Cassettes - Need advice please
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Cassettes - Need advice please
What size cassettes do you use for touring? My Trek 520 is equipped with the standard 11-32 9 Speed. I am considering going 11-42 10 Speed. The front is 48/36/26. Any comments please?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Tucker, GA USA
Posts: 133
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I am sure you'll get lots of different responses. I tour on a 1999 Cannondale T500 which I have changed to a 11-34 rear and a 50-39-24 front. What you need will depend on your own physical condition. For me I am 65 and overweight at 215 lbs so a nice low gear is required.
#4
Senior Member
Will it work with an 11-42?
Do you know how to fix it so that it dies work?
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,871
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 598 Post(s)
Liked 283 Times
in
194 Posts
I like an 11-34, any larger of a spread and I find myself constantly looking for that in-between right gear that's not there. If that 26 x 34 isn't low enough for you, you can easily and inexpensively replace that 26 cog in the front with a 24.
#6
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,610
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10954 Post(s)
Liked 7,483 Times
in
4,185 Posts
With 32mm tires-
- your current granny is 21.88 gear inches.
- your proposed granny is 16.74 gear inches.
If you just got a 24t inner chain ring, you would have 20.26 gear inches. Thats $20 and a 10min change.
If you got a 24t ring and a 34t cassette, you would have 19.18 gear inches. Thats $40 and a 20min change.
Just mention these options since they almost certainly wpuld work woth your current drivetrain and a 19.18GI is really low. You sure it wouldnt be low enough for you?
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bay Area, Calif.
Posts: 7,239
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Your current low gear of 22" is already quite low. We don't know your fitness level, what grades you plan on climbing, or how much gear weight you're carrying. How have you determined that you need such a reduction in your lowest gear?
#8
Senior Member
you want to convert to 10-speed?
does that mean new deraillers and shifters and cassette and chain?
more cost effective to stick with 9-speed.
first off, how much gear do you carry, and
in what terrain? do you need super-low gears?
do you ever use the high end?
check your RD? what's the max cassette cog,
and the max capacity?
you might consider buying a new crank.....
assuming yours won't take wee, tiny rings
and the big ring isn't used often.
get a deore 22-30-40 or 22-32-44
*****
my latest 700c touring build has:
11-36 9-spd cassette (sunrace)
22-30-40 FC-M523 (deore) 10-spd hollowtech crank
RD-M591 deore 9-spd RD, plays well with the 36T cassette
FD-M610 deore FD.
that's a low of 17.5 and a high of 104
(26" wheels would give a sweeet 15.9!)
does that mean new deraillers and shifters and cassette and chain?
more cost effective to stick with 9-speed.
first off, how much gear do you carry, and
in what terrain? do you need super-low gears?
do you ever use the high end?
check your RD? what's the max cassette cog,
and the max capacity?
you might consider buying a new crank.....
assuming yours won't take wee, tiny rings
and the big ring isn't used often.
get a deore 22-30-40 or 22-32-44
*****
my latest 700c touring build has:
11-36 9-spd cassette (sunrace)
22-30-40 FC-M523 (deore) 10-spd hollowtech crank
RD-M591 deore 9-spd RD, plays well with the 36T cassette
FD-M610 deore FD.
that's a low of 17.5 and a high of 104
(26" wheels would give a sweeet 15.9!)
Last edited by saddlesores; 12-25-17 at 11:48 PM. Reason: those dang voices in muh haid!
#9
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1955 Post(s)
Liked 3,661 Times
in
1,679 Posts
i have 8 speed so ymmv but i find 12-34 with a 24 tooth granny to be plenty low. as mentioned before this gives about 19 inches for my granny.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Singapore
Posts: 470
Bikes: Voodoo Hoodoo, Linus Libertine
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 106 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
9 Posts
22-32-42 or 44 cranks. Just go as low as possible without going to rare parts.
Cassette depends on terrain but from my experience, get at least 32t. 28 is fine also for lighter load but with 32 you have more safety net.
Cassette depends on terrain but from my experience, get at least 32t. 28 is fine also for lighter load but with 32 you have more safety net.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Walyalup, Australia
Posts: 1,388
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Salsa Mukluk, Riese & Muller Supercharger GT Rohloff (Forthcoming)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 102 Post(s)
Liked 25 Times
in
21 Posts
My Surly Long Haul Trucker has a Shimano Deore XT CS-M770 9-speed 11-34 with a triple up front.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 793
Bikes: A few
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 122 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
42t cassettes are only designed for 1x systems, but a 40t cassette can be used for 2x systems.
My advise is throw on an 11-34 cassette, and leave it at that, because what you want is not possible.
If you really want to lower you granny gear, swap your 26t chainring for a 22t, you have a friction front sifter so it will work fine, just throw on a cheap chain keeper (dog tooth thingy) to stop the chain dropping off from the large chaingring drop, and don't do any extreme cross chaining.
#13
Banned
I toured blissfully with a 6 speed freewheel 13 to 34t, and a 50, 40, 24 triple crank & 700c ... 622-35 tires on the wheels..
sometimes , when it was steep, I got off and pushed..
sometimes , when it was steep, I got off and pushed..
#14
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1955 Post(s)
Liked 3,661 Times
in
1,679 Posts
#16
Crawler
#17
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,505
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4348 Post(s)
Liked 3,984 Times
in
2,661 Posts
My set up is as follows 3x9:
24/36/48t Crank
11-13-15-17-20-23-26-30-34 Cassette
I don't really use my 24t chainring that often but I like knowing it is there. It is useful for some hills especially loaded.
If I were going to something like 11-42 I would likely go to a double and probably do a compact road crank (50-34) or something similar in 11 speed. However I probably wouldn't go with a set up like that for fully loaded touring.
24/36/48t Crank
11-13-15-17-20-23-26-30-34 Cassette
I don't really use my 24t chainring that often but I like knowing it is there. It is useful for some hills especially loaded.
If I were going to something like 11-42 I would likely go to a double and probably do a compact road crank (50-34) or something similar in 11 speed. However I probably wouldn't go with a set up like that for fully loaded touring.
#18
deleteme
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: PNW lifer
Posts: 582
Bikes: deleteme
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 50 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
For off-tar riding running four bags with a fat slick tire 22x32(4) is about the max usable gearing. If the slope requires more or a knobbie I'm better off walking.
Where dinner plate rear granny gears work is high altitude asphalt riding or hardknot pass wales.
What do I use?
My four bag on/off road bike, 44x12 through 22x34.
The on road two bag commuter/touring, 48x13 though 24x28.
Where dinner plate rear granny gears work is high altitude asphalt riding or hardknot pass wales.
What do I use?
My four bag on/off road bike, 44x12 through 22x34.
The on road two bag commuter/touring, 48x13 though 24x28.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,199
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
You are trying to drop your lowest gear pretty low, but that will be a lot of parts. It would not cost much to swap out the front 26 for a 24. That would not drop your gearing as low as you want to go, but it would cost very little to make that change because all you need to do is put on a smaller chain ring.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: San Antonio TX
Posts: 799
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 152 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I got a lot of the "why do you need a gear that low?" responses when I went with a 44/32/20 chainring combo with a 9 speed 12-36 cassette in back. Fifteen gear inches Yo
Worked just fine
...and this on an '89 Voyageur with downtube friction shifters using the original (5 speed?) derailleurs.
IME there is typically such a wide range of gearing on any triple chainring set-up that you can afford to have a couple of uber low gears at the low end, even if you almost never use 'em. With gear and water it ain't unusual for my loaded bike to weigh 70lbs even before I get on, there are steep grades out there, and spinning up one at 4mph as opposed to 5mph can make a big difference to my legs and knees.
IMHO,
Mike
Worked just fine
...and this on an '89 Voyageur with downtube friction shifters using the original (5 speed?) derailleurs.
IME there is typically such a wide range of gearing on any triple chainring set-up that you can afford to have a couple of uber low gears at the low end, even if you almost never use 'em. With gear and water it ain't unusual for my loaded bike to weigh 70lbs even before I get on, there are steep grades out there, and spinning up one at 4mph as opposed to 5mph can make a big difference to my legs and knees.
IMHO,
Mike
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,150
Bikes: 2013 Surly Disc Trucker, 2004 Novara Randonee , old fixie , etc
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 671 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 49 Times
in
43 Posts
you want to convert to 10-speed?
does that mean new deraillers and shifters and cassette and chain?
more cost effective to stick with 9-speed.
you might consider buying a new crank.....
assuming yours won't take wee, tiny rings
and the big ring isn't used often.
get a deore 22-30-40 or 22-32-44
*****
my latest 700c touring build has:
11-36 9-spd cassette (sunrace)
22-30-40 FC-M523 (deore) 10-spd hollowtech crank
RD-M591 deore 9-spd RD, plays well with the 36T cassette
FD-M610 deore FD.
that's a low of 17.5 and a high of 104
(26" wheels would give a sweeet 15.9!)
does that mean new deraillers and shifters and cassette and chain?
more cost effective to stick with 9-speed.
you might consider buying a new crank.....
assuming yours won't take wee, tiny rings
and the big ring isn't used often.
get a deore 22-30-40 or 22-32-44
*****
my latest 700c touring build has:
11-36 9-spd cassette (sunrace)
22-30-40 FC-M523 (deore) 10-spd hollowtech crank
RD-M591 deore 9-spd RD, plays well with the 36T cassette
FD-M610 deore FD.
that's a low of 17.5 and a high of 104
(26" wheels would give a sweeet 15.9!)
#23
Senior Member
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,199
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
Impressive, I thought that my low gear of 16.5 gear inches on my Rohloff expedition bike was pretty low but yours is still lower.
#25
Miles to Go
After doing a lot of ring and cog switching on my previous bike, I came to the conclusion that I spend most of my time in the middle gears so there is where I wanted everything to work the best. What I am saying is that expanding your gear range will cause the middle of the range to suffer. 90% of my riding is between 8-12 MPH.
My suggestion is to go with a 34T cassette first. Try it fully loaded, then if you feel that it needs lower, go with a 24T ring. Your wallet will thank you for not changing to 10-speed.
My suggestion is to go with a 34T cassette first. Try it fully loaded, then if you feel that it needs lower, go with a 24T ring. Your wallet will thank you for not changing to 10-speed.