gauvins

My drivetrain is the Shimano trekking (48-36-26 x 11-34)

I rarely use the smallest cog, both because the largest chain ring is 48, and because I find the 13->11 step too big for my taste.

I am considering substituting the 11-tooth for a Miche 12.

Would there be better options?

Bill Kapaun

That should work.
Do you need that big of a large cog?
Possibly something like a 12-27/28 would be even better?

Crankycrank

Miche's cogs are a slightly different width than Shimano's and don't shift very well when mixed with OEM Shimano cogs unless fit with special spacers. Their first position threaded cog may be OK, I don't know if it is or not but it's possible to grind down thicker spacing or add a shim if necessary or just make things easier and buy the OEM Shimano brand cog.

ThermionicScott 

Sounds like a good idea to me (and @Crankycrank's suggestion to just get a Shimano 12T may be wise.) I hate having high gears I can't or almost never use. None of my bikes have a top gear over 100" and I'm happy as a clam.

gauvins

That would be my preference but I can't find that part? Where to get it?

Crankycrank

Your LBS should be able to order one or check Amazon, Ebay, etc. Any 10 Speed Dura Ace, Ultegra, 105 or Tiagra cog will work and you may need a new lockring for the 12t cog.

dsbrantjr

Here is a nice calculator you can use to compare different drivetrain combinations when you are deciding how to proceed with your chainwheel/cassette choices: kstoerz.com | visual drivetrain comparison tool

HillRider

+1. Shimano also offers a 12x30 Tiagra level cassette that gives a fairly close low gear and a more usable 12T small cog. It's only disadvantage (for me at least) compared to the 12x27 is that it deletes the 16T cog but the OP probably doesn't have that one anyway.

Retro Grouch 

How many rear cogs do you have? Other than the useless (to you) 11 t cog, is there anything else about your gearing that you don't like?

Back in the days when 10-speed meant 2 on the front and 5 on the back we wanted to make use of every combination and sometimes got creative with half step and alpine gearing combinations and even wrote out all of the ratios and taped them on our handlebars. My most recent bike purchase has 30 potential combinations! I'm resigned to the fact that I'll likely never use some of those combinations and I'm OK with that.

gauvins

Thanks. Will do.

gauvins

Thanks for the link. Yes, very convenient.

gauvins

10. And I sometimes, albeit rarely, use the 11-tooth.

It is probably a reflection of the fact that essentially everything else is where I want it to be, so I am focusing on the drivetrain

Mr IGH

I use Miche 9 speed cogs intermixed with Shimano cogs on all my derailleur bikes and they shift just as well as a stock Shimano cassette. I use their spacers too, same width as Shimano. No need to grind, just install them and enjoy!

fietsbob

Getting soft .. I toured on 6 speed freewheels . 13_34 50-40-24 crank.. 14:50 was really high enough.

Put a Tourists Bike together, they just Blocked the RD hi limit, screw so It wouldn't go into the last tiny cog

that cost nothing to do..


Junior kids race cassettes start at 14t . just not in shops much.

bradtx

gauvins, Instead of just swapping a seldom utilized cog for one only less slightly more utilized, think about this. Change the cassette to a 12-30 and the inner chain ring from a 26 to a 24T. You'll end up with a closer ratio cassette, your 12T top, and you'll only lose about one GI on bottom.

Brad

Crankycrank

Miche 9 speed are different than their 10 speed cogs. Their 10 speed are wider than Shimano's 10 speed cogs and also have an offset to the left which complicates spacing a bit. Having said that, the Miche first position cog may have the same spacing as Shimano but I don't know the answer to that. Break out your Micrometer.

clasher

I think you'd be better off buying the Shimano Tiagra HG500 12-28 cassette and poaching the locking and first sprocket from it to get what you want. You put your 11T sprocket and lockring on that cassette and sell it for 20$ to recoup some of the costs. You can get the tiagra cassette from chain reaction for nearly the same price as the shipped price of the miche cog and then you've gotta get a 12T lockring too.

Will Wheeler

I'm a bit off topic now, but I think the parts manufacturers makes cranks for city/trekking/touring bikes with gear ratios that are just ****ty. Who the heck uses that 48t "Big Dog" in the city, or while hauling on camping equipment? It's crazy!! A triple with 44-34-24 would be much better. A 36t in the middle is just too large for a 700c wheel, and a 32t is just too small, so why can't they make readily available 34t in steel also? Buggers the hell out of me!
Pardon my rant.

fietsbob

Miche cassettes, individual sprocket board. SPROCKETS BOARD - Cassettes / sprockets - Components - Products

LeoGrand

Thanks, very helpful!