11-32?

johngti
johngti Posts: 2,508
edited April 2015 in Road buying advice
Just wondering if anyone swapping to 5800 decided to go with the 11-32 cassette? If I upgrade, trying to decide between 11-28 and 11-32
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Comments

  • gaffer_slow
    gaffer_slow Posts: 417
    do you sometimes feel like you could spin faster up steep climbs?'
  • gdcfc1
    gdcfc1 Posts: 127
    Upgraded bike and with it went to 5800 11-32 so not quite your question but have to say I thought through if I should go to 11-32 or alternate with up to just 28 and came down on giving my legs the extra help with the 32. So far not hit tough enough hills (or tried to go up hard enough) to use this but know I will.
    looking into the +1
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,815
    I've recently bought an Ultegra groupset for a new build and decided to go with an 11-32 cassette.

    I'm coming from a bike with a triple so I reasoned that the 32 spocket with a 34 inner ring on a compact chainset will give me just about the same gear as I had using my 30 tooth granny ring with a 28 sprocket on an 11-28 cassette.

    Also, I'm moving from 10 to 11 speed so the jumps/gaps shouldn't be worse on the 11-32 11 speed cassette than I've been used to with an 11-28 10 speed cassette.

    To be honest, on the steepest of Lake District passes I've never found myself wishing I had less easy gears! The decision probably comes down to where you ride and how you find your gears at the moment.
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    I'm on 10 speed 12-30 at the moment, living in north kent so some short but steep efforts around. If I go ahead, I'm hovering towards 11-32 just to look after my middle aged legs a little. Seems like 11 speed 11-32 is like 10 speed 11-28 with the extra cog so could be a good option
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    gaffer_slow wrote:
    do you sometimes feel like you could spin faster up steep climbs?'

    Always!! :)
  • antonyfromoz
    antonyfromoz Posts: 482
    I have changed my commuter to 40 tooth single chainring and 11-32 cassette and it works very well. There are some gaps in the range but nothing too large. BTW this is operating with a short cage sora rear mech with no problems.
  • turbo1191
    turbo1191 Posts: 501
    I run an 11-32 sram cassette with an ultegra groupset, using a med cage rear derailleur.. no problems. need it as im going to the alps in the summer. :)
  • jaxf
    jaxf Posts: 109
    I am so pleased I have an 11-32, I need it for some of those cruel British hills. Here in the alps, no problem .... my local Col de l'Iseran and Cormet de Roseland are gentle 10-11%, not like some of those brutal 20% + County Durham or Scottish numbers ....
  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    I specced the 11 - 32t cassette when I went 5800. Comes in handy living in County Durham/North Yorkshire.
    N
    N+1
  • iron-clover
    iron-clover Posts: 737
    If I needed to use such low gears regularly I would probably go for a triple. *Whispers to avoid the wrath of haters.*

    But in all honesty you will be able to keep much closer spaced ratios- for example with a 30t inner you can have the same gear ratio as a 34x32 using a 28t sprocket, probably giving you 2 different options elsewhere in the cassette.

    Sure, it might not look 'pro' (although neither does a massive cassette...) and will add a little weight but realistically if you need a 32t cog to get up that hill you're not going to notice the weight of an extra ring.
    I would only consider putting a 30t or larger cassette on if I were going on a trip to the Lake district, and if I lived up there then I wouldn't hesitate to put a triple on my bike- and I consider myself a reasonably strong climber by club standards at least.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I would think most that are after low gears don't need an 11 cog either. A 12-32 option would be good. Even on my 34/30 combination on the really steep stuff I'm huffing at 60rpm I'd much rather sit and spin.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    I have to confess that I always rather liked the macho "don't need a low gear" attitude - my first road bike had proper old school gears, 52/42 and11-22.
    But injury, creeping old age and galloping fatness have meant that I am now rather happy on my compact Planet X with its 11 speed Rival 11-32. The peak of my ambition at the moment is to get back to a level where I can ignore the bottom gear.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    North Kent isn't quite the alps, I reckon you could manage a 11-28.

    Shouldn't this thread be in Road Beginners?
  • the_duke_of_hazard
    the_duke_of_hazard Posts: 15
    Anyone would think you had to get off for a rest at the top of some of those hills. It's not as if you ever get off and push is it...
  • Jrf85
    Jrf85 Posts: 15
    My advice would be to man up a bit, you wouldn't catch Merckx with a 32 cassete on his bike.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    You should leave your aero bike at home and use your climbing bike.
  • Jrf85
    Jrf85 Posts: 15
    If you want to try before you buy my girlfriends bike has a 12-32 on it... You could borrow that
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    If you want to try before you buy my neighbours 8 year old son has a bike with 12-32 on it... You could borrow that
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    If you want to try before you buy my grandad has a bike with 12-32 on it... You could borrow that
  • dowtcha
    dowtcha Posts: 442
    If you want to try before you buy Contador has a bike with 12-32 on it... You could borrow that.
  • Jrf85
    Jrf85 Posts: 15
    Time to get an e-bike by the sounds of it mate
  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    Anyone implying that having a 32t cassette appears less macho, seriously needs to grow up I think. On todays club ride, inclines such as Wear Bank (which reaches 21%+ in places) had my colleagues having to zig zag to maintain momentum. Meanwhile, I could stay seated and spin past them. I'd say reaching the summit of a climb a lot quicker looks quite a lot more macho than someone grinding too big a gear and finishing way behind.
    N
    N+1
  • funkybunch
    funkybunch Posts: 2
    I have not resorted to a 32 just yet, but I do like a nice nap before any arduous climbs.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    DKay wrote:
    Anyone implying that having a 32t cassette appears less macho, seriously needs to grow up I think. On todays club ride, inclines such as Wear Bank (which reaches 21%+ in places) had my colleagues having to zig zag to maintain momentum. Meanwhile, I could stay seated and spin past them. I'd say reaching the summit of a climb a lot quicker looks quite a lot more macho than someone grinding too big a gear and finishing way behind.

    +1. I want to maintain my cadence. Grinding at 50rpm doesn't do my back any good.
  • the_duke_of_hazard
    the_duke_of_hazard Posts: 15
    Dowtcha wrote:
    If you want to try before you buy Contador has a bike with 12-32 on it... You could borrow that.
    Can we borrow Contadors' butcher too? That special steak will help alot this weekend.
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    If you want to try before you buy, Evans do a bike with a basket on the front... You could borrow that,
  • funkybunch
    funkybunch Posts: 2
    Tetley10 wrote:
    If you want to try before you buy, Evans do a bike with a basket on the front... You could borrow that,
    Do you have the link? :P
  • tetley10
    tetley10 Posts: 693
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pas ... e-ec063142

    Think you can get it with a 14-34 as well.
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    Tetley10 wrote:
    http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pashley/sonnet-limited-edition-springtime-colours-hybrid-bike-ec063142

    Think you can get it with a 14-34 as well.

    Looks good - can you explain want 14-34 means please? I'm a little confused
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,815
    DKay wrote:
    Anyone implying that having a 32t cassette appears less macho, seriously needs to grow up I think. On todays club ride, inclines such as Wear Bank (which reaches 21%+ in places) had my colleagues having to zig zag to maintain momentum. Meanwhile, I could stay seated and spin past them. I'd say reaching the summit of a climb a lot quicker looks quite a lot more macho than someone grinding too big a gear and finishing way behind.

    Is Wear Bank the road out of Wolsingham heading towards Hamsterley? Pretty brutal that one.

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