Originally Posted by
Bigbus
Okay, I'm finding the current gearing on my old Giant RB is just not tall enough. The larger chain ring is 52T and a 14T on a 6spd cassette. I really would like to step the 14T up to at least a 12T but preferably an 11T. Why am I having such a tough time trying to find that gear? Is it not doable? We're talking Shimano here. Will an 11T from an old MTB cassette fit the hub? Or does it have to come off a road bike due to hub differences? Am I just not looking in the right places? Are we having fun yet?
Thank you in advance for any sharing of knowledge,
You're trying to solve a rider problem with equipment which will come at the expense of a lower gear for climbing or tighter spacing in the middle.
Eddy Merckx dominated the pro peloton with a 52x13 big gear, and you're no Eddy.
Learn to pedal faster.
On flat ground 52x14 is a 40 MPH sprinting gear requiring 1200 Watts and 30 MPH cruising gear at 500 Watts. 500W is more than Lance Armstrong could manage for 45 minutes with outlier genetics and the best doping program in cycling.
Down hill you'll be faster tucking.