Tech Talks Presented by Park Tool is a monthly video series hosted by Park Tool's own wrench whisperer, Calvin Jones. The series covers the A to Zs of some of the most prevalent repair jobs, with the fourteenth episode taking a closer look at some clever tricks when it comes to your bike's gearing.
Today's 1-by drivetrains can be set up for a massive range of rider abilities and terrain, but it takes some know-how to get things dialed in so your gearing best suit your needs. Calvin and Ben are here to help you with that by explaining the effects of different chain ring and cog sizes, and they even have graphs!
Cassette and Gearing Hacks
Need more Calvin in your life?
Episode #1 - Tubeless tire installation and conversion Episode #2 - Saving that bent disc rotorEpisode #3 - Derailleur hanger alignmentEpisode #4 - Shimano and Crankbrothers pedal serviceEpisode #5 - Trailside wheel repairEpisode #6 - Trailside chain repair Episode #7 - Derailleur limits and cable tensionEpisode #8 - Derailleur setupEpisode #9 - Fork wiper seal replacement Episode #10 - Clipless pedal setupEpisode #11 - New cleat setupEpisode #12 - Top 5 next level shifting issuesEpisode #13 - Fixing cassette playStay tuned for more mechanical how-to videos with Calvin returning on the last Thursday of every month to show you the easiest way to get the job done. Want to know more?
Park Tool's how-to section has you and your bike covered.
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@ParkToolCompany
33 Comments
I have Chromecast and was watching the video on lubing wiper seals. I know that anodizing on stanchions is pretty hard and does not scratch easy. However, when Calvin put the metal probe between the seal and stanchion I said out loud "NO", in a worried voice; both my brother and Nephew thought I was talking to my nephew, but saw me staring at the TV. My brother asked me what was wrong and I just said, pointing at the screen, "no-one should do that!" Thought I was getting after the boy. My nephew looked at the paused screen and said "o'yeah, you do that with a zip-tie". He's 7, him saying that put a big smile on my face. It shows he's paying attention when he sits there as I work on our bikes!
/rant
Free advice: Consider conversion only if the entire drivetrain is worn out, you love the bike, and you can accept less than perfect shifting across the cassette. Make sure the hanger is aligned, and buy new cable/casing too.
A derailleur cage conversion, aka Oneup, can improve shifting so you guide pulley isn't a mile away from your high gears, which leads o sloppy shifts and poor wrap on these cogs.