Cassette Question - 11-28??

Cornish-J

I've currently got a 12-25 on one set of wheels and want another cassette for my other wheelset.

I've been looking at the 6700 ultegra and dont know which size to go for, seems like with the 11-28 you're getting the best of both worlds??
And the only negative being that some gears will have a bigger jump between them?

I'm assuming (with my small amount of bike knowledge) that if i change the wheels i wont have to reconfigure the derailleur each time provided both cassettes are 10spd?

northpole

I have 12-25 and 12-27 on different wheels and there is no problem swapping wheels with no adjustment needed. Personally, I wouldn't want to spread the ratios further than the 12-27 which in themselves can be a bit 'gappy'. Ideally I'd like to be fit enough to have 11-25 on both.

Peter

FransJacques

The rear derailleur should be fine in terms of cog size (unless the shop cut your chain super short).

The real difference with changing betwixt wheelsets is the slightly different position you can get with the first cog - that's different manufacturers for you. I have 4/5 wheel sets and 3 of them are peftect substitutes for each other, the 4th set, funnily enuf a Shimano wheelset, puts the first cog closer to the drop-out meaning I have to twiddle the barrel adjuster on the rear der aboutt 1/2 of a turn. No drama and it shifts fine.

So basically, throw the wheel in, shift to the middle of the cogset and do the line-up-by-eye thing from the cog, to the chain to the top pulley - all should be perfectly in line. If not, use the rear der barrel adjuster to get it in line. Should take you 30 secs to do this.

Best of luck.

antfly

You need to check your bike can handle a 28t cog.
I have an 11-28 on my winter bike and was using a tiagra rear mech for a while, it worked but it was always a bit worrying even with a long chain.
I now have an ultegra 6700 rear mech which has a suggested max of 28t and it's a lot better.

Cornish-J

Maybe i'll give the 11-28 a miss as i never really struggle with hills on a 25 so how about an 11-25, that would definately fit wouldnt it?

chrisw12

On a 10 speed I like the 11-28 for the simple reason I can stay in the big ring a bit longer and hence less front shifting. For example with a 12-25 the smallest gear you can (properly) use with the big ring is the 53-21, now with a 11-28 you can now use upto 53-25.

I never find the jumps between gears a problem tbh, if people can run singlespeed and the inherent range of cadences then surely there'll be a good cadence with 20 gears.

Oh and it's always nice to have one extra gear that you'll use on those days where you're suffering from a hang over.

nickwill

I have an 11-28 and its just the job for local riding in the Lakes and Dales. With regard to the gaps between ratios, you've got to remember that a few years ago 7 speed was the norm and thus even a 12-25 would have had bigger gaps.
Go for it!

porker33

I had a 12-25 compact and now have 11-28 due to changing bikes....initially I found a difference in some of the ratios, but like everything else, you soon get used to it....the 11-28 is fine and I always have a few gears spare if i were to need them on the hills.
On reflection, unless you are struggling with hills and feel you need to make life easier, I wouldn't bother with the change,,,just cycle more and as you get stronger, the hills will get easier.

nickwill

porker33 wrote:

I had a 12-25 compact and now have 11-28 due to changing bikes....initially I found a difference in some of the ratios, but like everything else, you soon get used to it....the 11-28 is fine and I always have a few gears spare if i were to need them on the hills.
On reflection, unless you are struggling with hills and feel you need to make life easier, I wouldn't bother with the change,,,just cycle more and as you get stronger, the hills will get easier.

I reckon it depends on the hills. If you are riding up some of the 25%- 33% hills in the Lakes and Dales then you are almost always better with at least a 27 on the back.

porker33

I reckon it depends on the riders legs myself.....I ride the 25% hills where i am and never touch the 28 cog.......I would like to add that I am no hero...just enjoy the hills.

Better to have the 28 than not though.

Cornish-J

Well i dont think i've ever hit my 25 and i live in cornwall! It's more the other end where i run out of gears (only got a compact set), thats why i was looking at changing, think i'll go for the 11-25.

nickwill

I think a lot of us can grovel our way up hills with standard gears, but it takes a good cyclist to get over Hardknott in style without lower gears.
As for me, I'm not proud and am happy to use lower gearing when required!

meanredspider

I was riding my 11-28 today and, frankly, I was glad of the 28 at the top of the hill where the gradient was at it's steepest but the hill was no longer offering me protection from the 20mph wind. The 11 is great heading down the same hill where my legs spin-out on a 12.

But then we have proper hills up here

Warwickshire Whizzer

Hi,

As an aside to the above, I've just got myself a new 11-28 delivered, am I going to have to get a longer chain to run it, the tech docs seem to suggest I should?