14-28 Cassette

daniel_b

Quite tempted by one of these, as the ratios look super tight - anyone use one?

14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-23-25-28

Top end would in theory reduce, but it's on a bike with 52\36.

jrich

52-14 is pretty bloody small for a top gear. So long as you dont like like over 25mph you should be fine tho.

imposter2.0

14 and 16-up cassettes are popular with youth riders, due to the BC gear restrictions. I've ridden one of my son's 14-up wheels on the road and it's surprising how quickly you get down to the 14.

daniel_b

Ah ok, fair do's, had not investigated the actual ratios. Had noticed they only seem to be available in Germany. Guess a 12-28, or 25 is the answer.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I'd have to double-check in the flesh, but I think the 10-speed Ultegra cassette fitted on my 2006 Felt F5C is a 14-28, with standard compact chainrings (50/34?). I did not miss the top end, as my fittest is not what it was in my 30s, but the close ratios were great for finding near-perfect cadence in most situations on the flat and uphill.

Really need to advertise the bike, it had this cassette, a few other upgrades (stainless steel chain, Bontrager Speed Limit brakes, new cables etc.) and a general service done in ~2010 (I advertised here, but no bites back then)... It has done under 100 miles since, kept hoping my lower back would recover, but the RTA I had on the Tricross Singlecross in Xmas 2013 weakened it further and has completely destroyed my confidence on rim braked drop bars.

Bordersroadie

My best bike has a smattering of 10 speed Dura Ace and Ultegra but my cassette of choice is Tiagra 4600.

Why?

It's the only 28T cassette (Shimano/SRAM) that offers the following superb ratios and goodness knows why the bigger sprocket sizes (ie 23/25/28) have not been adopted on higher level 10sp Shimano, but the others (105/Ultegra/DA) insist on that awful 24-28 jump.

Tiagra 12-28: 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 28

Almost the same as the OPs quoted 14-28, but so much better a range for close spaced climbing gears, for me, at least, with a 50-34.

For a very small weight penalty over higher end cassettes, it's like the best kept cheap cassette secret if you do lots of hilly riding.

mamba80

jrich wrote:

52-14 is pretty bloody small for a top gear. So long as you dont like like over 25mph you should be fine tho.

Ha, a 52x 14 is the max gear allowed for junior males and females and i can tell you that many regional juniors inc women would p1ss all over most people on here and can average 24 or 26mph over a 2 hour road race, let alone hit 25 + mph.

a national level junior male on restricted gearing, would be the match of almost any regional racer.

chippyk

mamba80 wrote:

jrich wrote:

52-14 is pretty bloody small for a top gear. So long as you dont like like over 25mph you should be fine tho.

Ha, a 52x 14 is the max gear allowed for junior males and females and i can tell you that many regional juniors inc women would p1ss all over most people on here and can average 24 or 26mph over a 2 hour road race, let alone hit 25 + mph.

a national level junior male on restricted gearing, would be the match of almost any regional racer.

Erm yes, quality athletes usually are better than your average punter or those at a lower level in any sport. A World Tour or Pro Conti rider would p1ss all over a lot of people on a hybrid with half inflated tyres, Chelsea U16s would probably beat the Red Lion's Sunday League team so I don't get your point.

Chelsea wouldn't beat Bradford City in the FA cup though

mrb123

52x14 at a cadence of 100rpm gives 29mph on the flat. I don't manage to hit that very often on the flat and once I pass 30mph downhill I'm usually tucking in rather than pedalling.

mamba80

ChippyK wrote:

mamba80 wrote:

jrich wrote:

52-14 is pretty bloody small for a top gear. So long as you dont like like over 25mph you should be fine tho.

Ha, a 52x 14 is the max gear allowed for junior males and females and i can tell you that many regional juniors inc women would p1ss all over most people on here and can average 24 or 26mph over a 2 hour road race, let alone hit 25 + mph.

a national level junior male on restricted gearing, would be the match of almost any regional racer.

Erm yes, quality athletes usually are better than your average punter or those at a lower level in any sport. A World Tour or Pro Conti rider would p1ss all over a lot of people on a hybrid with half inflated tyres, Chelsea U16s would probably beat the Red Lion's Sunday League team so I don't get your point.

Chelsea wouldn't beat Bradford City in the FA cup though

this is all true, but chelsea U16s dont need a bigger ball though do they????

People get hung up on gearing but what they really need is better fitness, i was answering the post that seemed to suggest a 52 x 14 was a small gear, its not.
52x 13 a few years ago, would have been the std gearing for a RR bike and people could ride plenty quick on those bikes, Outside of a TT, gearing is not the solution to riding faster.

AndrewCowley

+1 for the Tiagra 4600 12-28 cassette. The 25 tooth cog is really nice to climb on. It's odd that Shimano don't offer it on other cassettes. I prefer to have it than for the ratios further down being squished together.

StillGoing

MrB123 wrote:

52x14 at a cadence of 100rpm gives 29mph on the flat. I don't manage to hit that very often on the flat and once I pass 30mph downhill I'm usually tucking in rather than pedalling.

Absolutely. If you're sprinting you're going to be using a high cadence of 100rpm plus. With a 52/14 combination that's anywhere between 28-34mph in the range of 100-122rpm. I dare say in a sprint the cadence will be higher than 122rpm for most people.

For the average Jo/Joe, how much time and how often do they get into the 52/11 combination during a ride and with any venom? Rarely I'd say and would probably prefer the closer rations of the middle of the block.

keezx

Still you can meet a lot of people here who insist they "need" the 11......

mrb123

Keezx wrote:

Still you can meet a lot of people here who insist they "need" the 11......

The pathological fear of "spinning out" seems to haunt many on this forum!

Garry H

MrB123 wrote:

Keezx wrote:

Still you can meet a lot of people here who insist they "need" the 11......

The pathological fear of "spinning out" seems to haunt many on this forum!

It's just preference though isn't it. Some people prefer not to have to spin at over 120 RPM to hit 30mph.

mrb123

Garry H wrote:

MrB123 wrote:

Keezx wrote:

Still you can meet a lot of people here who insist they "need" the 11......

The pathological fear of "spinning out" seems to haunt many on this forum!

It's just preference though isn't it. Some people prefer not to have to spin at over 120 RPM to hit 30mph.

120 rpm on a 52x14 is good for 35mph.

Sgt_Pepper

Sorry to bring up an older thread but was wondering if you ever followed through on this and how you got on.
When it comes to cleaning my bike 11,12 &13 always look so unused. I'm now wondering if 14-28 would be good for me. I usually have a cadence of around 100+ and don't really hit any long downhills where I ride so it seems like a win/win.

What I'd really like to know is, Would the rear Mech need adjusting or can I just plonk it on and go?

meanredspider

Sgt_Pepper wrote:

What I'd really like to know is, Would the rear Mech need adjusting or can I just plonk it on and go?

What cassette is currently on there? The main question is just chain length but if 14-28 is within your current cassette range (like 12-28 or 11-32) you should be fine.

daniel_b

Sgt_Pepper wrote:

Sorry to bring up an older thread but was wondering if you ever followed through on this and how you got on.
When it comes to cleaning my bike 11,12 &13 always look so unused. I'm now wondering if 14-28 would be good for me. I usually have a cadence of around 100+ and don't really hit any long downhills where I ride so it seems like a win/win.

What I'd really like to know is, Would the rear Mech need adjusting or can I just plonk it on and go?

Hi there,

in the end I plumped for a 12-25, but after several months of upping my general cadence to in the region of 95 for general riding, and sometimes up to 120, the idea of the aforesaidmentioned 14-28 does come back into play.