Cassette/Chainrings

littlerascal

Hi Guys

I have read or seen a video that suggests for climbing you want a 28 - 32 cassette at the back and a 50/34 on the front.

I am currently riding a 28 at the back and a 50/34 at the front but want feel I am not getting enough cadence when climbing.

Would a Sram PG1070 10 speed 32 cassette improve my climbing?

Thanks

keezx

IF your gear isn't low enough, you gotta have lower, so yes.
Maybe it doesn't make you faster, but it is probably easyer.

littlerascal

Thanks Keezx

Its not speed I am worried about its effort, I find when climbing long hills I don't have the stamina or strength cause of the cassette

simon_masterson

There's nothing wrong with wanting lower gears, but if you have a compact and a 28t cog and are struggling on hills, depending on how nasty those hills are, you just need to work on your fitness; though training is nearly always the answer to this question.

However, it does depend on the standard you are working to - whatever you may read about optimum cadence, it takes a very, very high level of fitness to maintain 90rpm up the very toughest climbs with the gears most road bikes have as standard - far beyond what many amateurs are capable of.

By all means go for lower gearing if you want to - though there are limits to this - but if you just want easy gearing, you'd be better off getting a triple as well.

dilatory

I run a 34 28 as my lowest gear and don't have problems with anything. I've been on a road bike since February and live in North Wales and have done a bunch of some of our nasty hills up in the mountains. Not that there hasn't been times where I'd have loved another gear but a bit of HTFU helps a long way for me.

JayKosta

LittleRascal wrote:

...
I am currently riding a 28 at the back and a 50/34 at the front but want feel I am not getting enough cadence when climbing.
...

========================================
If you can stay seated with the 28 and make it up the hills, then the 28 is ok.
If you have to stand, and can barely keep moving, then a 32 would make things easier.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Initialised

I'm contemplating going the other way with my next cassette change. I doubt it'll make a huge difference, I figure if I'm going to end up grinding away at 40 RPM I might as well force myself to do it in a bigger gear.

blackpoolkev

I have a 34/29 lowest gear and a couple of years ago when I first started tackling stiff climbs, bottom gear was always my default setting. However, as I get older(49) and not much fitter, I find the experience of riding hills has taught me that relying purely on a low gear isn't the be all and end all.
Spinning a high cadence on a hill isn't the same as spinning on flat roads. I have learned that grinding a slightly higher gear at a lower cadence actually takes less out of me. Also get used to riding out of the saddle even if you don't need to (imagine that you are Alberto Contador!), it will help more muscle groups develop and give you an extra option when things get tough.

trailflow

If you dont already have one you will need to buy a sram long cage rear derailleur (called sram wifli) aswell to accommodate the 32t cassette. Short cage rear derailleurs only go up to 28t.

StillGoing

blackpoolkev wrote:

I have a 34/29 lowest gear and a couple of years ago when I first started tackling stiff climbs, bottom gear was always my default setting. However, as I get older(49) and not much fitter, I find the experience of riding hills has taught me that relying purely on a low gear isn't the be all and end all.
Spinning a high cadence on a hill isn't the same as spinning on flat roads. I have learned that grinding a slightly higher gear at a lower cadence actually takes less out of me. Also get used to riding out of the saddle even if you don't need to (imagine that you are Alberto Contador!), it will help more muscle groups develop and give you an extra option when things get tough.

And goes against all the standard advise about climbing.

Stay seated it conserves energy, don't grind because you risk knackering your knees and it isn't efficient.

http://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/techniq ... ips.html/2

DavidJB

JayKosta wrote:

LittleRascal wrote:

...
I am currently riding a 28 at the back and a 50/34 at the front but want feel I am not getting enough cadence when climbing.
...

========================================
If you can stay seated with the 28 and make it up the hills, then the 28 is ok.
If you have to stand, and can barely keep moving, then a 32 would make things easier.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Hang on I stand on every climb over 4%~ it doesn't mean I need a new cassette

DavidJB

philthy3 wrote:

blackpoolkev wrote:

I have a 34/29 lowest gear and a couple of years ago when I first started tackling stiff climbs, bottom gear was always my default setting. However, as I get older(49) and not much fitter, I find the experience of riding hills has taught me that relying purely on a low gear isn't the be all and end all.
Spinning a high cadence on a hill isn't the same as spinning on flat roads. I have learned that grinding a slightly higher gear at a lower cadence actually takes less out of me. Also get used to riding out of the saddle even if you don't need to (imagine that you are Alberto Contador!), it will help more muscle groups develop and give you an extra option when things get tough.

And goes against all the standard advise about climbing.

Stay seated it conserves energy, don't grind because you risk knackering your knees and it isn't efficient.

http://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/techniq ... ips.html/2

Climb how you like, it's all opinion just because it's on roadcyclinguk doesn't mean it's good advice. I'm hardly ever seated on a climb and actually find it much better to be standing...but a few years ago I used to stay seated all the time after an entire winter on the turbo...either way works but when I'm popping I like the dance on those pedals

littlerascal

dilatory wrote:

I run a 34 28 as my lowest gear and don't have problems with anything. I've been on a road bike since February and live in North Wales and have done a bunch of some of our nasty hills up in the mountains. Not that there hasn't been times where I'd have loved another gear but a bit of HTFU helps a long way for me.

Hills around my area are signed posted at 16% which for me is fine but due to the length of the hill I need a lower gear.

littlerascal

Pass, been trying to find it but it was a while ago.

Is it a myth or will this ratio help with climbing?

imposter2.0

LittleRascal wrote:

Its not speed I am worried about its effort, I find when climbing long hills I don't have the stamina or strength cause of the cassette

You may not have the stamina or 'strength' - but it's not the cassette's fault.

littlerascal

Ok perhaps wrong word

I don't have the appropriate cassette

blackpoolkev

philthy3 wrote:

blackpoolkev wrote:

I have a 34/29 lowest gear and a couple of years ago when I first started tackling stiff climbs, bottom gear was always my default setting. However, as I get older(49) and not much fitter, I find the experience of riding hills has taught me that relying purely on a low gear isn't the be all and end all.
Spinning a high cadence on a hill isn't the same as spinning on flat roads. I have learned that grinding a slightly higher gear at a lower cadence actually takes less out of me. Also get used to riding out of the saddle even if you don't need to (imagine that you are Alberto Contador!), it will help more muscle groups develop and give you an extra option when things get tough.

And goes against all the standard advise about climbing

So riding at a lower cadence on hills and getting used to riding out of the saddle is wrong? Thanks for that.

964cup

What a lot of opinions. The practical answer to the OP's question is that you will need:

11-32 cassette
Medium or long cage rear derailleur
Probably a new chain (because you'll need some more links if your current chain is correctly sized)

Technically it should work fine, although you'll need to check your B screw setting carefully. Whether it works for you or not is entirely up to you.

littlerascal

Many thanks 964Cup

I have emailed my local shop (Evans) asking what they advise but wanted to hear from actual people who won't fob me off just to get a sale.