11-30T cassette - will it work?

Droops
Droops Posts: 204
edited January 2008 in Workshop
In a moment of reckless abandon I entered the Dragon Ride (15 June) and I did a recce of some of the hills today - OMG!
I currently run a 50/34 compact with an 11-28 cassette and a Tiagra rear mech (short cage I think), but I'd really like to have another bail-out gear for this ride.
Does anyone know whether an 11-30 cassette will run, or will I need a long cage mech.?I'm thinking of upgrading to a 105 mech anyway, so maybe this a good time to go long.

Thanks for any advice that may help me chew what I've already bitten off!

Comments

  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    A long cage mech won't help at all with running a 30 top sprocket - the top jockey wheel will be just as close to the cassette and you will get the same problem with interference. Officially the biggest sprocket which will work with a road mech (short or long cage) is a 27, but as you and others have found a 28 is almost always OK. A 30 sprocket will possibly work with some setups (winding in the B screw will help give you extra clearance), but certainly not with all - if you've got plenty of clearance with the 28 you'll probably be OK, but not if it's tight. In that case you need an MTB mech.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'd get a cyclocross/MTB mech...
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    what aracer said

    get yourself a short cage mtb mech

    like this one


    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=20698

    or

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=15112

    or

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=15113


    check it is 'top normal', rather than rapid rise, otherwise your shifting will be opposite to a standard setup.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    Droops wrote:
    In a moment of reckless abandon I entered the Dragon Ride (15 June) and I did a recce of some of the hills today - OMG!
    I currently run a 50/34 compact with an 11-28 cassette and a Tiagra rear mech (short cage I think), but I'd really like to have another bail-out gear for this ride.
    Does anyone know whether an 11-30 cassette will run, or will I need a long cage mech.?I'm thinking of upgrading to a 105 mech anyway, so maybe this a good time to go long.

    Thanks for any advice that may help me chew what I've already bitten off!


    Droops, if you did some of the Dragon ride climbs on Saturday then you are a very brave man, the weather was horendous up there with a very strong wind. For this reason I'd ignore your rece. When you come to do the event, the weather should be much better and the hills will be much easier.

    Now this is going to sound a bit harsh, but in normal conditions those hills are not very steep or difficult and you should be able to tackle them with normal gearing. If you need to reduce your gearing by that amount, then should you be contemplating a ride of this difficulty?
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    Going from a 28 to a 30 will not make a very big difference. It is only 2". Not worth the trouble.
    My Fleet.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    If you're running a Shimano(or compatable) compact crank you can buy a 33 tooth
    front chainring from TA Specialties At least you could a couple of years ago.

    Dennis Noward

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