Liist

Now that I'm riding at a higher level of cycling since I first started, I'm starting to dislike the 11-32 cassette that my Supersix 6 came with, especially being in Florida. I rarely use the small ring let along the small ring and the 32 gear, and I would like to get a tighter cassette.

What is a good cassette to go with a compact crank that is good for Florida with the occasional small hill?

Should I look at getting a standard crank?

fstshrk

Just put an 11-28 ultegra cassette and you will be fine.

svtmike

I'd go with an 11-23 and leave it on the 50.

unionmade

11 or 12 - 25. I have Rival and a SRAM 12-25 PG1070 cassette, and like it alot.

rdtompki

Why on earth would the shop leave the 11-32 on their in the first place?

Liist

It's my first road bike, and the particular bike was on a really good sale. It helped at first when I was a ****** encountering my first hills.

What are your thoughts between 11-25 and 11-23?

Homebrew01

You already know the answer. What is the lowest gear you currently use ?

Liist

A lot of times I would use the 50-32 combination to climb, so I don't really know that answer. I'll have to check my biggest gear on the low ring on the worst overpass in town.

I wouldn't need to change any other components, correct?

svtmike

Correct. Your chain is already sized for the smallest possible cog in back, so no need to even adjust the chain length.

fstshrk

I think going from 11-32 to 11-23 is a very radical change. A cassette is cheap. I would try the 11-28 and then go down from there.

svtmike

It's radical, but the 34-23 still gives a slightly easier climbing gear than the 50-32.

Homebrew's answer is the best though.

fstshrk

He is in FL. I am guessing he is more worried about head wind than climbing ;-)

svtmike

I'm in Chicago. I know I worry much more about wind than hills. I run around with a 25 as my largest gear and only approach it on the windiest spring days. Most times I run around on the 50 when I ride my compact-equipped bike.

Camilo

A compact crank is even a wrong thing to have in Florida. The low gears are probably not needd, and the shifting on a compact is so poor compared to a regular crank.

But, given that you have it, it's easy to figure out what cassette to put on it. No need for guessing or opinions of people who don't know you or your riding.

Ride the current cassette you have and figure out which sprocket is the lowest gear you need! Do the same for the highest gear. Then get a new cassette based on that.

Liist

I think I'll go with an 11-25 or 11-26, and get a standard crank when I become a stronger rider.

milkbaby

^This... Some people need more gear range, some people less... Everybody has different abilities and fitness. My preferred gearing in FL is 53/39 x 12-25, and I basically never use the 39 (I start 53x21 from stops), BUT that is just me and my rides...

cvall91

From every shop I go to and people that see my gearing, they tell me to change to a 53/39 up front and at least a 11-25 in the back. I live in south Florida and my biggest climb is probably my driveway. From what I've been told, 11-23 is Ultegra only and 11-21 is Dura-Ace. I'm currently running 50/34 (or whatever) and 12-27 and plan to change to 11-23 and 53/39.

bonz50

i have a 12-25 on my apex bike, works fine and we're almost as flat around here as you are in FL.

Liist

Thanks everyone. I'm going with 11-25 and keeping the compact crank for now. I only find a bigger crank necessary on descents.

merlinextraligh

50/34 with an 11-23 works just fine here. It gives you nice tight spacing; it shifts fine, (and front shifts are rare anyway). And when you drive up to North Goergia and do Brasstown, it works nicely with an 11-28.

To the OP, as stated it comes down to what's the lowest gear you need. Find your toughest hill, and ride it in the little ring making note of what cog you use in the back, and that's your answer.

foresthill

Likewise, my 52/36 shifts great. Never heard any complaints about compacts shifting worse than a standard. And it's hard to imagine why they would. Now, triples on the other hand...

milkbaby

Being in Florida means I basically never leave the big ring, and I like 12-25 which lets me stop and start in 53x21 without being too cross-chained, something that I didn't like about 11-23. I have 11-25 on two bikes simply because one wheelset came with that and another time I got a good deal on an 11-25 cassette, but I prefer 12-25 because the 16t is much more useful to me than 11t....

Liist

Ha! It turns out I have an 11-28 most likely. But I think I'll do better with the 11-25. Gets rid of the most annoying gear skips.

Standard crankset is next. Good thing I get good discounts as a college rider.

Elduderino2412

11-32 cassettes should be outlawed in the state of Florida. Don't know why shop would have given you that in the first place.

Elduderino2412

oh that makes more sense