Advice on running two wheelsets

[BugsBunny]

Hi all,

I have two wheelsets that I am intending to swap around but my challenge is the gearing setup that goes with it. Whats the best way to simplify the swap in my case?

-- Setup One
Mavic RSYS wheels.
11-36 cassette.
Roadlink adapter
Mid cage Rival RD
Long chain setup (SRAM with powerlink)

-- Setup Two
Bora 50 wheels
11-32 cassette
No need for Roadlink adapter
Mid Cage Rival RD
Short chain setup (SRAM with powerlink)

-- Setup Three
Bora 50 Wheels
11-28 cassette
SHORT Cage RED22 RD
Short chain setup (SRAM with powerlink)

(The cranks and chain rings are the same - and brake pads ofcourse also need swapping.)

I will mostly ride setup 1, but setup 2 and 3 are for days when I'm on the flats. Is there any simplified way to have setup 1 and setup 2 OR 3 with minimal complexity?

Come to think about it, the easiest although perhaps not perfect setup is to get another 11-36 and have that for the Bora also.

[zero]

Minimal complexity is to have your boras in their own bike with the matching RD and the 11-28 cassette forever, and just forget about option #2 as pointless busy work to setup, that mightn't prove necessary on the actual ride.

[sobmal]

Probably not the answer you want, but If you need the 36 then why would you not just keep it on and simply deal with trying to find the right gear on your flatter rides?

But.. I'd say The easier swap is 1-2 (only marginally for the same derailleur) but a lot of messing around for nothing but 4 less teeth on the low and closer ratios.

1-3 involves RD swap.. as that's a real PITA in my book and more or a chance of messing up setting, fraying the cables and crossing the dropout threads if you ham fist it;

For 1-2 do you "really" need to remove the roadlink adapter and how may links too long is it when going to 2 that you can't just be careful with your gear selection (avoid small/small)

I'd take this as validation of the real need for a hills bike and a flats bike.

[biker jk]

Is a 185 gram difference in the wheelset weight really worth all that trouble?

[richbee]

Simplest wheel swap is one that doesn't involve any changes to the bike setup. Yours involves changing rear deraillers and road link adapter,as well as chains together with the brake pad changes. Far too much going on and you'll soon tire of it and end up riding only one of your setups.
You don't say what chainset you're running, but I'd suggest a change to a mid compact (36-52) chainset and dispensing with the 11-36 and 11-32 cassettes. An 11-28 with a mid compact will give you more than enough gearing for just about any situation unless you're doing long sustained climbs with average gradients in excess of 10%. For the flats an 11-25 is all you need, so that can go on your other wheelset. I'd use the R-SYS with an 11-28 as the everyday/climbing wheel, and the Bora with an 11-25 as the 'race' wheel. That way the only change you'll ever need to make is swapping out the brake pads.
As an alternative to a 52-36 mid compact, you could fit a 53 chainring instead of the 52 so you still have the big gearing for sprints without sacrificing the climbing ability you get with the 36 chainring. It's not pretty and manufacturers don't recommend it, but it works.

[Duck!]

Sell the short derailleur or put it on another bike, it's redundant. Use one setup minus road link (for those wondering, the road link [goat link in MTB-land] is essentially a second derailleur hanger fitted between the main hanger & derailleur to lower the derailleur & thus fit a larger sprocket than would normally be accommodated) for both the 28 & 32T cassettes; set the chain length long enough to cover the full range with the 32T & you'll comfortably do the 28.

Then work out how much extra chain is needed for the 36T + goat link, and have the necessary few extra links and a joining link to fit into the chain when going full wall-climber.

Additionally, regardless of cassette & derailleur configurations, you may need to slightly tweak the derailleur limits & tuning when swapping between the Mavic & Campag wheels, as different brands can have slightly different cassette alignment.

[Abby]

For swapping between set-ups 1 & 2 - can't you just leave the rear derailleur, roadlink, and chain the same? So you just swap the rear wheels?

I routinely swap between rear wheels with cassettes of 11-23, 12-25 & 12-28. Same chain, no issues...

[Duck!]

^^ The above would also be an option, and just remove the goatlink & few chain links when fitting the 28T, as the greater clearance with the link fitted may take a bit of slickness out of the shifting on the tighter cassette..

[queequeg]

Seems overly complicated to me. Previous advice I had from Duck was to size the chain length based on the small/small combo, then the chain will be the correct length for the maximum capacity of your derailleur.
I do this on my S5 with a Race Wheel set with an 11-23 or 11-25, and a climbing wheelset with 11-28. At the moment all my wheels have alloy brake tracks so I don't have to stuff about with swapping pads.

I'm setting up a dedicated climbing/audax/endurance bike now. I opted for a Medium Cage Red22 rather than the supplied Short Cage one, simply because I have a 3 week event next year that involves long sustained climbs with some steep gradients, and I'll be running a 50/34 with an 11-32. I also have some crazy aspirations for Everesting where the low gears will come n handy after about 10 hours of repeats.

I have multiple sets of chainrings, so I can mix and match the front and rear gearing as needed.

[Duck!]

Seems overly complicated to me. Previous advice I had from Duck was to size the chain length based on the small/small combo, then the chain will be the correct length for the maximum capacity of your derailleur.
I do this on my S5 with a Race Wheel set with an 11-23 or 11-25, and a climbing wheelset with 11-28.

Indeed, and without being quite so specific, that's what I was poking at with regards to the setup with the 28 & 32T cassettes. However the 36T is out-of-spec even for the WiFLi derailleur, hence the road/goat link and a few extra links of chain and a second joining link.

What I don't know is if the extended gear range is within even the longer derailleur's capacity to wrap sufficient chain to take up the slack; i.e. if enough chain is fitted to allow big/big (although the combination should be avoided, it needs to be allowed for to avoid damage), can the derailleur take up the slack & maintain tension in small/small? The extra effective derailleur length given by the goat link would help, but its removal would certainly result in too much chain slack for the other cassettes.

[trailgumby]

I'd be inclined to leave the climbing wheelset on the one bike (setup 1) and the aero wheelset on bike 2 (setup 3) ... if I've read things correctly. I'm assuming the different RD means a different bike,

Having to swap on/off the goatlink and then adjust the transmission would be a major turnoff. Way too much aggravation for me to bother.

I have alternative wheelsets for my race mtb and the only change I have to make is less than a quarter of a turn on the barrel adjuster between training and race wheelsets if I'm being picky about shifting. Same ratios on each wheelset.

If I had to fluff around as you are proposing, I'd just buy another bike, probably something secondhand.

Your R-Sys wheels haven't blown up yet?

[BugsBunny]

Thanks guys for all your advice.

I haven't gotten around to installing them yet, but I'm most likely going to go with a single wheel setup and just permanently have the Roadlink, mid cage RD and 11-36 cassette installed.

I figure, the Boras 50 tubs are good enough for climbing and flats so those will probably be the chosen one!

[Xplora]

If you are choosing with Boras on the list, and you REALLY need a 36t, get another bike.

My first thought when I saw 36t on a road bike was 'start riding in the big ring and get strong'. I would suggest that if you can't do it in 36/28 or 34/28, you shouldn't attempt the climb.

[fat and old]

I think I'm with X here....although I can't climb for donuts. If the 32 and 28 are for flats, maybe the Boras (at least 50's) are overkill?

Bling bling though

[Xplora]

Actually good point fat... If it's a flatlandria bike, no joke 53/39 and 11-23 is the weapon of choice... Or even 52/42. Your climb bike 36t granny gear is less ridiculous if you can't do more than 4% on your flat bike.

Of course, you quickly learn Rule number 5 with those gears. I've climbed 18% for 800m in 39/23, it hurt my knees for 2 weeks but I did it! And you would too... Grinding is a way of life for many.