ZHVelo

This.

What do you lose by going 11-34 instead of 11-30? It is maybe a somewhat heavier cassette, but those what, 50 grams or what really won't be noticeable compared to the lower gear available. So what is the advantage of 11-30?

HTupolev

11-12-13-14-15 vs 11-13-15

ZHVelo

Fair enough. You lose out on 3.71 and 4.33 in between, does not seem too bad to me. I would rather stay in a lower gear and spin a little more, but I can see that others may disagree.

Dean V

As with all gearing questions it is very dependant on the individual.
Some may be grinders or fairly quick riders that are often down the small end of the cassette.
A percentage of those will not like the 2 tooth jumps and will need to weigh it up with the need for a 34.

Smitty2k1

The bike I built has a compact 50/34 crankset and came with a 11-30 cassette but long cage RD.

I suck at climbing and even on the little tiny hills we have here in the DC area I really wanted something closer to 1:1 than the 34:30 offered me.

Ended up getting the 11-32 cassette because I'd heard some people complain about the gear jumps in the 11-34.

So far it's been perfect. I didn't notice the slightly wider gear jumps from the 11-30, and I no longer wish it had "one more gear" on any of my routes in the area.

Glad the groupset I bought had the long cage RD. Made the swap very straight forward.

bmcer

FWIW, I just switched out a Shimano Ultegra 11-30 for a 11-32 on a bike with the short cage RD. Works perfectly with no adjustments required. It gives me a 28 tooth cog that's good for most hills around here with a 32 tooth bail out cog for the really steep stuff. Was a great solution for my aging knees.

Leinster

On my 2 geared road bikes I have 11 speed 12-29 and 10 speed 12-27. Both are straight through to the 17. I recently upgraded the 11 from 8 speed 13-26.

My most used cogs are the ones between 14 and 19. There are days I would happily give up the 12 for an 18. I am uncomfortable on a bike without a 16. That's what you lose as you go up to the big spread cassettes.

Racing Dan

Nahh, not really. Most cassettes doesn't have a 16 to begin with. Compared to *most* cassettes the first cog you "loose" on a 11-34 is the 14. From 15 and up the 11-34 is actually equal or better compared to the 11-28.

Depending on individual cadence, that equates to the 11-34 being equal or better than a 11-28 at any speed below about 23 mph. A few cassettes have a 16 or even a 18, but then you miss out on the granny gears.

ZHVelo

What does the 16 have to do with it per se? Surely that statement also depends if you have 52-36 or 50-34 or yet something else up front...and anyway, neither 11-30 nor 11-34 have a 16 (on Shimano).

Leinster

Most cassettes don't, but I've found mine valuable enough that I don't want to miss out. I'll accept 3t gaps elsewhere, but the 14-19 range is where I spend 80-90% of my riding. Because as much as I like going up the hills around here, I have to ride the flattish roads to get to them, and then once I get there I stay in that mid-range for a good portion of the lower slopes.

I've found that no matter the chainring, (34, 39, 42, 46, 50, 52, 53) sooner or later i'm going to be riding on flattish/slightly uphill roads and searching for that 16. You're right that Shimano don't have a 16 on those cassettes, and it's a big part of the reason I always look elsewhere for my cassettes (Miche 12-29), or accept narrower gearing (Shimano 12-27; I'd happily give up the 12 or 13, let alone an 11, and increase the spread above the 21, before sacrificing the 16).

Pizzaiolo Americano 

Shimano makes a 14-28. I have one sitting on my bench. Paired with 46/36 front rings, it makes a nice gravel set up.

genejockey 

Which is funny because the one thing I really, really miss in the 11-34 cassette on my new bike is the 12. It's the one jump I don't like. The rest are easily tolerable, but the jump from 11-13 bugs me. It makes me go from 85 rpm to 100+.

Leinster

If I ever use the 12, be it with a 50 or 53 up front, it's down a steep, steep hill. And I pretty much bypass the 13 on the way there and back up again once the road flattens out.

I have never wanted an 11 on any bike. The next bike I get (some time off in the distant future) might have an 11, but it'll be some kind of gravel/MTB mongrel, and will have at most a 42 up front.

genejockey 

What can I say? we fat guys use ALL the gears!

UsedToBeFaster

but $200 seems kind of steep as I am not even sure a new RD and chain would be required for four extra teeth?

OP why not just try a friends wheel withan 1134 and if it shifts fine then buy a new cassette and change yourself?

ZHVelo

This. A Shimano Ultegra cassette and RD are about 130 for where I am. A chain won't add much, but let's say it is $150, that means the LBS charges $50 for the replacement. I guess fair enough (I don't know prices but it doesn't sound outrageous). However, if they keep the parts which are essentially new, then it is a complete rip-off. Because for that $50 you could also just buy the tools and do it yourself. Will take a lot more time if you have to learn it, but from then on you could always do it yourself.

genejockey 

This. It takes a 5mm Allen key and whatever other drivers you need for the cable clamp and adjusting the limit screws, and a cassette lockring tool. But then, you'll be able to swap the 11-30 back on if you find yourself wanting closer spaced gears. A chain breaker, but you'll be able to change your chain yourself when it's time and not depend on the shop. And there are videos!

Joearch

I will be getting the parts back. Bike was purchased from an excellent bike shop that I trust and replacement of all 3 components is the right way to go and I can always go back to stock. $200 seems reasonable especially considering the Cost of the bike w a decent discount. Not that interested at this point in wrenching on my bike.

genejockey 

Got it. I tend to be a gearhead, so part of the fun for me is working on the bikes, but everyone's different. It does sound like a sweet ride!

Robert A

As one who just bought all the parts to make an 11-32 work, I can confirm that the Ultegra parts alone are around $180-$190 from the larger domestic dealers (Competitive Cyclist or Jensons).

ZHVelo

Wow, you can get them for EUR 63 and EUR 62 (USD 146). Even in Switzerland the cassette is only CHF 68 and the RD only slightly more at 76 (almost 1 to 1 to USD, though in last months USD depreciated). Are there tariffs from Japan to USA on bike parts?

genejockey 

Total from Jenson is $74 and $75 for der and cassette, so I'm assuming the $180-190 includes $35 for the chain.

Robert A

Yes, around $35 for the chain. If you're pricing the cogs and the RD, make sure you're looking at the right parts. The GS RD is more expensive than the SS. The larger cassette is a little more expensive too.

In my case, I went straight to Dura Ace for the chain because the price difference was small.

Racing Dan

You can easily swap back n forth if you have the GS RD and a chain sized for the 11-34. It will work for both cassette sizes. Just get the tools to swap the cassette and a screwdriver for the B-screw and you are golden.

aliasfox

I have an 11-34 on my NYC bike, and don’t like it that much - spacing too big between the cruising gears, and I’ve never used the 32 and 34 cogs out back (paired with a 50-34 compact up front). The biggest hill within 20 miles of me is about 1mile at 7%, and I can chug up that in 34-30 (Or even 34-28) just fine. Considering switching out the 11-34 for a 11-30 to get some of the tight gear spacing back, given that I don’t expect to miss the bottom end a whole lot,

The bike I keep at my sister’s house in the Bay Area has a 12-27 paired with a 52-42-32 triple, and I’ve run both ends of the cassette and all three rings out there. On some 10% or steeper grades, definitely wish for another gear.

So really depends on what terrain you’re riding, and what preferences you have. Another option would be to do the derailleur and chain swap, and have a (lightweight) rear wheel with the 11-34 on it for hill days, and an aero rear wheel with the 11-30 for flats days... but I’m excessive like that.