Alpine Cassette Choice

il_principe

Off to the Alps in September and wondering what cassette to take. Running a Campag 50/34, and used that with a 12/25 (I think) on the 08 Etape. However I was far fitter then and will need all the help I can get this time round, so thinking 13/26 or 13/29. Anyone run a 13/29 on a short cage before, Campag say 'no' but other sources say it's ok...

Cheers.

HamishD

When we were in Morzine in July my mate ran 13-29 on short cage Campag. He said it was fine, worked like a dream. You're almost quicker walking than pedalling 34-29 mind . . .

_Brun_

Wrong forum you nonce.

Quick, derail it before he gets anything approaching useful advice...

Campag is rubbish, etc.

itboffin

Il Principe wrote:

Off to the Alps in September and wondering what cassette to take. Running a Campag 50/34, and used that with a 12/25 (I think) on the 08 Etape. However I was far fitter then and will need all the help I can get this time round, so thinking 13/26 or 13/29. Anyone run a 13/29 on a short cage before, Campag say 'no' but other sources say it's ok...

Cheers.

Dude i'm also off to the Alps wow like what a coincidence

So as i'll be mostly drinking wine and eating my own body weight in cheese i've opted for the standard double 52/39 and a MASSHOOF 13/29 cassette beside I hate the 34t upfront.

I'm also taking a 12t so I could in theory switch to a 12-26 FWIW I have a 12-26 with standard double on the ribble commuter with a small rear mech, no problems there.

So MTFU

gtvlusso

Il Principe wrote:

Off to the Alps in September and wondering what cassette to take. Running a Campag 50/34, and used that with a 12/25 (I think) on the 08 Etape. However I was far fitter then and will need all the help I can get this time round, so thinking 13/26 or 13/29. Anyone run a 13/29 on a short cage before, Campag say 'no' but other sources say it's ok...

Cheers.

13/29 does work on a short cage, changes are not terribly accurate and you have a bizarre chain length. Your compact chainset with a 12-25 should be enough though.....I think you will be surprised by your abilities when you get there!

Good luck, enjoy yourself! I did it a few years ago now...before kids...Think I used compact and 12-25.

mrc1

Im going to the Pyrenees on a compact with 25-12 - I havent wanted for a lower gear before so I would stick with what you have got.

biondino

I've been known to use 34/27 in Richmond Park so I would suggest getting the lowest gearing you can possibly manage. Shame not to have an 11 or at least a 12 stooth sprocket for the other side of the mountain, though. Does Campy not offer that? Shame.

_Brun_

biondino wrote:

I've been known to use 34/27 in Richmond Park

I heard that was going downhill as well.

_Brun_

34:25 was fine in Wales and that's definitely worse than the Alps.

mtb-idle

I rode 22/32 and 11-34 in the alps in July.

Oh wait, no that was downhill!



(that's my eldest son actually, couldn't find a pic of me)

cjcp

Based on my one and only visit so far to the Alps, I think it depends on how many hills you intend to climb in one day and the speed at which you plan to do them.

The 34 x 25 was fine up Alpe D'Huez when we rode only this climb a couple of days before the Marmotte, and spent a lot of the time in the 21 or 23. But, during the Marmotte, because it was the final climb of four, I would have given my front wheel for a 27.

Rich158

ITB, how can you advise IP to MTFU when you're taking a 13-29 you big jessy By a very strange coincidence I might be partaking of a few alpine climbs soon, no concessions on gearing, 53/39 & 12-25, sorry what did I hear, oh yeah, MTFU

I've got my knee replacement booked in for the week I get back

itboffin

Er hello! Almost a month off cycling combine with my trademark curry & beer training plan diet.

Plus plus plus I can't actually pull on my bars with any force. Anyway I'm expecting you to tow my lardy arse.

Might take a compact just in case ;-)

itboffin

BTW I noticed this morning that I use my 39/26 at least once every commute :?

biondino

OMG mtb-idle, your son's falling down a mountain! Was he okay?

MonkeyMonster

biondino wrote:

OMG mtb-idle, your son's falling down a mountain! Was he okay?

He was kitted out like an a linebacker for the chicago bulls so would be fine if he fell off I imagine

Nice bike too.

bigmat

I used a 12-26 for the same Etape you rode which worked a treat - had to mix and match two cassettes (12-23 and 13-26). I prefer to have at least a 12 for the descents, used an 11-23 when I was over in the Alps in July and managed pretty well with that, you should be fine with 34/25. You don't tend to get ridiculously steep climbs in the Alps, its more about finding a comortable gear and plugging away for long stretches. I reckon doing that with a 34/29 will be so slow you might as well be walking!

schweiz

Up until this year the BMC had a triple chainset and I've probably been quoted on here in the past saying I wouldn't be without it and it is true that in times of dire need it was nice to fall back on 30x27 and take a rest without actually stopping.

These days the BMC has 53x39 and 27x12 and I've found can get up everything with that and often on the 25 but sometimes later in the day it is a case of 'just getting up' with very little enjoyment.

The VN has has 50x34 and 28x11 and I can actually enjoy doing 130-170km with 3-4000+ metres climbing a day on that.

So I suppose it depends what you want to do in terms of passes, distance, metres climbing and enjoyment and how many back to back days of that you want to do.

FWIW I'm 5'11" and 80kg so not a 'natural' climber

jonginge

I used 50x34, 12-25 on the marmotte. I was pretty tired by the end and spent all of the Alpe in the 25. A couple of days before I was fine a couple of cogs higher than that. So, it's all about fatigue. The rides on this jaunt may be hard but there'll be plenty of opportunity for tart*/coffee stops.


* instead of cake. It is france after all. << The Allo, allo jokes may now commence

il_principe

13/25 it is then. Thanks folks.

itboffin

Il Principe wrote:

13/25 it is then. Thanks folks.

With a manly double 53/39 up front one hopes, what what!

mtb-idle

biondino wrote:

OMG mtb-idle, your son's falling down a mountain! Was he okay?

Hah! I assume you are referring to the non-existent trail.

I love that picture, it looks like he is indeed either falling or floating down the mountain. In reality there was an actual trail there.

Yes, body armour and full-facer are for protection in case of a fall.

Rich158

MTB-Idle wrote:

biondino wrote:

OMG mtb-idle, your son's falling down a mountain! Was he okay?

Hah! I assume you are referring to the non-existent trail.

I love that picture, it looks like he is indeed either falling or floating down the mountain. In reality there was an actual trail there.

Yes, body armour and full-facer are for protection in case of a fall.

Get rid of the body armour dude, it only encourages you to fall off. If you've no protection there's far more incentive to stay on the bike rather than bin it

Rich158

itboffin wrote:

Er hello! Almost a month off cycling combine with my trademark curry & beer training plan diet.

Plus plus plus I can't actually pull on my bars with any force. Anyway I'm expecting you to tow my lardy ars*.

Might take a compact just in case ;-)

having just seen the picture of your legs your lardy ars* won't be getting remotely close to me

mtb-idle

Rich158 wrote:

Get rid of the body armour dude, it only encourages you to fall off. If you've no protection there's far more incentive to stay on the bike rather than bin it

Hmmm.... s'true although then you are playing a numbers game i.e. that you aren't gonna fall off.

Given that we did 16,000 vertical feet of descending on the first day alone and although we didnt quite hit those highs the rest of the week we did over 70,000 vertical feet of descending on varying terrain from tight singletrack to full on DH trails then frankly the odds are that I'm gonna fall off big at least once during the week and i want the armour to save me (I did and it did)

example of singletrack trails
Le Mont Jovet video

example of DH trails
Cachettes DH course

Rich158

That looks awesome dude, incredible amounts of descending. I need to get my MTB over there sometime soon

itboffin

Hope this helps, as you can see there's not that much in it between a standard double and the compact.

For 700 X 23 / 23-622 tire with 172.5 mm cranks
With 10-speed 13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26-29 Cassette
  	39	  	52
13	78.8		105.1
14	73.2		97.6
15	68.3		91.1
16	64.1		85.4
17	60.3		80.4
19	53.9		71.9
21	48.8		65.1
23	44.6		59.4
26	39.4		52.6
29	35.3		47.1


For 700 X 23 / 23-622 tire with 172.5 mm cranks
With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25 Cassette
  	34  		50
12	74.5		109.5
13	68.7		101.1
14	63.8		93.9
15	59.6		87.6
16	55.8		82.1
17	52.6		77.3
19	47.0		69.2
21	42.5		62.6
23	38.8		57.1
25	35.7		52.6

stuaff

biondino wrote:

I've been known to use 34/27 in Richmond Park so I would suggest getting the lowest gearing you can possibly manage. Shame not to have an 11 or at least a 12 stooth sprocket for the other side of the mountain, though. Does Campy not offer that? Shame.

Yes, on 11 speed at least (12-27 on the Viner). Miche do a Campag 10-speed 12-27.