 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
For all round use with short sharp hills?
depends on your cassette and your strength / style (mash or spin) but standard seems to be 42 on an 11:28 and go up or down from there.
superstar 38nw
38 with 11-32 cassette here
Currently got 38T NW front and 11/28 rear, but in the Superstar sale I bought a spare 38 and also a 40 to try out, and I also have an 11/32 cassette to try. SS and the like are cheap enough to experiment with (unlike Sram, for instance).
On the 38-28 I was one of very few riders (in my cat at any rate) to clean the steep mound at our Didcot round, which was instrumental in my highest placed finish (6th, normally come between 10-15th).I'm a lightweight spinner not a powerhouse BTW.
I race on 40t, with 11-32 on the back. Works really well. 32 is useful on the back in the recent clag fest, gets you past a surprising amount of people on the steep sticky ups.
Edit - I use a superstar chainring with a 1x10 Shimano set up, with the rear mech spring tension mod. I don't use any other guide and haven't dropped a chain yet, despite all the clag this season.
I'll be going 1x10 soon on the cxer and was wondering about chain retention, tell me more of this mech spring mod
I use a 38t superstar ring with a 11-32 slx cassette, 5701 rear mech and no tension mod or device and haven't lost a chain yet.
38 and 11-28
28 at the back sounds a bit short for general riding around, think most people would appreciate 32 or 34 there if you're running 40, say, upfront.
Like you'll spank it up any short sharp hill regardless, but you want to be able to sedately proceed on occasion, without feeling like it's an effort.
I need a 36 on the front with 11-32 on the back for the climbs round here, luckily I have a 46 on the front as well, for the descents. 😉
39-34-11 here
I can ride everything round here off road in a 28-11 [ dont fancy some of the lakeland climbs though on that gearing] but it feels like SS on a narrow barred bike/lots of standing climbs.
Depends how hilly it is and how strong you are.
Re: mech mod
Shimano road mechs have 2 positions for the spring. Stock is a weaker setting. You can make it stronger to give a clutch like effect. I've not tried it yet but it's on my to do list
As usual Park tools is your friend http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul#article-section-3
Gnarrrr, a Big Un'.
Or a 36, maybe down to 34 but we don't know what yer cassette ratios are and the Prairie you ride on, you said hills, how steep?
38T here with 11-36 cassette. Perfect for big hills around here.
Just fitted a 38t (Superstar) with 11-32 nine speed cassette (MTB mech).
I had a 34t before that which was handy on climbs, but a bit spinny for flats/roads... If I find climbing is becoming a struggle I might consider a bigger cassette maybe, we'll see...