Best rear cassette for hills
alim0229
Posts: 24
Hi there,
I have a Focus Variado Compact Expert road bike (2010) model, I have mainly used a hybrid bike previously.
Unfortunately, despite lots of trying and improving my fitness I still struggle with hills and I am worried about my knees not being able to spin up more easily on hills (we live in a very hilly area)
The bike has a FSA Gossamer chainset and front crank (50/34 double) and Shimano 105 on the back, I think it is 11-25.
I would be grateful for your suggestions on what would be the biggest rear cassette that I would be able to fit onto my existing drive train to ease going up hills?
I would be really grateful for your advice
I have a Focus Variado Compact Expert road bike (2010) model, I have mainly used a hybrid bike previously.
Unfortunately, despite lots of trying and improving my fitness I still struggle with hills and I am worried about my knees not being able to spin up more easily on hills (we live in a very hilly area)
The bike has a FSA Gossamer chainset and front crank (50/34 double) and Shimano 105 on the back, I think it is 11-25.
I would be grateful for your suggestions on what would be the biggest rear cassette that I would be able to fit onto my existing drive train to ease going up hills?
I would be really grateful for your advice
0
Comments
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Where do you live?
A lot seem to use a 12-28, I do, and can get up most things.0 -
Buy a triple.0
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Worcestershire - generally quite hilly
In my case, would it be worth going as high as possible on the cassette eg. 32T - would I have to start changing the rear mech then and is this an issue?0 -
This is a 10 speed with the ratios you are after - if your bike is a 10 speed you do not need to change any other component, i would just reindex your gears after you have switched;
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-tiagra-hg500-10-speed-road-cassette/rp-prod137768
Sorry just realised out of stock - however that is the type of cassette you need.
you could try a 12-30;
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-tiagra-4600-10-speed-road-cassette/rp-prod672280 -
Do you think 12-30 is the largest I can get on, is there an option to have a 32T ring at the back with an existing 10 speed set up?0
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You probably will need a long cage rear mech for a 32t. It's not a hugely expensive outlay. Should you? The question I would always ask first is about your fitness - how long have you been cycling? How much do you do? What have you been trying to do to improve your fitness? A lot of unfit people (both established recreational riders and new ones that just haven't built up the base fitness yet) buy themselves smaller gears to get up the hills, and whilst there's nothing wrong with doing this in principle, there will come a point at which you can't fit a bigger sprocket or smaller chainring. If you want to be good at riding up hills, there's really only one way. I.e. if you ride once a week for half an hour and are a bit out of shape, the gears on your bike aren't really the problem.
Based on what you've given here, I would suggest that there's no harm in buying a long cage mech and getting yourself a 32t if you want to, mainly because it's not very expensive, and also because with 10-11 speed drivetrains, the gaps aren't as massive as they were/are with 7 speed (etc). In time, you may find that you have no need of gears that low (though that does not of course mean that you might not want to have them anyway). If you experience actual knee pain, you're probably better off with the lower gears.
It's unfortunate, but there's a lot of silly macho culture in this particular area. A lot of people would actually be better off with triples - you can either get some properly low gears, or the same as compact but with closer ratios, bigger gears for going downhill, and then the whole range of the middle ring, which is where many recreational riders are comfortable. It just doesn't 'look pro'.0 -
34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !0
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34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !
Stop waving your willy around, nobody is looking.0 -
34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !
Brilliant advice, in fact why doesn't he just get a 42/23 and man up a bit?0 -
34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !
Stop waving your willy around, nobody is looking.
He's pretty rubbish at it then, what sort of self-respecting willy waver uses a compact?0 -
In my experience 12-30 will get you up just about anything on a compact road bike and is handy if you are having a bad day.0
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I'm on a Compact with an 11-28 cassette.
I mainly ride in North Sheffield/Peak District and South Pennines.My rides have an average of 1000ft of ascent per 10 miles.I'm not as fit as I'd like but can get up most thing around here.There's a couple of 25%ers that have had me off though.I toyed with the idea of 12-30 but decided to stay as I am and slug it out.0 -
34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !
Spoken like a complete tosser.0 -
Hi there,
I have a Focus Variado Compact Expert road bike (2010) model, I have mainly used a hybrid bike previously.
Unfortunately, despite lots of trying and improving my fitness I still struggle with hills and I am worried about my knees not being able to spin up more easily on hills (we live in a very hilly area)
The bike has a FSA Gossamer chainset and front crank (50/34 double) and Shimano 105 on the back, I think it is 11-25.
I would be grateful for your suggestions on what would be the biggest rear cassette that I would be able to fit onto my existing drive train to ease going up hills?
I would be really grateful for your advice
In general without changing the rear mech you can put up to 30T on the back - it's worth a try anyway as a 12-30 Tiagra cassette (assuming you're 10 speed?) is only about £12. Although you might need to fit a longer chain.
If you want to go bigger - say to 32T that generally means changing the mech to a long cage.
Don't listen to anyone who says any particular gearing is low 'enough', they have no idea about your fitness levels, you preferred cadence, your weight or anything about you. The important thing is to have the right gearing for that moment, and not for some theoretical point where you may or may not get fitter.0 -
I was close to changing from a 32 to a 25 at the back as most of my riding is commuting on the flat. I consider myself reasonably fit; I can run 5k in just over 21 minutes, but I am 6'5" and 85kg, so not built as a cycling climber (I like actualy climbing with ropes and harnesses).
Since almost going to 25 at the back I have been out for some proper evening rides and have decided to stick with the 34/32 ratio. First attempt up the back of Caerphilly mountain resulted in me stopping twice within the mile of climbing after putting too much in to the preceeding hills. Tried it again less than a week later and didn't burn out on the way there. Got to the top without stopping but was totally dead. I'll be staying with the 32 at the back and thanking it every so often.0 -
Spot on....Don't listen to anyone who says any particular gearing is low 'enough', they have no idea about your fitness levels, you preferred cadence, your weight or anything about you. The important thing is to have the right gearing for that moment, and not for some theoretical point where you may or may not get fitter.0 -
Do you think 12-30 is the largest I can get on, is there an option to have a 32T ring at the back with an existing 10 speed set up?
There is a big difference between a 30t and the 25t that you have now and you may find it plenty low enough for you. It may save you the additional expense of a new rear mech?"You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
Thank you all, for what has been a very amusing thread
I have just ordered a 11-32 cassette together with new rear mech. I will use this until I am more comfortable and can then change back if needed
My rationale is I need to enjoy riding and protect my knees, I am not worried about my ego or impressing others.
If I get super-fit I can always revert back
Thanks once again for all your kind advice and for sticking up for me against some of our more egotistical minded cyclists!0 -
Wise decision.Thank you all, for what has been a very amusing thread
I have just ordered a 11-32 cassette together with new rear mech. I will use this until I am more comfortable and can then change back if needed
My rationale is I need to enjoy riding and protect my knees, I am not worried about my ego or impressing others.
If I get super-fit I can always revert back
Thanks once again for all your kind advice and for sticking up for me against some of our more egotistical minded cyclists!
No point compromising your enjoyment or your knees for anyone else's silly ideas!
You can leave the long cage derailleur on there and change inexpensive cassettes as needed.0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19641576#p19641576]Simon Masterson[/url] wrote:34 /25 is plenty low enough, get fitter !
Stop waving your willy around, nobody is looking.
He's pretty rubbish at it then, what sort of self-respecting willy waver uses a compact?
One that has a superiority complex, obviously.0
