Anyone riding 11-28 cassette?

s25scd

Hi, looking for some advice. I am currently riding a standard double chainring with 12-27 cassette. Yesterday i completed the dee lecht able 210km through the cairngorms but found it very hard going over the lecht ski centre and then further on in the route Suie hill got the better of me and i had to get off and push, just had nothing in the legs. The lecht climb took it all. I know for that sort of terrain I would be better with a compact but i dont have the money to go changing out expensive parts plus the terrain where i live, there are no mountain goat climbs but i have the bealach mor in sept and from what i understand its a hard route. Also I have unfinished business with the lecht and suie hill maybe one day in the summer ! So is there that much of a difference between what ive got and a 11-28? Or is there any alternative. I have 53/39 chainrings, is that as good as I can get without chainging to a compact?
Thanks

sungod

27-28 is a small difference, it'd be less than 4% easier, imho not worth bothering

whereas a compact with a 34 small ring would be nearly 15% easier on 27 than the 39

gear calculator...

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/index.html

you *might* be able to fit an mtb cassette, that'd give you more scope, but a normal road rear mech won't be compatible, so it'd work out costly i think

btw what brand/model chainset? some compacts can be had cheap on ebay or older models discounted

s25scd

Thanks sungod, I guess im just going to have to suck it it up until such times i can afford a new crankset for the killer climbs!

cheers

FocusZing

s25scd wrote:

Thanks sungod, I guess im just going to have to suck it it up until such times i can afford a new crankset for the killer climbs!

cheers

I've got a 28 / 39. I know what you mean, you certainly can't be lazy. I've seen a front 38 chain ring, but I doubt I'd notice the difference.

Im Bald Ok

A 1 tooth difference won't make much of a difference.
Try looking for a second hand compact and selling the chainset you have. Won't be that expensive that way.
You will notice going from a standard to a compact as said above.

FocusZing

Im Bald Ok wrote:

A 1 tooth difference won't make much of a difference.
Try looking for a second hand compact and selling the chainset you have. Won't be that expensive that way.
You will notice going from a standard to a compact as said above.

I've just started backup again. I need to MTFU :-)

petemadoc

Yes I'm riding an 11-28 cassette (with a compact) and after 6 months I'm regretting it. The jumps between gears are too high. Some of the hills around here are killers so I need the the 34 - 28 gear but I'd rather have a 13/28 cassette if anyone makes one.

Get a compact and get the 28 tooth cassette if the hills are beating you. Otherwise just get some stronger legs

Stuy-b

low gears don't make hills easyer they just make you slower.

Dmak

Stick with what you have and man up your legs! :twisted:

If you really want to try a compact, check this, http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Chainsets-Road-Shimano-Sora-Double-3400-9-Chainset/SHIMCHAR490 At £34 it's not expensive. Although you may need to buy the right tools if you don't already have them.

Pigtail

You know what?

I'm a recent recruit to cycling, with a compact chainset, and I consider that route insane.

My mother-in-law stays just over the Suie, and I used to regularly travel to Inverness from Aberdeen over the Lecht, to avoid the A96.

Doing just one of them in a day would be a major achievement, nevermind them both.

I've also signed up for the bealach mor mind you, and the hill where I have unfinished business is the Cairn O' Mount.

James

s25scd

Thanks all for your replies. If I buy a compact crankset, do I need to change the rear mech aswell? (pleeease say no ) lol.

meanredspider

I bought an 11-28 just to try with some new wheels (rather than keep swapping mechs with wheels) and, as noted above, I'm not feeling a great deal of benefit I don't think. Will swap cassettes over to see how it feels. I don't however feel the steps are too big.

Can't see why you'd need to change the rear anything with the change to a compact.

iplod

I've recently gone down the compact route from a standard set up and with the hills around here (north wales border) its made a major difference to my cycling. Its true that the hills dont get easier you just get slightly slower, but they are more do-able.
Gone from 53-39 with 12-25 cassette, to compact 50-34 with 11-28. Was a bit concerned that the gap between the gears would be too big having read several forum posts but i must say that so far it hasnt been an issue.
Regarding changing the rear deralleur, the new shimano 11-28 cassette is only compatible with the new series 6700, or so say shimano. the older series 6600 will only cope with a max gear of 27. I didnt realise this until after i had bought the 11-28 cassette so ended up buying the deralleur as well. I think this is correct, no doubt someone will be along shortly to say otherwise. I am running shimano ultegra by the way.

get on your bike

I have a standard but recently changed to 11/28. Was on a very hilly route last week with a good few others running compacts and there seemed to be an equal amount of struggling on de hills. I'm reluctant to change to a compact

sungod

s25scd wrote:

Thanks all for your replies. If I buy a compact crankset, do I need to change the rear mech aswell? (pleeease say no ) lol.

nope, you'll just need to move the front mech down a bit and adjust the cable tension, also check the chain length as you should be able to shorten it a few links

s25scd

Super, thanks sungod.

janwal

You can get the SRAM 12-32 10 speed casette
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sram-PG1070-10-Sp ... 00febbf3ec
My mate has one on a Ribble with 105 triple and it helps with his hip problem.Yes you will have big jumps between gears but that's not the end of the world.He didn't have to alter anything at the back as the triple has a long cage anyway.

unixnerd

My tourer ran an 11-28 for years, but it was a triple. I've just converted it to a 12-25 with a 52 big ring (used to be 48) as the gaps between gears annoyed me on the 11-28. It was 8 speed by the way. 48x11 is almost identical to 52x12 so I've not lost my nice high top gear. I used to do the really big stuff in it's 28x28 granny but frankly if you have super low gears you'll find you fall back into them, it now has 30x25 and that's low enough.

The Lecht and Suie are some of the biggest hills you're ever likely to come across and it seems you don't do that sort of thing very often. If I were you I'd fit a mountain bike rear mech, something like an XT. Run that with an 11-32 or even 34 cassette on the rare occasions when you need a granny gear, it's no big deal to change the cassette now and then and the XT mech will be fine with your current road cassette and shifters. The main difference is that the cage is a lot longer. You can get long cage Shimano road mechs but I'm not sure what the largest cog they'll handle is. You'd also need a slightly longer chain.

I've never cycled the Lecht but I drive over it most weeks. Sometimes I feel really sorry for the cyclists I see there. Last month I saw two guys in shorts battling a 40 know crosswind in a hail storm at -5C. It was fine down in the valley, they didn't look very happy.

dreamlx10

i had to get off and push

Horror of horrors, go into hiding for a while, did anyone see you ?

meanredspider

Tagging a question on here ref 11-28.

I've been running my 11-28 with a 50-34 using the same chain as was on there for the original 12-25 but it looked a little on the "snug" side so the new chain I've fitted I've added an extra link pair. Is there any objective way of knowing when you've got the right length of chain fitted?

unixnerd

Is there any objective way of knowing when you've got the right length of chain fitted?

I'm sure I read something about that on Sheldon Brown's page. It's only likely to be an issue if you're using the big ring with the lowest gear at the back.

sungod

meanredspider wrote:

Tagging a question on here ref 11-28.

I've been running my 11-28 with a 50-34 using the same chain as was on there for the original 12-25 but it looked a little on the "snug" side so the new chain I've fitted I've added an extra link pair. Is there any objective way of knowing when you've got the right length of chain fitted?

follow the instructions of the groupset manufacturer, usually...

for sram, bypassing rear mech, chain on biggest ring and biggest sprocket, add two links

for shimano, chain on biggest ring, smallest sprocket, jockey wheel axles are vertically in-line

meanredspider

sungod wrote:

for shimano, chain on biggest ring, smallest sprocket, jockey wheel axles are vertically in-line

Ta. Is there a good Shimano on-line location for the instructions? Bike was secondhand so no paper instructions.

Erudin

meanredspider wrote:

sungod wrote:

for shimano, chain on biggest ring, smallest sprocket, jockey wheel axles are vertically in-line

Ta. Is there a good Shimano on-line location for the instructions? Bike was secondhand so no paper instructions.

Park Tools have a good chain page:

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing

From Shimano Tech Docs Website (on-line location for instructions):





See also:

Javascript Bicycle Chain Length Calculator ("rigorous equation")

meanredspider

Erudin wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

sungod wrote:

for shimano, chain on biggest ring, smallest sprocket, jockey wheel axles are vertically in-line

Ta. Is there a good Shimano on-line location for the instructions? Bike was secondhand so no paper instructions.

Park Tools have a good chain page:

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing

From Shimano Tech Docs Website (on-line location for instructions):





See also:

Javascript Bicycle Chain Length Calculator ("rigorous equation")

Cool - couldn't find anything on the Shimano site so thanks for that. I'm pretty sure I have it right now

northpole

In my opinion and experience you should definitely go for a compact crankset - it made a massive difference to me in the Surrey hills, never mind the Scottish Highlands!! You could take a punt on a second hand one but beware worn chain rings which can be costly to replace. If you aren't mechanically minded, a bike shop should be able to fit it for around £15.

In the first instance you may be okay with a 25 top ring on your cassette. It's great to have a 27 or 28 in reserve when you've been on the road for 50 or 60 miles - amazing how longer and steeper hills can seem by that point!

I doubt you will need to change any other parts, unless your chain is already worn - don't mix worn chain with new crankset - will increase wear rate on those expensive chain rings.

Peter

turnerjohn

Im Bald Ok wrote:

A 1 tooth difference won't make much of a difference.
Try looking for a second hand compact and selling the chainset you have. Won't be that expensive that way.
You will notice going from a standard to a compact as said above.

actually it does !
I run a 52 / 38 and makes it just right...find a 50 compact to "spinny" but a 53 a little to much...52 / 38 can get me up pretty much anything (usual 25 or 27 cassette)

meanredspider

turnerjohn wrote:

Im Bald Ok wrote:

A 1 tooth difference won't make much of a difference.
Try looking for a second hand compact and selling the chainset you have. Won't be that expensive that way.
You will notice going from a standard to a compact as said above.

actually it does !
I run a 52 / 38 and makes it just right...find a 50 compact to "spinny" but a 53 a little to much...52 / 38 can get me up pretty much anything (usual 25 or 27 cassette)

38 + 27 is pretty much the same as 34 + 25 (1.38 vs 1.4)

rolf_f

meanredspider wrote:

Tagging a question on here ref 11-28.

I've been running my 11-28 with a 50-34 using the same chain as was on there for the original 12-25 but it looked a little on the "snug" side so the new chain I've fitted I've added an extra link pair. Is there any objective way of knowing when you've got the right length of chain fitted?

I'm in the same boat but slightly more extreme - I've gone from 11:25 to 13:29 (temporarily). I suspect I need a couple more links though it does work as is.

turnerjohn

meanredspider wrote:

turnerjohn wrote:

Im Bald Ok wrote:

A 1 tooth difference won't make much of a difference.
Try looking for a second hand compact and selling the chainset you have. Won't be that expensive that way.
You will notice going from a standard to a compact as said above.

actually it does !
I run a 52 / 38 and makes it just right...find a 50 compact to "spinny" but a 53 a little to much...52 / 38 can get me up pretty much anything (usual 25 or 27 cassette)

38 + 27 is pretty much the same as 34 + 25 (1.38 vs 1.4)

but a 52 / 11 is obviously bigger then a 50 / 11

meanredspider

Rolf F wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Tagging a question on here ref 11-28.

I've been running my 11-28 with a 50-34 using the same chain as was on there for the original 12-25 but it looked a little on the "snug" side so the new chain I've fitted I've added an extra link pair. Is there any objective way of knowing when you've got the right length of chain fitted?

I'm in the same boat but slightly more extreme - I've gone from 11:25 to 13:29 (temporarily). I suspect I need a couple more links though it does work as is.

I tried a couple more yesterday on the 28 but it was too much. If it works, I'd leave it. You might get away with it because you have 2 more teeth on the smallest gear and that's where I found I was shedding the chain.