12/27 to 11/28 cassette. Any point?

Cee-Jay-Cee

Is there any point in swapping my 12/27 to an11/28? I know it'll give me a slightly easier climbing gear and higher down hill gear but will I even notice it? Someone offered me a brand new HG80 cassette for pennies but I was wondering if it was worth my while changing my own for it?

Chips Lovell

That's going to be very gappy, i.e. you may find yourself struggling to find the right gear.

If it's ten speed, even a 12-27 cassette is fairly gappy in my view.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

That's going to be very gappy, i.e. you may find yourself struggling to find the right gear.

If it's ten speed, even a 12-27 cassette is fairly gappy in my view.

It's actually a 9 speed. Think I'll leave it although I would like a lower downhill gear. Maybe I could just swap the two small cogs.

Roger Hassenforder

i noticed a difference on hills; but im 100kg.
if youre a skinny lat, I wouldnt bother.
Have'nt noticed gappyness too much

Cee-Jay-Cee

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

i noticed a difference on hills; but im 100kg.
if youre a skinny lat, I wouldnt bother.
Have'nt noticed gappyness too much

I'm 76kg and 6ft so yeah like you say I probably won't bother.

ibebanging

I recently changed from 11-25 to 11-30 because there was 66% off and I was changing chainset and chain also. No real difference, don't think I will ever use the 30 but it's nice to know its there !

Seanie_H

CJC999 wrote: »

I'm 76kg and 6ft so yeah like you say I probably won't bother.

I'm 78kg and noticed a big difference. The bit of extra spin on the way up makes life easier. Biggest benefit is on long trips, legs have a bit more life in them later on a trip.

If I'd to put a value on how much easier it is .... I'd say 8%

Cee-Jay-Cee

8% is quite a big increase, I thought maybe 2 or 3% difference. I'm doing an 80k charity cycle in late August over in west Donegal and there are 2 categorised climbs on it so maybe I'll buy it and stick it on for that alone and change back afterwards if I find the gaps too big.

TheBlaaMan

Re the '28 who was it said, ...........'Better to be looking at it, than looking for it...' ? Probably not a bad motto.....

That said, they are fairly gappy, and the next sprocket is going to be a 24 (maybe 25 or SRAM?) so I suspect you'll use the 24/25 and hold onto the 28 only for when you are in trouble.

IMO, its not worth it if you are on a compact chainset, and probably is if you are on a standard.

quozl

I wouldn't be interested in gaining the 11 tooth ring - I'd miss whatever ring (14, 15?) you're giving up in exchange for it more than I'd gain from having the 11.

I'd much prefer a 12-28 to an 11-28 for that reason - though I know that's not on offer for you.

So, I'd probably stick with the 12-27 over a 11-28. 11 is little use to me, 28 won't be needed much compared to a 27 (but would be nice to have) and you're going to have bigger jumps between gears as you're going from a range of 16 teeth to a range of 18.

glassdoc

CJC999 wrote: »

8% is quite a big increase, I thought maybe 2 or 3% difference. I'm doing an 80k charity cycle in late August over in west Donegal and there are 2 categorised climbs on it so maybe I'll buy it and stick it on for that alone and change back afterwards if I find the gaps too big.

Out of interest, whats the route for this charity cycle? I have a compact 11-28 training on these wee hills and find it a great help in times of trouble:D

C3PO

Seanie_H wrote: »

If I'd to put a value on how much easier it is .... I'd say 8%

Actually less than 4% I think?

instinct

Im running a double 52/39 and 11/25 cassette. Sometimes I feel Id like a 27 or 28 sprocket but generally Im fine.

Although much of my riding is flat. If most of my riding was in Wicklow or the likes, Id prob slash out for a compact.

el tel

When it comes to gappyness, it's not since I've ridden a bike with a 5 speed cassette that I've flitted between cogs thinking "damn I wish there was one in between".

Cee-Jay-Cee

glassdoc wrote: »

Out of interest, whats the route for this charity cycle? I have a compact 11-28 training on these wee hills and find it a great help in times of trouble:D

I'm not entirely sure yet, I was just told there are two climbs. I think one is Croghy on the Dungloe/Maghery road?

I've bought the cassette now so will stick it on and try it out on some of the hills local to me. I was comparing the ratios on my own and the 11/28 and there will be quite a jump from 24 to 28 on the last 2 cogs but at the smaller end its like an additional cog as I will still have 12 13 and 14.

ryan_sherlock

In training, I run an 11-28. If I didn't have the 11, I would miss it, if I didn't have the 28, I would miss it... I don't like the gaps - but hey...

Racing, if given the option, normally 11-23 is perfect for Ireland (unless going over Mamore Gap http://app.strava.com/segments/700540). I used to always use a 12-26 but as I got stronger, and learned to spin more, 11-28 became more useful.

I actually would like to move to 11 speed at some point just to have a less gappy 11-28 setup always on race/training wheels.

Cee-Jay-Cee

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

In training, I run an 11-28. If I didn't have the 11, I would miss it, if I didn't have the 28, I would miss it... I don't like the gaps - but hey...

Racing, if given the option, normally 11-23 is perfect for Ireland (unless going over Mamore Gap http://app.strava.com/segments/700540). I used to always use a 12-26 but as I got stronger, and learned to spin more, 11-28 became more useful.

I actually would like to move to 11 speed at some point just to have a less gappy 11-28 setup always on race/training wheels.

Mamore is a killer from both directions, I reckon I'd need a MTB cassette to get up it without having to get off and walk. I might give it a go next year but I know I don't have the ability to do it this year, its tough enough even to drive up!!

I picked up the cassette earlier, it's actually a SRAM cassette and about 140gr lighter than my own HG50 which is a bonus.

ashleey

CJC999 wrote: »

8% is quite a big increase, I thought maybe 2 or 3% difference. I'm doing an 80k charity cycle in late August over in west Donegal and there are 2 categorised climbs on it so maybe I'll buy it and stick it on for that alone and change back afterwards if I find the gaps too big.

I have just been up glengesh this afternoon and I would have been walking without a 50/28. The winds can be a horror. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Cee-Jay-Cee

ashleey wrote: »

I have just been up glengesh this afternoon and I would have been walking without a 50/28. The winds can be a horror. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I don't blame ya, that's a very very tight climb!!

ashleey

CJC999 wrote: »

I don't blame ya, that's a very very tight climb!!

And no matter how fast you try it you don't get to figure on any Strava leader board as its in the RAS or the Donegal one!

Roger Hassenforder

I need the 28 for going up them, the 11 for coming down them

Wishbone Ash

CJC999 wrote: »

Mamore is a killer from both directions, I reckon I'd need a MTB cassette to get up it without having to get off and walk. I might give it a go next year but I know I don't have the ability to do it this year, its tough enough even to drive up!!

With a 12/27 I was forced to do the walk of shame twice on the way up!

ashleey

There's no shame in walking a bit there

jdt101

gaps are not that different, below are shimano 6700:

11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-28

Cee-Jay-Cee

jdt101 wrote: »

gaps are not that different, below are shimano 6700:

11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25
11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-28

My bike is 9 speed.

The SRAM PG950 I got is

11-12-13-14-16-18-21-24-28

and the HG50 its replacing is

12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-27

glassdoc

"I'm not entirely sure yet, I was just told there are two climbs. I think one is Croghy on the Dungloe/Maghery road?"

Nice one, a right good lung buster where the 28 will come in handy especially the last 200m. Not the greatest surface & the sheep sh1t doesn't help but a fantastic view at the top if your interested at that stage:D

jdt101

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

In training, I run an 11-28. If I didn't have the 11, I would miss it, if I didn't have the 28, I would miss it... I don't like the gaps - but hey...

Racing, if given the option, normally 11-23 is perfect for Ireland (unless going over Mamore Gap http://app.strava.com/segments/700540). I used to always use a 12-26 but as I got stronger, and learned to spin more, 11-28 became more useful.

I actually would like to move to 11 speed at some point just to have a less gappy 11-28 setup always on race/training wheels.

With a 42 inner ring?

ryan_sherlock

jdt101 wrote: »

With a 42 inner ring?

Actually, yes, for a time... 39 inner now on the road bike, 42/55 on the TT (and yes, I do spin out the 55x11 in TTs, say going down the drags on the N11)

Actually bought a SRAM Force WiFli rear mech so that I can run a 32 on the rear for some of the races in Asia - crazy steep stuff there (where I have had teammates get off and walk during the race)

jdt101

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

Actually, yes, for a time... 39 inner now on the road bike, 42/55 on the TT (and yes, I do spin out the 55x11 in TTs, say going down the drags on the N11)

Actually bought a SRAM Force WiFli rear mech so that I can run a 32 on the rear for some of the races in Asia - crazy steep stuff there (where I have had teammates get off and walk during the race)

I use 42 with 11-28 on road bike, nice combo, lower than a 39/25 but can spin 42/13 >40km/hr, also better torque for climbing.

Well done in Clonmel btw.

C3PO

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

In training, I run an 11-28. If I didn't have the 11, I would miss it, if I didn't have the 28, I would miss it... I don't like the gaps - but hey...

Don't feel like such a wimp now!!