Why buy an 11 tooth rear cog?

dennisn
dennisn Posts: 10,601
edited April 2013 in Road general
Other than the market seems to be flooded with them, what possible use do people get out of these things? :?

Comments

  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    Because I (shameful though it is to admit it) sometimes need to change down from the 9 on steep hills.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    It's one faster than ten?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    So you have the climber's 9-18 cassette then?
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    dennisn wrote:
    Other than the market seems to be flooded with them, what possible use do people get out of these things? :?
    So you always freewheel on the downhills then?
  • tomisitt
    tomisitt Posts: 257
    Don't understand the question, or some of the answers. Surely the point of an 11-tooth cog is to go faster, as mentioned by thegreatdivide. If you're spinning out on a descent with a 12, then you might want an 11. Or if you're a sprinter you will want an 11.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    dennisn wrote:
    Other than the market seems to be flooded with them, what possible use do people get out of these things? :?

    None. I have a 12-27 cassette and hardly ever freewheel the 50-12 combo, then I just tuck in for a few seconds. Would rather have lower gears for the hills on long rides.
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  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    fish156 wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    Other than the market seems to be flooded with them, what possible use do people get out of these things? :?
    So you always freewheel on the downhills then?

    Actually yes(mostly). On big mountain downhills I find that I can get going fast enough to really scare myself without pedaling at all.

    In any case, other than the very rare, long downhill run, all an 11 tooth ever did was mock me for buying it. I have 3 or 4 11 tooth cogsets in my collection and I can assure you that there is minimal, if any, wear on said 11.
  • fish156
    fish156 Posts: 496
    dennisn wrote:
    fish156 wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    Other than the market seems to be flooded with them, what possible use do people get out of these things? :?
    So you always freewheel on the downhills then?

    Actually yes(mostly). On big mountain downhills I find that I can get going fast enough to really scare myself without pedaling at all.

    In any case, other than the very rare, long downhill run, all an 11 tooth ever did was mock me for buying it. I have 3 or 4 11 tooth cogsets in my collection and I can assure you that there is minimal, if any, wear on said 11.

    So you don't get anything out of an 11t. Others may. Personally I have no ability to drive 53x11 in a sprint, but I choose to use one especially in sporting (hilly) time trials.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    tomisitt wrote:
    Don't understand the question, or some of the answers. Surely the point of an 11-tooth cog is to go faster, as mentioned by thegreatdivide. If you're spinning out on a descent with a 12, then you might want an 11. Or if you're a sprinter you will want an 11.
    There is a point where you cease to gain - by the time you are descending flat out on 12, chances are the air resistance is what is limiting your top speed. You may get a short lived benefit on a log steep hill but unless you are seriously powerful, you'll need a really steep hill to benefit significantly. And in the UK those aren't long enough for it to really matter. An 11 might give you a few seconds on a descent at the cost of bigger gaps.

    What I find amusing is that whilst most people here tend to accept that 11s are too hard for mortal cyclists, a lot of people consider that anything bigger than a 25 indicates that the rider is clearly very inadequate. You can't really have it both ways!

    I only bought 11 tooths with new bikes as they worked out relatively cheaply that way - can never work out why, in Campag, it tends to cost £15 extra to have one less tooth on the smallest sprocket.....
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  • displacedaussie
    displacedaussie Posts: 356
    I seem to only use the 11 when descending in a race.

    53x11 @ 120rpm = 45mph
    53x11 @ 90rpm = 34mph

    A clubmate in a recent race got dropped on one of the descents. He had spun out on his 12t and found himself slipping back then out the back.
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    Err..compact chainsets? 50x11 is little higher geared than 53x12; 50x12 is a lot lower.

    I'm using 50-34 and 11-28 and have plenty of use at both ends.
  • LittlePlums
    LittlePlums Posts: 139
    Have you never seen Spinal Tap?

    Seriously?
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  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    964Cup wrote:
    Err..compact chainsets? 50x11 is little higher geared than 53x12; 50x12 is a lot lower.

    I'm using 50-34 and 11-28 and have plenty of use at both ends.

    So when you are in 50 -11 on the flat, what cadence are you maintaining?
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  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,496
    why 11t?

    i) that's what you get with sram red

    ii) sometimes it's useful

    iii) it annoys people who moan there's no point having it, this alone is sufficient justification, the others are mere cherries on the cake
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  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    sungod wrote:
    why 11t?

    i) that's what you get with sram red

    ii) sometimes it's useful

    iii) it annoys people who moan there's no point having it, this alone is sufficient justification, the others are mere cherries on the cake
    Well the people who 'moan' about it are paying for something they do not want or need or plan to use - a fair moan I would have thought.
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  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,496
    then they dont't have to buy them, there're plenty on 12-xx cassettes

    11t and compact/standard are two of the interminable debates that never seem to die

    unlike some, i just can't take it seriously :-)
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    sungod wrote:
    then they dont't have to buy them, there're plenty on 12-xx cassettes

    11t and compact/standard are two of the interminable debates that never seem to die

    unlike some, i just can't take it seriously :-)

    I don't take it seriously either. It was just that things were getting a little boring so I thought I'd stir up the troops. :wink:
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,496
    in that case, the old ones are the best ones
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Hoopdriver
    Hoopdriver Posts: 2,023
    sungod wrote:
    in that case, the old ones are the best ones
    Good point. So which is better? A Campagnolo 11-tooth sprocket or a Shimano one? Or one made by SRAM?
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  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,496
    edited April 2013
    campag, made of vintage parmesam, hardened in volcanoes
    shimano, made of lots of bits, far too many bits
    sram, carved from a piece of steel

    steel is best for bikes, therefore it must be sram

    science+logic
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  • term1te
    term1te Posts: 1,462
    Rolf F wrote:
    964Cup wrote:
    Err..compact chainsets? 50x11 is little higher geared than 53x12; 50x12 is a lot lower.

    I'm using 50-34 and 11-28 and have plenty of use at both ends.

    So when you are in 50 -11 on the flat, what cadence are you maintaining?

    I agree with 964Cup on this one. Running a compact chainset, and being blessed with plenty of mountain roads, an 11 - 28 cassette will get you up almost anything, and stop you spinning out on the descent. Rarely go near the 11 on the flat, and its normally 13, 14 and 15 that wear out first.
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  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Term1te wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    964Cup wrote:
    Err..compact chainsets? 50x11 is little higher geared than 53x12; 50x12 is a lot lower.

    I'm using 50-34 and 11-28 and have plenty of use at both ends.

    So when you are in 50 -11 on the flat, what cadence are you maintaining?

    I agree with 964Cup on this one. Running a compact chainset, and being blessed with plenty of mountain roads, an 11 - 28 cassette will get you up almost anything, and stop you spinning out on the descent. Rarely go near the 11 on the flat, and its normally 13, 14 and 15 that wear out first.

    Agree with all this. It's obvious isn't it? Run an 11, why throw away the chance of some free speed? 50-11 is a nice gear!
  • sunburntknees
    sunburntknees Posts: 272
    thegreatdivide wrote:
    It's one faster than ten?

    It's one slower than a ten (if such a thing existed)!
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    displacedaussie wrote:
    I seem to only use the 11 when descending in a race.

    53x11 @ 120rpm = 45mph
    53x11 @ 90rpm = 34mph

    A clubmate in a recent race got dropped on one of the descents. He had spun out on his 12t and found himself slipping back then out the back.
    Does he not know how to get aero and follow wheels? I have never been dropped on descent and use 50 x 12. Either he needs to learn to follow wheels, get more aero or spin faster
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  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    Term1te wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    964Cup wrote:
    Err..compact chainsets? 50x11 is little higher geared than 53x12; 50x12 is a lot lower.

    I'm using 50-34 and 11-28 and have plenty of use at both ends.

    So when you are in 50 -11 on the flat, what cadence are you maintaining?

    I agree with 964Cup on this one. Running a compact chainset, and being blessed with plenty of mountain roads, an 11 - 28 cassette will get you up almost anything, and stop you spinning out on the descent. Rarely go near the 11 on the flat, and its normally 13, 14 and 15 that wear out first.

    another +1, I use my 50 x 11 on every ride. But we ride in the same area so not a surprise.

    I also have a 32 cog at the top end (SRAM WiFli). I put it on last year as as bail out gear for the Alpen Brevet. I don't really use it much in the local area (Col de la Croix over by St. Ursanne would be one exception). Debating whether to go back to 11-28 again.

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