At a sensible cadence of 80 rpm with 50-12 you'll be going 26,1 mph, which is very fast by my standards (~380 Watts). With 11t you'll be going 28,4 mph at the same rpm (but that speed takes 460 Watts).

I've got a 53/39 crank, but I would be better off with a 50/38 setup. I'm going to change out my 12-25 cassette for a 13-25 one now because I don't need the 12, or even the 13 gear, unless I'm going dangerously fast downhill. If I'm time trialling my road bike or doing intervals I'll be in the 15 or 17 cog in the rear, spinning at 100 rpm. On long rides alone I spin 70-80 rpm average, which puts me in the 15-16 cog area on the flats.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

It depends on what you want to do. If all or most of your riding is solo what you're saying applies, but a lot of people ride in groups. I don't know how fast he's going, but in my neck of the woods it's not difficult to find big pelotons rolling along at 30+ for long stretches. With a tailwind things can get very fast indeed, and it doesn't take anything like 400 watts to stay in a bunch like that. Not very many amateurs are interested in spinning 120 rpm for mile after mile.


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

I'm not sure as I don't have a speedo, but I seem to keep up with cars for bit on a couple roads I travel. I would think around 40-45mph the bike is maxed out for me. I Again I'm guessing... might put a speedo on this bike at some point. I know I could go faster with more top end on this bike on a flat road.


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

Roadone said:


> I'm not sure as I don't have a speedo, but I seem to keep up with cars for bit on a couple roads I travel. I would think around 40-45mph the bike is maxed out for me. I Again I'm guessing... might put a speedo on this bike at some point. I know I could go faster with more top end on this bike on a flat road.


Time to go pro then.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

How steep is that hill you're going down to hit 40 - 45 mph?


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

Well...not trying to sound or be a pro biker. I live where we do have some steep hills though and my first road bike with a speedo on it hit 64mph on the dial zipping down one nice grade. And they are steeper ones I have went up as well. I'd say I'm in a 50/50 area for hills/flats. I do like to ride fast and just for fun. Not trying to prove anything to anyone.


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## Clay L (Jul 3, 2010)

You need a speedo, and calibrate it in mph, not kph...... None of us are buying the 40-45mph BS.


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## Roadone (Jun 18, 2011)

Clay L said:


> You need a speedo, and calibrate it in mph, not kph...... None of us are buying the 40-45mph BS.


 Yeah I agree need a speedo, just for the sake of argument and ego I'm sure I'm no where near 40-45 on my fastest speed like you feel. Will leave it at that, besides my wife says I've got the size thing all wrong too 

So I'm checking in to the crank upgrade deal for now, and maybe the cassette too...I thank everyone for the replies. Anything else that could help please feel free to post!


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## tahustvedt (Nov 12, 2009)

If you're really going 40+ mph then go for it. Larger chainwheels and a smaller cassette will do the trick. I rarely find myself going as fast as 40 mph, though, even in downhills.  We don't have much wind where I live.



Fireform said:


> It depends on what you want to do. If all or most of your riding is solo what you're saying applies, but a lot of people ride in groups. I don't know how fast he's going, but in my neck of the woods it's not difficult to find big pelotons rolling along at 30+ for long stretches. With a tailwind things can get very fast indeed, and it doesn't take anything like 400 watts to stay in a bunch like that. Not very many amateurs are interested in spinning 120 rpm for mile after mile.


Of course it takes less power to stay in a bunch. Did I say 120 rpm? I just presented some numbers to consider, nothing I said was incorrect. There is only a 2.7 mph difference by going to a 11t cassette, and less if changing to a 53t chainwheel. A lot of people, including myself, have made the mistake of thinking I need to spin at 60-70 rpm to ride comfortably. Learning to spin slightly faster has made me a stronger cyclist with better endurance. I rode 30 mph in a 8 mph tailwind the other day in the 13 tooth gear, at less than 100 rpm. With a 50 t chainwheel I would do it in the 12 tooth gear.


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## burkeqc (Sep 25, 2006)

I have a 2009 S2 with a 50x34 Shimano crank. I changed orig cassette to 13x25, but still ended up with numerous downshifts to 34 from 50 & needed upshifts on rear. I switched to SRAM 13x27, which reduced downshifts to 34 & fewer upshifts on rear subsequently..


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## rgg01 (Jun 21, 2011)

I'm not pulling mine is bigger than yours but I have just swapped out a 50/34 compact chainset with an 11/25 cassette for a 53/39 as on the long, slightly uphill, straight on our group rides I was regularly spinning the cranks, fastest recorded on my Garmin edge 800 is 67kmh with the old setup, I don't work in mph and I didn't maintain for more than 200m but 60-65kmh is normal for our group finish.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

rgg01 said:


> I'm not pulling mine is bigger than yours but I have just swapped out a 50/34 compact chainset with an 11/25 cassette for a 53/39 as on the long, slightly uphill, straight on our group rides I was regularly spinning the cranks, fastest recorded on my Garmin edge 800 is 67kmh with the old setup, I don't work in mph and I didn't maintain for more than 200m but 60-65kmh is normal for our group finish.


Go pro. If you are spinning out 50-11 uphill you are a cycling god.


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

give the OP a break, he knows he's a noob and what changes he has to make.Of course OP could certainly avoid giving ball park speed measurements.....


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

If you were referring to my post, I wasn't referring to the OP. This topic has been dead for over a month until it was revived by the poster claiming that he _exceeds_ 40mph _uphill_ at the end of a group ride.


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## eekase (Nov 10, 2009)

Roadone said:


> I just keep running out of gears on flats with my S2 Ultegra factory build.


Switch over to Campy 11-speed, you'll have one more cog 
All kidding aside, with a compact crank up front, you should try a 11-23 or 11-25 cassette......or keep your current cassette and go with a standard ( non-compact) crankset. IMO, a cassette change is 'easy peasy lemon squeezy'.


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## deviousalex (Aug 18, 2010)

50x11 > 53x12, so might as well get a new cassette first, it's a lot cheaper. At 100 RPM he'll be going 35.6 mph. So if his 'pro' legs need even more then go standard. 

There are 52t 110BCD Ultegra chainrings, but they may be triple specific? I'm not sure about that.


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

xjbaylor said:


> If you were referring to my post, I wasn't referring to the OP. This topic has been dead for over a month until it was revived by the poster claiming that he _exceeds_ 40mph _uphill_ at the end of a group ride.


Not you.


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## cantride55 (Sep 19, 2008)

Fsa has 52/38 rings. Don't know if they'd work on Shimano...can't see why not though. 110 bcd 5 bolt.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

OneGear said:


> Not you.


:thumbsup:


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## NWS Alpine (Mar 16, 2012)

Praxis will have their 52/36T 110 bcd rings out soon. That would be a nice setup. It's labeled mid compact.


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## drhiii (Aug 23, 2012)

Pin2Win said:


> I think I might swap out the cassette first....11-26maybe?


I have the same question. Cassette first? Or chainring?


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## Nob (Nov 24, 2006)

Cassette first then try new chain rings imo. 11/23 cassette generally solves any idea of being in the pro peloton.

I ride a couple of Cevelos on a daily basis and 64 mph is smoking by anyone's account. If I might suggest...get a reliable and accurate speedo before changing your gearing. I run a 50/11 and hit 45 mph on a daily basis going down hill and totally spun out at 110rpm.

90rpm on a 50/12 is 29.3 mph
100rpm is 32.6 mph

I have a buddy who thought the same thing....not enough gearing...but his avaerage candence was between 60 and 70 or well under 25mph..

53/11 @ 100rpm is 37.7mph.

Reality check here:

Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

I want the 50*11 t-shirt


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## Nob (Nov 24, 2006)

50*11? That is old school these days. How about 52*11 on that compact crank and T shirt to go with it ;-)

37mph @ 100rpm!


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## natedg200202 (Sep 2, 2008)

Change the cassette to one with an 11t cog. And spin those legs faster.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

outspinning a 50-12?

You fast.


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