Is there a compatible lower geared cassette than my 10 speed Shimano 105 11-28 ?

michael.h.eacott

I've had a Giant Defy Advanced 2 year 2014 from new and advancing years mean that I'm starting to struggle up hills. So is there a lower geared replacement for my subject cassette without making any other changes?

arlowood

A lot depends on what your rear derailleur is. Is it a short cage (SS) or medium cage(GS). You can check easily be measuring the distance between the jockey wheel pivots the short cage is normally 50mm and the medium cage 74mm.

If you have a medium cage then you will probably be able to fit an 11-32 cassette by tweaking the B-screw get the top jockey wheel to clear the large 32 sprocket when you are on the 34/32 combo.

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-hg500-10-speed-cassette-61919.html?utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&utm_campaign=phg-GB&ucpo=32104&source=PHG

flasher

Ultegra 6700, 12-30

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-ultegra-6700-10-speed-cassette

Munsford0

Years have already advanced on me...

I've got a 5701 rear derailleur which works with a 32t cassette. 32t is low enough for me cos it's paired with a 5603 triple chainset

On the other bike which has a 46/36 cx chainset I have fitted a 36t cassette and a 9 speed MTB rear mech

michael.h.eacott

arlowood said:

A lot depends on what your rear derailleur is. Is it a short cage (SS) or medium cage(GS). You can check easily be measuring the distance between the jockey wheel pivots the short cage is normally 50mm and the medium cage 74mm.

If you have a medium cage then you will probably be able to fit an 11-32 cassette by tweaking the B-screw get the top jockey wheel to clear the large 32 sprocket when you are on the 34/32 combo.

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-hg500-10-speed-cassette-61919.html?utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&utm_campaign=phg-GB&ucpo=32104&source=PHG

Excuse my ignorance. I've looked online and know where the jockey wheels are but where are their pivots please.

arlowood

michael.h.eacott said:

arlowood said:

A lot depends on what your rear derailleur is. Is it a short cage (SS) or medium cage(GS). You can check easily be measuring the distance between the jockey wheel pivots the short cage is normally 50mm and the medium cage 74mm.

If you have a medium cage then you will probably be able to fit an 11-32 cassette by tweaking the B-screw get the top jockey wheel to clear the large 32 sprocket when you are on the 34/32 combo.

https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-hg500-10-speed-cassette-61919.html?utm_source=PHG&utm_medium=AffiliateMarketing&utm_campaign=phg-GB&ucpo=32104&source=PHG

Excuse my ignorance. I've looked online and know where the jockey wheels are but where are their pivots please.

The pivots are the bearings at the centre of the jockey wheels that they rotate on. Just measure between the central pins of the top and bottom jockey wheels.

michael.h.eacott

Thank you. The bearings are 60mm apart.

arlowood

michael.h.eacott said:

Thank you. The bearings are 60mm apart.

Looks like it is probably a short cage. With that you could easily get away with the 12-30 cassette suggested by @flasher above - though at £65 it is quite pricey. You could also probably run an 11-32 at a push and that would be a cheaper option.

In fact you could buy a GS rear derailleur plus an 11-32 cassette for more or less the same money as that Ultegra cassette. GS rear mech below for £42

https://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-derailleurs/shimano-105-rd-r7000-rear-derailleur/11746883.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&variation=11746885&&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000073341592&gclid=CjwKCAjw_Y_8BRBiEiwA5MCBJtjbHzsfTf8_F8YpW0gWGLa5eXK6GVfixHePZVr_ylqAEpyNXcrlERoCBfgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

michael.h.eacott

arlowood said:

michael.h.eacott said:

Thank you. The bearings are 60mm apart.

Looks like it is probably a short cage. With that you could easily get away with the 12-30 cassette suggested by @flasher above - though at £65 it is quite pricey. You could also probably run an 11-32 at a push and that would be a cheaper option.

In fact you could buy a GS rear derailleur plus an 11-32 cassette for more or less the same money as that Ultegra cassette. GS rear mech below for £42

https://www.probikekit.co.uk/bicycle-derailleurs/shimano-105-rd-r7000-rear-derailleur/11746883.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&variation=11746885&&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000073341592&gclid=CjwKCAjw_Y_8BRBiEiwA5MCBJtjbHzsfTf8_F8YpW0gWGLa5eXK6GVfixHePZVr_ylqAEpyNXcrlERoCBfgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Many thanks again. Looks like a Winter task for me. The road surfaces here with Autumn debris are now getting a bit riskier for my Giant Sportif/Endurance bike so I'll be using my Specialized Hybrid for its safer wider tyres.

dj58

As mentioned above, if your RD is a 5701 SS, which it should be if 2014yr model, it will work with a 12-30T and more than likely a 11-32T by screwing the B-tension screw in.

You could also use a Wolftooth roadlink (standard), to reposition your RD to use either a 11-34 or 11-36 10 speed Shimano cassette plus longer chain.
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/pages/roadlink-tech-page

tonyf34

If you have a 5 arm compact, one thing you can do is to grab a 33T inner, that will lower the gearing by another 3% over a 34T, not much but every little helps as they say.
I've used 30T no problem with 5700 and 6700 ss, if you gran an HG500 11-32 that isn't going to cost much https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Cassette-HG500-10-Speed-Road-Hybrid-Mountain-Bike-Gears/264774318689?epid=1348998185&hash=item3da5c77a61:g:j4YAAOSwKm9e8xNm though Chinese knock offs are about half that. If you can manage to clear the biggest sprocket by doing the B screw as mentioned above then you've no need to consider the GS which in reality isn't supposed to have the range for a bigger rear sprocket, just a bigger overall capacity.