New cassette or just man up?

TheDizzle

Hi all,

Having recently bought my first road bike I'm struggling with the hills. It's not particularly hilly here in Oxfordshire but I tire quickly and the steep stuff kills me. I haven't been cycling that long so my fitness isn't that high.

I have a compact 50/34 double chainring with a 12-25 cassette but the 34-25 combo doesn't seem that easy - should I persevere with my current set up on the basis that as I get fitter it'll get easier or should I change the cassette to give me a 34-29 option, for example.

Would the larger ring make it that much easier? Would I have to change/alter the chain to fit the new cassette?

I'm inclined to carry on as I am and battle the slopes but I wasn't sure if I was making life unnecessarily difficult.

Cheers.

drlodge

I'd say if you can get a 12-29 cassette fairly cheaply then go for it. Struggling up hills is not enjoyable. What price enjoyment?

drlodge

FYI I have 34-50 and 12-27 Campag. I would struggle with a 12-25, the 27 makes life alot easier on anything > 10-12%. A 29 would make life alot easier if I wasn't as fit.

markhewitt1978

If it's Shimano then 11-28 or 12-30 is what you'll be wanting. You can get 11-28 in most groupsets. But 12-30 comes in Tiagra and Ultegra, you can get the Tiagra one for about £20 which is what I use at the moment and it's nice because it's a straight 2 tooth increment all the way up.

If you are just starting out you don't need the close ratio the 11-25 gives you, and I say you don't need it at all unless you're racing.

Since you're changing to a bigger rear cog it's quite possible you will need to change the chain too. Your best bet is to get down your LBS and ask, most would do the fitting for free if you buy the cassette and chain.

doug5_10

I would say that a 34-27 max would cater for most eventualities, I only have to grind away on my 39-25 when getting up around the 10% mark (I am anything but super-fit, max ride distance this summer is 68 miles, 16-18 mph avg.)
If going higher than a 28, check the limitations of your rear derailleur. You will need a new chain as you shouldn't lengthen an old chain.

jonomc4

I like using the 11 - 28 Though 28 is generally not used unless on hills.

chrisaonabike

I just changed from Tiagra 12-28 to Tiagra 12-30.

I can't imagine a better upgrade for the price. The lowest gear is only 7% lower, but it's made a big difference.

Wirral_paul

As above - if you're struggling then fit a lower ratio cassette - as said you're doing this to enjoy the bike ride (not a walk up a steep hill in cycling shoes). In a few months time when you're fitter and find you dont need that bottom cog then you may well be changing back to the 12-25. You'll then have a spare low ratio cassette for when you do some hilly sportives - so invest in the tools also and you can swap between cassettes in 5 mins or so.

There will be a few i'm sure who just say man up and ride what you have - and i myself ride in hilly N Wales quite happily with a 12-25 and 50/34 in slopes over 20% at times .... but thats the ratios i can ride where others would be walking. We're all at different weight / finess levels - so stands to reason that the gear ratio's for one wont suit another.

TheDizzle

Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated.

I'm running Campag Veloce and I've seen a 13-29 cassette on wiggle for £32. Is this something I can change easily myself or should I take it to LBS? Also, does the chain need altering to fit the bigger ring?

Wirral_paul

Ideally you would fit a new chain too yes - as the sprocket is quite a lot bigger. You can fit a KMC 10spd quick link so that you can easily swap chains along with the cassette (and remove them for proper cleaning).

A swap is easy if you have a chain whip and cassette removal tool - you should get the pair for about £10. A chain tool is also worth buying and essential of you buy a new chain.

doug5_10

+1 Do it yourself, easy peasy. Apparently short cage Veloce RD is fine with 29T so you don't need to change to a long cage version. Yes, you need a new chain as I said above; you are adding 4 teeth and you shouldn't lengthen an old chain. Read up on Park Tools/Sheldon Brown/YouTube how to do everything, completely straightforward.
Tools needed:
Cassette lockring tool (+spanner)
Chain whip
Chain splitter

charlie_potatoes

My first bike was a compact with 11-25. I was overweight and useless up hills. I went the MTFU route and I reckon that it has made me a stronger climber than I would have been by just spinning up. It's made me pretty good out of the saddle (relative to my overall ability). I now have an 11-28 11 speed and feel at home spinning up or out of the saddle.

So I vote for Man Up

Wirral_paul

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

My first bike was a compact with 11-25. I was overweight and useless up hills. I went the MTFU route and I reckon that it has made me a stronger climber than I would have been by just spinning up. It's made me pretty good out of the saddle (relative to my overall ability). I now have an 11-28 11 speed and feel at home spinning up or out of the saddle.

So I vote for Man Up

But have fitted a 28 tooth sprocket yourself - ya big girl!!

Jon_1976

Op: If you decide to DIY, I've got a campagnolo lock ring socket you can have for the price of postage.

charlie_potatoes

Wirral_Paul wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

My first bike was a compact with 11-25. I was overweight and useless up hills. I went the MTFU route and I reckon that it has made me a stronger climber than I would have been by just spinning up. It's made me pretty good out of the saddle (relative to my overall ability). I now have an 11-28 11 speed and feel at home spinning up or out of the saddle.

So I vote for Man Up

But have fitted a 28 tooth sprocket yourself - ya big girl!!

No mate, it came with my new bike, honest
I still use the old one as my trainer/winter bike.

The 28 is nice when I go down to the Surrey Hills though

Wirral_paul

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

No mate, it came with my new bike, honest

Yeah yeah Charmaine Potatoes

charlie_potatoes

Wirral_Paul wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

No mate, it came with my new bike, honest

Yeah yeah Charmaine Potatoes

LOL

Calpol

I have Campag Veloce also. I recently fitted a 13-29 specifically for a very hilly sportive I was doing (Le terrier). I needed every inch of gear it gave me. Round here Beds, Bucks and Herts I don't ever need the 29t but I have left the cassette on as I now find the 26t quite useful for staying in the big ring. I am seldom required to use the little ring around here now as I have built some better strength this season. Very occasionally I run 50-29 for a short stretch.
Campag cassettes are a bit less flexible than Shimano. There is a Centaur 12-27 10 speed but its £70. I'd like the 12t occasionally but seldom am i spinning out the 13t.

With regard fitting it - buy a chain whip and a lockring tool and do it yourself. As others have said, consider a new chain also. I prefer KMC and the quick links for ease of cleaning etc.

LeicesterLad

My main issue with the 12-25 is the lack of 16t. I don't know how anyone rides without a 16t - i'd be lost without mine. :oops:

Wirral_paul

LeicesterLad wrote:

My main issue with the 12-25 is the lack of 16t. I don't know how anyone rides without a 16t - i'd be lost without mine. :oops:

Arent all 10spd 12-25 cassettes straight through 12-17, then 19,21,23,25??

LeicesterLad

Wirral_Paul wrote:

LeicesterLad wrote:

My main issue with the 12-25 is the lack of 16t. I don't know how anyone rides without a 16t - i'd be lost without mine. :oops:

Arent all 10spd 12-25 cassettes straight through 12-17, then 19,21,23,25??

My bad - I was thinking of something else. :?

SoSimple

TheDizzle wrote:

Hi all,

Having recently bought my first road bike I'm struggling with the hills. It's not particularly hilly here in Oxfordshire but I tire quickly and the steep stuff kills me. I haven't been cycling that long so my fitness isn't that high.

I have a compact 50/34 double chainring with a 12-25 cassette but the 34-25 combo doesn't seem that easy - should I persevere with my current set up on the basis that as I get fitter it'll get easier or should I change the cassette to give me a 34-29 option, for example.

Would the larger ring make it that much easier? Would I have to change/alter the chain to fit the new cassette?

I'm inclined to carry on as I am and battle the slopes but I wasn't sure if I was making life unnecessarily difficult.

Cheers.

I'm also in Oxfordshire and apparently they don't count as hills here so I'm told!

I've got a 12-27 and it definitely gets easier as I can now keep 2-3 cogs in reserve for the same hills I was using the big cog on 3 months ago so stick with it if you can. Assume you're the Watlington side of Oxfordshire?