Race Tyres & Cassette question

[Woody]

I've just picked up my new wheels from Btown and now I have to decide what tyres to put on and what size cassette!

These will be my race wheels so I'll be needing a good low rolling resistance tyre...I know nothing about tyres! any advice?

I also need to get a cassette which has got me thinking. I'll need to get my head around gearing for Celtman (Haven't got the triple to fall back on!) If I'm changing my gearing is there anything I need to be aware of? i.e. can I just get a smaller cassette to give me easier pedalling or is it better to change the front gear ring? and do any of these changes mean chain length becomes an issue?? I also believe I need to get a cassette removal tool? expensive?

[ris]

you will need a cassette removal tool (usually called a lock-ring tool) and a chain whip to get the cassette off. you only need the lock ring tool to put the cassette on.

i'll leave gearing choices, chains and short-cage/long-cage mechs to someone more grown up than me

[Woody]

Cheers Ris! I'll await the grown ups to come and bamboozle me with talk of ratios and numbers.....

[TRIumphant]

Have a look at the SRAM WiFli kit, really big gears for the cassette, do great to save the legs on hilly courses

[Worrying Will]

Woody. If it helps chainging a cassette with the right tools is easy to do, I have done it and also taken the off to clean the cassette. Regards gearing I have no idea

[tesseract]

Cassette changing is easy, just make sure you use a good bit of force tightening it up, otherwise the cassette can bite into the freehub body.

The tools are cheap enough, although as with all tools it's worth getting good ones, especially if you plan on changing your cassettes a lot. I went through a couple of cheap ones before getting a Shimano Pro set, so much easier to use and lasting well.

For tyres you didn't say if they're clichers or tubs?

[Woody]

Thanks folks. Tyres are clinchers!

[Sir Jibbenstein]

I've been running Michelin Pro 4 Service Course this summer as my training/race tyres. They are nice, like them better than the GP4000s I had last year. Good Ironman length race tyres.

[Woody]

Cool, and they're on sale with Wiggle - SOLD!

shit....how do I know what size tyres I need!? 700 obviously x 20? 23? 25?

[chappers]

Take a look at schwalbe ultremo dd (i think theyve been called durano s and other things along the way). Ive been running them on my training wheels for over two years including turbo time. Lots of milage!. Prob due a replacement now but only punctured once or twice on very flinty roads.