Closer ratios vs easier spinning?
johngti
Posts: 2,483
Just wondering, since 11-32 cassettes are now very common, does anyone feel that they miss the closer ratios available on an 11-28 compared to the "ease" of spinning up the steeper climbs? Assume 11-speed for both.
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occasionally I wish for the 11-32 on the road bike, but pretty much every time I ride the hybrid I wish the ratios were closer and want the 11-28 on it
so yes, closer ratios are just nicer, especially for tiny gradient changes or turning in to the wind and being able to change gear for a single tooth and keep the same effort going .... its smoother, and the riding just flows better
Was: 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,26,29
compared to (I think)
Now: 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,22,25,28,32
So where as before I had jumps of 2 and 3 teeth at the largest sprockets, I now have jumps of 2 and 3 in smaller sprockets. I'd say the most noticeable difference is in the 19-22-25 jump as with a 50 chainring that's where I ride a lot.
Having said that, I'm always changing gear as the terrain undulates, so you soon get used to it, and on Sunday I was very thankful for the 32T with 80 miles in my legs and some short sharp climbs to get up.
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I'm only on 10sp though, 11sp would give you slightly smaller jumps.
Ideally I would have a race bike with a 52-36 and a 12-25 on it...
you can also change gear smoother at higher torque with the 11-28 .... with the 11-32, changing with that many teeth difference can "bang" through the gears if you don't ease off a lot during the change
I've now got another good bike built up with some old ten speed kit - on that i'm running 53/39 with a ten speed 11-28 - same as the 11 speed without the 32 tooth essentially.
When I'm riding the latter, I often find that I climb as fast (if not faster) as one of my riding buddies who is on a compact - despite him generally being the better climber than me. He has the choice and temptation of an easier gear - I'm forced to keep turning the larger one.
So unless you are out for long days, or particularly hilly rides, I'd say go closer ratios - although in my experience 11-32 11 speed and 11-28 10 speed are close enough, where others might still think them a bit gappy!
Running a standard double and a 32 seems an odd choice (unless you're a pro, I guess) but each to his own.
Fixed TT 2015-2016
The good old days!! I have no idea how on earth I coped with my first road bike in the 80s - 5 speed loveliness, can't remember what the actual ratios were. And that was in North Wales too!
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People were made of sterner stuff back then.
(I'm not - I was down in Somerset recently and thought I'd try and tackle Porlock Hill while I was there. I put on the lowest gears I had, but 42x26 was not low enough!)
Fixed TT 2015-2016
Being a good Boy Scout meant being prepared to cut myself out of traps and being able to whittle a variety of useful items apparently!!
Should have gone up the toll road instead. It is probably the nicest climb in the UK: quiet traffic, well surfaced throughout, awe-inspiring view that pops out every now and then, steady gradient that rarely troubles and it just goes on and on. Compare that with the brute of the hill it avoids: Brutal (unsurprisingly), busy with heavy traffic who feel the need to try and pass and then splutter, switchbacks that cause major traction issues in the damp, etc. Good challenge though...but best save those legs for going up Lynmouth hill towards the VOTR...ah, but worth it!
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2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo
I do normally use a close(-ish) ratio cassette (12-25 10-speed) for fast paceline work, and notice if I'm using a different bike with wider ratios that it's harder to fine-tune my position behind the wheel in front, but it's a marginal thing.
Of course, there's a probability approaching 1 that all of the above is complete bull and I'll still get dropped faster than Mike Brown in a room of Lions selectors
Probably would have been better if I'd avoided a hike on Saturday mind. Not sure the stiff knee I gained through that helped all that much on Sunday!
Now I ride a 53-39 up front and 11-26 on the back.
I definitely prefer my latter set of gears. It suits my riding style more. I can climb at 80-90 rpm up any gradient up to around 9%. More than 10% I usually climb out of the saddle.
The small gaps between the lower end gears are very nice. Especially for the mostly flat terrain I have. And a plus is that I can fine tune my gears for sprinting in a wide variety of conditions.
My gears are 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26
I love it. Although there was once an occasion where I wish I had a 28 or a 32. But just need to train more I guess
I assume based on your thread in amateur race that you are pretty quick, but 36:26 at 80rpm is 15.1kmh, which on a 9% grade would be 4.5 w/kg or more (http://bikecalculator.com/).
I suggest that most of us mere mortals cannot sustain 4.5 w/kg for too long!
My current bike is 50/34 and 11-28 and I've not noticed the gaps between gears being smaller but I have noticed some hills are a pain on 34-28 and a couple of time I wish I had the 32t still.
I used to do quite a lot of climbing on 50-32 so I certainly miss that gear most.
Yeah I'm aware that there is the same (ish) ration on the 11-28 but that involves using the little ring
The other answer is get stronger and use 50-28 instead
Indeed. It annoys me that the new Campy Potenza cassette is 11-32 not 12-32. Much better to ditch the 11 and have smaller gaps where it matters.
It is (I think) 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-22-25-28-32
Better would be something like 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26-29-32
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(Runs for cover)