Cassette Size For Alps/Fred Whitton

pechacheli
pechacheli Posts: 184
edited January 2015 in Road general
Morning

I currently have an 11-28 cassette and would like to go to a 12-30 to give me some extra help when climbing.

Is it worth it and will it really help?

Thanks in advance

P

Comments

  • kmanchester
    kmanchester Posts: 30
    pechacheli wrote:
    Morning

    I currently have an 11-28 cassette and would like to go to a 12-30 to give me some extra help when climbing.

    Is it worth it and will it really help?

    Thanks in advance

    P

    If you already have a compact (34-50) chainset on the front and you struggle with steep hills in an 11-28 then it might be worth looking a 12-30. You might need to get a medium cage rear derailleur that can handle that cassette though.
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    If you have Shimano, the cheapest way to find out is to buy a Tiagra CS-4600 12-30T cassette and give it a try. You will need to wind the B tension screw in to achieve the required clearance between the 30T cog and the derailleur top guide pulley. Chain length will be ok as long as you don't use the 50T-30T cross chain combination.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shim ... -prod67228
  • pechacheli
    pechacheli Posts: 184
    thank you both for the advice...
  • Mr Dog
    Mr Dog Posts: 643
    Alps fine..FWC... depends on your climbing ability. Two different types of climbing, Alps are long slogs around your threshold.. The Lakes... well be prepared to have your legs ripped off... better too many gears than too few!
    Why tidy the house when you can clean your bike?
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    pechacheli wrote:
    Morning

    I currently have an 11-28 cassette and would like to go to a 12-30 to give me some extra help when climbing.

    Is it worth it and will it really help?

    As long as you don't mind the expense then it can't do any harm. I did the Fred with 13-29. I flew up Honister but realised then I'd be walking up Hardknott. The extra two teeth probably won't save you from walking if you would have on 28 but if will make it that bit easier if you can keep riding. I'd practice climbing in high gears to get used to low cadence. As I walked up (only cost me 7 minutes in total) I was overtaken slowly by folk on standard cranksets and not very large cassettes pedalling very low cadences.

    I also found the 29 very useful in the Alps.
    DJ58 wrote:
    Chain length will be ok as long as you don't use the 50T-30T cross chain combination

    True - but why put yourself in that situation? It's not as though putting a longer chain on effectively costs you anything.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • shmooster
    shmooster Posts: 335
    Need to post what groupset and derailleur (long or medium) to be sure. A long cage Shimano will normally take up to a 32. I plan to use 34/32 for the FWC (and lose a shed load of weight first).
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    If you need to ask then I'd say do it. In fact, you might be tempted (as hinted above) to fit a 32 cassette even if it means a new RD (not necessarily expensive - especially if it helps you enjoy your day). I even stole a tooth up front and ran a 33 chainring (partly because I was limited to 30 at the rear)
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,701
    Go as high as you can - anyone that willy waves about their small cassette clearly has a small willy and walking sucks
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    meanredspider wrote:
    I even stole a tooth up front and ran a 33 chainring (partly because I was limited to 30 at the rear)

    Can I ask, what make 33T chainring did you use and which chainset?
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    DJ58 wrote:
    meanredspider wrote:
    I even stole a tooth up front and ran a 33 chainring (partly because I was limited to 30 at the rear)

    Can I ask, what make 33T chainring did you use and which chainset?

    Specialites Zephyr on an Ultegra 10-sp crank.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • pechacheli
    pechacheli Posts: 184
    now i didn't think of that! thanks meanredspider.
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    meanredspider wrote:

    Specialites Zephyr on an Ultegra 10-sp crank.

    Thanks, I will log this info. for possible future use.
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    I came in here prepared for the usual "I went up Hardkott on a 11-23 and thought it was too easy...."

    What a nice suprise.

    OP, get as many teeth as you can. If not for your legs, for your head.
  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    I went from a 11-28 to 12-30 last year and the extra two teeth were a godsend on gradients such as Crawleyside, Grindon Moor and The Stang. I'm not a bad climber, but when you're hitting 20%+ gradients, I can stay seated and spin, when others are out of the saddle coughing uo their lungs.

    Now that I've changed to 5800 105, I've taken the opportunity to fit a 12-32. I couldn't care less what other people think.
    N
    N+1
  • ronnierocket
    ronnierocket Posts: 172
    The one thing not said though is that Alps and Fred Whitton are quite different propositions from each other. I dont think the larger casette is as beneficial in the Alps as they are gnerally not as steep as Honister and Hardnott, just a lot longer with maybe a 7,8,9,10% gradient.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    ronnierocket wrote:
    The one thing not said though is that Alps and Fred Whitton are quite different propositions from each other. I dont think the larger casette is as beneficial in the Alps as they are gnerally not as steep as Honister and Hardnott, just a lot longer with maybe a 7,8,9,10% gradient.

    True - but having gears in hand isn't a problem. The gradients tend to be pretty consistent so you just choose a gear and tend to stick in it.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • How Far is too Far
    How Far is too Far Posts: 534
    I ride in the lakes a fair bit, you can get away with an 11/28 on most of the climbs but Hardknott and Wrynose are in a different league. My winter bike has an 11/32 and I find it much easier on the legs and I seem to climb at the same speed but less stress on the legs.
  • tim_wand
    tim_wand Posts: 2,552
    C90 TDK's are Good!
  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    If you are getting a medium cage RD you might as well get an 11-34.
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    tim wand wrote:
    C90 TDK's are Good!

    You mean the SA-90EB IECII/TypeII, have you been reading Manc33's Chainline Woe's post in the Workshop Sub F? :D
  • Matthewfalle
    Matthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    DJ58 wrote:
    tim wand wrote:
    C90 TDK's are Good!

    You mean the SA-90EB IECII/TypeII, have you been reading Manc33's Chainline Woe's post in the Workshop Sub F? :D


    Chrome or metal?
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,223
    Matthewfalle wrote:
    DJ58 wrote:
    tim wand wrote:
    C90 TDK's are Good!

    You mean the SA-90EB IECII/TypeII, have you been reading Manc33's Chainline Woe's post in the Workshop Sub F? :D

    Chrome or metal?

    Neither, http://vintagecassettes.com/tdk/tdk_fil ... k_type.htm

    TDK SA was a "work-horse" of type II cassettes. It was the most successful TDK cassette ever. It offered oustanding performance for reasonable price - a deadly combination for the competitors. The formulation is based on Super Avilyn particle - the TDK answer to chrome based type II cassettes. It appreared first around 1974

    Shimano 105 equivalent. :D

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