[Closed] Which road bike cassette

54-34? you sure? I'll assume you mean 50-34

I'd prefer the 12-25. 11-32 will have bigger steps between the gears which can be a pain when riding on the road. Obviously what suits you will depend on what you ride, style, fitness, etc.

What he said. It's a road bike, not an mtb.

I'd go with 12-27 or 11-28. Chances of it coming with 34/54 up front are pretty much zero though.

It's a very personal thing.
I'd never use anything wider than 12-25
And prefer 12-23 or even 11-21

But that's just me

11-32 would need a mtb mech

up to 28ish works OK though

(wot they said - if it's a compact chainset it'll be 50/34)

Thanks guys, just checked, you're all correct 34-50 up front

Some of the lastest road mechs will
Work up to 32 t but not all

34-50 and 11-32 would be a big stretch in capacity. You'd have to be careful not to use certain combinations I'd have thought

32 on a compact? Youll be reet with a 25,im sure.

Very personal choice based on fitness and what kind of hills you ride. I had 12-25 originally but changed to a 12-27 for the Fred Whitton ride. Those two teeth make quite a difference!

Unless you are frequently riding steep stuff (more than 15%) then 12-25 should suffice, but again it's very much a personal choice.

You will get the usuall willy wavers saying how nothing less that 53-11 biggest gear and all that utter push. Personally I have an 11-28 with compact front. That was on the bike when I got it, when I change then it's a 12-28 or 12-27. You can spin a 50x12 at 40mph, and I don't see many on here doing that on the flat.

Be awar that not all rear mechs will take a 32 big cog.

My preference for a close block is more about liking just a small step in each cog
But it's it's not often I go up hills that need a granny ring

If I was somwhere proper hilly it would be differant
But a compact and 32 rear block is a very low gear unless your touring

11-27 or 11-25

You haven't said where / what type of riding you are doing, if hilly, then a 11-28 or 12-30 makes sense, as you have low gears, and the ratios aren't too spread out, also you can use a short cage mech, a 11-32 gives an even lower gear but will require a GS mech and has some big jumps in the ratios; unless you are going up really steep inclines, carrying excess weigh, would leave this for tourers.

If flat land riding, a 11-25 /12-25 or 12-27 make more sense as they have closer ratios, and will give a nice smooth transition in the ride.

12-27 is my preference with some decent hills around here, could get away with a 25 but would be out of the saddle more and already get back wheel slipping on some of the climbs. An 11 is pretty pointless unless you're racing and even then it's not essential (assuming you can keep up a better cadence than Bert Grabsch)

12-27 is my preference with some decent hills around here, could get away with a 25 but would be out of the saddle more and already get back wheel slipping on some of the climbs.

Better tyres required. Must admit the one time I used a cheap winter tyre it was utter toss, span all over the shop. Decent tyres and it never happens.

12-25 & you'll be fine.
I run a 50/34 & a 12-27 when I'm going to the Alps, Pyrenees etc. other than that I stick to the 25 as I don't like the big gaps between the gears, leaves you hunting to find the right one.

Look at 12-25 and 12-27 9-speed carefully.

Ultegra 6500 9-sp 219g 12-13-14-15-[17-19]-[21-23-25]
Ultegra 6500 9-sp 227g 12-13-14-15-[17-19]-[21-24-27]

Only diffrence is at the 23+25 or 24+27.

I would go for the 27T and enjoy the flexibility.

PaulD

I've a compact and 12-27, it's fine. I've got a spare 11-25 for when I'm living down south and the biggest hills are the surrey 'hills', or chiltern 'hills', neither of which really justify the title!

Were you to do 50/34 and a 11/32 on a road bike, you will also have to make sure you wear clown shorts and have a peak in on your helmet 😉 😆

Unless you have spaghetti legs and live at the bottom of cliffs / the Alps, 50/34 and up to a 28 [i]should[/i] be more than sufficient for most of the UK.

All personal preference of course

Plenty of decent hills in the Surrey Hills, not long I'll admit, but plenty of steep stuff, which is where the low gears are useful after all!

Plenty of decent hills in the Surrey Hills, not long I'll admit, but plenty of steep stuff, which is where the low gears are useful after all!

I see your Box (mole) Hill and raise you Rossendale Chimney.

double post glitch

i'm a scrawny pathetic weakling.

i found a 34-25 a bit much on the steeper hills of the peak district, especially with tired legs, so now i've got a 28t cassette - it's just a little bit easier.

if you're more scrawny and pathetic than i am, AND live somewhere hillier than the peak district, then you MAY need something easier than 34-28

i doubt this will be the case...

I see your Box (mole) Hill and raise you Rossendale Chimney.

Box Hill is not one of the climbs I was thinking. I can comfortably ride that in (53t) big ring in the saddle, it's a nice gradient, but tough it certainly isn't!

Steepest climb I can see around Rossendale that's of a decent length is [url= http://app.strava.com/segments/974612 ]this one, 1.2 miles, 6.2%[/url], couple of bits at 12%.

[url= http://app.strava.com/segments/974612 ]This one[/url] is 0.9 miles at 9%, with a fair few sections over 20%.

Just sayin like, snot all flat here.

Better tyres required. Must admit the one time I used a cheap winter tyre it was utter toss, span all over the shop. Decent tyres and it never happens.

Not really (I use Ultremo ZX's or Conti GP4seasons), mostly it's case of the rider not getting the weight distribution right but leaves/bit of mud etc. can be a PITA on a steep climb (15%+) so if I know the road is a bit crap I prefer to try and stay sat down but know I'd struggle doing that on a 25 a lot of the time

Fair enough! I know when I used Hutchinson Equinox (I think they were) I could spin the back in the dry, was ridiculously annoying! Not had it on GP 4 Seasons, even in the wet, so yes, perhaps weight distribution issues going on!

http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?col=Rosedale-Chimney-Bank&qryMountainID=8699

Average: 11.9 %
Length: 1.47 km
Height start: 137 m
Height top: 312 m
Gradient: 175 m
Maximum: 33 %

Almost certainly the steepest section of road in Britain, Rosedale Chimney Bank is often included in the Tour of Britain as it is a true 1 in 3 climb at one point............a very steep second corner and unforgiving section after it. The climb then relents to about 20% before easing off to the top

Anything that ends with "eases to about 20%" wins the steep hill argument 😛

Beastly! Still plenty of decent climbs down here though, which was the point, Box Hill just isn't one of them!

Edit: out of interest I looked at the toughest in the UK on that 'climbbybike' website - it reckons "Fish Hill" in Berkshire (although it actually seems to be Worcestershire) is 23.4% for 2.7km, shirley not?

If your a "keen mtber" as stated in your first post, you have a decent level of fitness already?

At that point, I'd go 11-25 for the tighter spacing. Road bikes are supposed to be fast, not easy. Unless you live in the lakes or wales, that will be more than low enough to deal with the odd 1 in 4 or 1 in 5. Working harder in a higher gear will do your mtbing fitness no end of good too.

I'm another "scrawny pathetic weakling" - 5'10" and 10stone and can just about cope with 53/39 and 12-25 in the Peaks. I can get up everything, but spend far more time standing than I should. A lower gear would probably be more efficient, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it... If I ever decide to take the roadie to some proper mountains i'll be investing in some lower gears though!

Had the same dilemma quite recently when switching to a compact for the first time. In the end I went 11-23 but as everyone says it depends upon how powerful you are. In the future when power meters come as standard on high end bikes, perhaps manufacturers will start to recommend cassettes according to an individual's functional threshold power - would make a lot more sense.
njee - thanks for the info re:climbbybike 🙂

In the future when power meters come as standard on high end bikes, perhaps manufacturers will start to recommend cassettes according to an individual's functional threshold power - would make a lot more sense.

Even if you had that information it'll depend on your riding style anyway, things are never straightforward, nice to have the choice!

njee - thanks for the info re:climbbybike

TINAS linked to it, first time I've seen it! Interesting, if of dubious accuracy!

Fish hill is 'only' about 200m, someones got fr and m mixed up by the looks of it, the sumit might be 920ft above sea level rahter than 920m from bottom to top?

The chimney really is as steep as it describes though, and the cattle grid is an absolute f***er

The notion that wide ratio cassettes are not for road bikes seems to be peculiarly British one - continentals gear their bikes down for hill/ mountain riding, even the pros. If you can't get up the hills near you on a 34/25 then there's your answer.

As for top end, 50/11 is more than enough for everyone except Cav.

I am holidaying near honiton in Devon and riding an 11-32 (should have been 12-34 but the seller sent the wrong item) and the 32 is useful for when you have been climbing for ages and then come up to a 20 precenter. Allows you to sit and spin the 32 where you would normally be standing in the 28, and if you are knackered then the variety is good.

The new midcage shimano mechs work fine with that cassette.

The notion that wide ratio cassettes are not for road bikes seems to be peculiarly British one - continentals gear their bikes down for hill/ mountain riding, even the pros. If you can't get up the hills near you on a 34/25 then there's your answer.

You missed the important point that.......

UK Hill
[img] [/img]

Continental Hill
[img] [/img]

As for top end, 50/11 is more than enough for everyone except Cav.

Wrong, 50x14 is probably enough for most. 50x12 if you are a cat1 rider. 50x11 is just for pub talk. 😉

You missed the important point that.......

You missed the important point that UK hills are often much steeper than Alpine climbs. They are of course much shorter, which is such an obvious point that I didn't think it needed to be said. If you can't get up them with your existing setup then change it, and ignore the tragic people.

Wrong, 50x14 is probably enough for most. 50x12 if you are a cat1 rider. 50x11 is just for pub talk.

I said that "50x11 is [u]more[/u] than enough".

Wrong, 50x14 is probably enough for most. 50x12 if you are a cat1 rider. 50x11 is just for pub talk.

Really? 50/14 at 90rpm is only 25mph, I'd certainly not want to be in top gear at that point and starting to spin! Up to 30 is nice for those times when you've got a tailwind!

it reckons "Fish Hill" in Berkshire (although it actually seems to be Worcestershire) is 23.4% for 2.7km, shirley not?

youre right, its not. Its the A44 so a trunk road. It IS a riot on a motorbike on the way up though (unless its raining and covered in dirt as it was this morning).

[IMG] [/IMG]

Wrong, 50x14 is probably enough for most. 50x12 if you are a cat1 rider. 50x11 is just for pub talk.

Really? 50/14 at 90rpm is only 25mph, I'd certainly not want to be in top gear at that point and starting to spin! Up to 30 is nice for those times when you've got a tailwind!

Yes really!

I have a 50/39 with a 13-23 cassette. Its hilly here and the first few weeks i was coughing up my organs at the top of the hills. Now, the gearing has forced me to ride faster and stand up more on hills. As a result my average speed has been increasing nicely.

So i'd go for the 12-25. You may struggle at first but you will get fitter.

Yes really!

Ok, good luck with that, I'd be considerably slower if I had a 50/14 top gear and I'd go through a lot of 14t sprockets! Even 50/12 could be spun out reasonably easily, it's not like an MTB where I'm happy to just coast, I've got fast descents round here where I'm pedalling over 40mph.

Admittedly my 53/11 doesn't get used very much, but it does get used!

Not sure what luck has do do with anything.

Show me 100 riders and you would pick out 1 who could use a 12 sprocket the other 99 are delusional.

Not really much benefit to pedal at 40

It always makes more sense to err on the side of lower gears, that here you make up more time, well it was when I raced and time trialed.

Um... I used a 53-11 for a season, and spun it out in a number of races. Most notably in a Wednesday afternoon kermesse in that Belgium and in the Masters Tour of Majorca.

I also got all over the Pennines using 39-23 when I was racing.

I use much easier gears now, but it's not because the roads have changed, it's because I have.

10 out of 10 for that give yourself a pat on the back.

Do you need a hug?

Is all this claiming you don't "need" that high a top gear some sort of cycling inverse snobbery? When I do hillier sportives I switch my 11-23 for a 12-25 (sadly Campag don't do a 12-27 10sp cassette, one of their few faiings), and I certainly notice the lack of the 11 top sprocket, even if I can survive without it. That's with a 50-34 chainset, and I might have been near the sharper end of sportives when I did them, but I'm a long way from being an elite rider. Nor am I big gear masher - I can comfortably spin 50-34 up to 100+ rpm on downhills - that's only 35mph.

Just leave the 25 on, I'm sure you'll be fine. I can tell you that all the newcomers in our club manage everything with the very same set up.
You might find the 34 a pain after a good few months. Now without exception everyone I ride with use a standard 53/39 with 23 or 25 max cassettes.

Strangely in days of yore it was a bit tougher with 52/42s turning 21 max on the freewheel.

But just relax and don't fight the gears when you're using every gear you've got.

53/39 for me with a 12-25 cassette.
I'm a masher but struggled on a couple of long rides in the Peaks on some of the hills and on the killer that is Carlton Bank with a headwind.
Probably going to the Alps next year and will put a 28 on the back.
And get fitter/ lighter.

Only 800 miles on my road bike so far - I opted for 50/34 and 11/28. Ride in the New Forest which isn't know for it's hills. I'm relatively fit and pretty quick on a mtb but definitely find myself using the 34 28 combo.

I'm wondering if I've not got the bike setup quite right or maybe its the cosmics... climbs are hard work but I absolutely fly on the flat and have a couple of long straights / slight descents where I do drop into 50 11 for a time.

I do notice the step in the cassette, and I don't like it, can throw rhythm, probably will size down when I replace. I'd be concerned if I was somewhere with actual hills though.

Strangely in days of yore it was a bit tougher with 52/42s turning 21 max on the freewheel.

Lols that's what was on my first race bike, 42x21 is just bonkers. Saying that I was 5 stone lighter back then.

So, to summarise:

You could listen to the same dozen or so 'hard' men who always appear on these threads and who believe that you should suffer because they had to.

Or you could get some nice low gears and enjoy your cycling, like everyone else does.

I''d do the latter - it's not a race, is it? 😀

if you're not suffering, you're not doing it right.

Or you could get some nice low gears and enjoy your cycling, like everyone else does.

+1

No point busting a gut in my hilly neck of the woods. My Campag triple equipped road bike's got 52/42/24 front and 13-28 rear.

Though, come to think of it, my other road bikes got 32 front, 19 rear, fixed. 😕 Allright for the commute into work I suppose.

if you're not suffering, you're not doing it right.

You may enjoy masochism, but it's not compulsory for everyone else.

You could listen to the same dozen or so 'hard' men who always appear on these threads and who believe that you should suffer because they had to.

Or you could get some nice low gears and enjoy your cycling, like everyone else does.

Not quite sure if that's aimed at me (among others), but I'd certainly not call myself a hard man, have made no suggestions people need to MTFU etc (I actually recommended an 11-25 or 11-27), and am almost certainly going to a compact next time I get a new chainset, but I do take issue with being told that a 50/14 is an adequate top gear for all but 1st Cats and Mark Cavendish, that's just nonsense.

I rode in this morning with a nice tailwind (until I go home), and happily sat well over 30 for a good couple of miles, I'd have been spinning like an absolute loon to sustain that with a 50/14. Perhaps it's a different mentality, but I want to push on if I'm on the road bike, not be spinning out at very mediocre speeds.

Show me 100 riders and you would pick out 1 who could use a 12 sprocket the other 99 are delusional.

Ah well, guess I'm the 1, happy days!

Ride in the New Forest which isn't know for it's hills. I'm relatively fit and pretty quick on a mtb but definitely find myself using the 34 28 combo.

Comes back to the same thing - there are a fair few short sharp bits, that if you're fit you can bully up in a 39/23 but for most people 34/25 is more comfortable. If you're not racing it doesn't make any real difference over a decent ride anyway, other than feeling a bit fresher a bit later.

I do think that 34 - 32 is overkill myself, but it's exceeding the range of a triple which I took off my bike as I never needed it. The compact gave a more usable spread for me.

stevewhyte - Member
Wrong, 50x14 is probably enough for most. 50x12 if you are a cat1 rider. 50x11 is just for pub talk.

Really? 50/14 at 90rpm is only 25mph, I'd certainly not want to be in top gear at that point and starting to spin! Up to 30 is nice for those times when you've got a tailwind!
Yes really!

Got to agree with Njee here! I appreciate that people do spin more than others but even so a 50/12 is quite "spinny"

Show me 100 riders and you would pick out 1 who could use a 12 sprocket the other 99 are delusional.

I could easily get upto 52/11 in the Peaks decending some of the passes, infact you could probably use it down pretty much any hill anywhere, whether I want to go faster than a 50/12 is a different matter, but if I was into raceing I'd probably want those extra gears, and I'm not that fit! Depend where you live through, if there are no big hills then not being able to pedal down them isn't a big deal, but similarly surely not being able to pedal up seated isn't a big deal either.

Suppose it depends how you view road rides, like Nick I tend to go out to ride quickly*, if I want to pootle and admire the view I've got a singlespeed MTB. If I'm on the road bike it's a semi autistic catharsis where speed, distance and vertical accent are the goals. That and stopping for cake and coffee.

*reltively to pootle pace, I'm still slow.

I have 53/39 chain set coupled with a 12-27T cassette. Find it a bit of a struggle on the steeper climbs. Wondering if I should opt for an 11-28 after reading this thread.

If I'm on the road bike it's a semi autistic catharsis where speed, distance and vertical accent are the goals.

Superb! Well done sir!

I have 53/39 chain set coupled with a 12-27T cassette. Find it a bit of a struggle on the steeper climbs. Wondering if I should opt for an 11-28 after reading this thread.

No, it'll make chuff all difference. Get a compact. Shimano ones needn't be expensive.

! I appreciate that people do spin more than others but even so a 50/12 is quite "spinny"

I have heard it all now, lols.

You can easily tune a 50/12 at 30 mph. This is not about big down hill and oh I can turn the pedals while descending the alps, yes we can all do that. It's about the correct gearing for the flat, clearly njee is a good rider, anyone who can push 30 mph for miles on the flat is.

On a down hll there is very little benefit in pedalling above 40 mph, you are better getting into a decent aero position.

As usual everyone jumps up to prove that they are hard as ****, for the majority it's better to run out of gears on a decent not a climb. That's not a controversial statement, but no doubt the stw world will do there best to make it out as one. 🙄

[u]everyone[/u] jumps up to prove that they are hard as ****

I've told you a million times not to exaggerate

I've never exaggerated. 😀

This is not about big down hill and oh I can turn the pedals while descending the alps, yes we can all do that. It's about the correct gearing for the flat,

The correct gearing for the flat would be a singlespeed. Why would I want gears that only worked on the 50% of the route that goes uphill to flat (the other 50% being flat to downhill).

On a down hll there is very little benefit in pedalling above 40 mph, you are better getting into a decent aero position.

Why? That would mean that for 1/3rd of the ride I'm coasting, where's the benifit in that?

And by decent aero position are you either implying TDF breakaway style sitting on the top tube, or fat people who've taken "slam that stem" to seriously and can't pedal from the drops?

As for top end, 50/11 is more than enough for everyone except Cav.

Err downhill?

As usual everyone jumps up to prove that they are hard as ****, for the majority it's better to run out of gears on a decent not a climb

Trouble is that you don't compromise on low gears to have higher than a 14. If it was a choice between a 12-21 and a 14-27 I'd agree, but it's not.

Point is that even 50/12 is fairly easy to spin out, for anyone, and a lot of people don't want to do that on the road, reasonable chance of getting spat out of any half quick road bunch on a descent, or struggling in a sprint with that. Assuming you don't want to turn more than 100rpm in a sprint, rather than sitting and spinning away, you're limiting yourself to a little over 30, which isn't that quick.

An assertion that 53/11 is the bare minimum is almost certainly bobbins though!

+1 for njee's comments.

And FWIW

3 road bikes with 52/39 + 11 - 25 cassettes. These get me up all the hills I ride in SE England. I've had to move up from 23 to 25 in recent years as I've been doing less riding and I'm not getting any younger.

1 TT bike with 55/42 + 11/23 - I obviously have to get rid of that cos no one can spin out 55/11. And as for a mate who turns over a 67 chain ring.......

Anyhoo

As I said before, a compact chainset and 11 - 28 should provide enough gearing for just about any UK riding.

p.s. the "everyone isn't Cav" argument is flawed as Cav doesn't use big gears. Sprints are about out accelerating everyone else, read his bigraphy, there's examples of doing practice runs of the course and deciding that sprinting (and winning by significant margins) from 6th gear was the fastest way of doing it.

So if you are racing or in a peloton or sprinting to the final stage or the tdf then 11 bottom gear.

Everyone else would be more than able to have something a bit lower.

I find it amusing you cant see that for the majority an 11 tooth top gear would be very underused.

It does start to look a bit like willy waving but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Granted there is no need to compromise. I just prefer to go with a 12-27 and have the extra gear in the middle where I will mostly use it.

Thisisnotaspoon, I'm not even wasting my time.

So if you are racing or in a peloton or sprinting to the final stage or the tdf then 11 bottom gear.

Everyone else would be more than able to have something a bit lower.

I find it amusing you cant see that for the majority an 11 tooth top gear would be very underused.

It does start to look a bit like willy waving but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Granted there is no need to compromise. I just prefer to go with a 12-27 and have the extra gear in the middle where I will mostly use it.

Thisisnotaspoon, I'm not even wasting my time.

I just prefer to go with a 12-27

So are you hard as **** then if you need a top gear higher than 50x14?

You got me, I have been trying to hide it so much, but yes I own up I am hard as ****.

i run 50/34 x 12-28 here.
i am exceptionally heavy (close to 23 stone) but can manage most hills in my area (fife).
i rarely use the top couple of gears because im too fat to pedal on the drops. (honestly)
i would perhaps consider going down from the 50t ring to either a 46 or 48, just to reduce the size of the jump between rings.
re the debate about whether 53x11 is big enough, well it was big enough for obree to set an hour record on, so IMO the majority of people would probably struggle to turn such a ratio in any meaningful way on the flat.

How to actual ratios vary on a 11-28 vs 12-27?

re the debate about whether 53x11 is big enough, well it was big enough for obree to set an hour record on, so IMO the majority of people would probably struggle to turn such a ratio in any meaningful way on the flat.

Agreed, no one's disputing that. The debate is whether 50/14 is big enough, which is rather smaller!

No, the debate is what you consider to be a regular cyclist, which is far removed from someone who can go out and average 20mph on a ride, this seems to be something your clearly understand as do most, which leaves some to deduce that you are just willy waving by saying "I need an 11tooth top gear and if you don't the you are a **********"

No, I'm really not. You can average 20mph with a 36/11 if you want, but you cannot pedal above a certain speed which is extremely easily attainable on a road bike, by anyone. Ergo, a 50/14 (or even 50/12) is still a pretty low gear!

As said previously it seems to be a sort of inverse willy waving.