iflyskyhigh

I posted this in the Clydesdale section, but then I thought if a person wasn't a bigger rider they might not visit that section and I might be missing out on some valuable input.

Decided to upgrade my 2001 Record 10 to the new Chorus 12 speed

I'm a big guy. I am fit, but never the less, you can't defy physics. I'm 6-4 high 220's.

I live and ride in the Phoenix, AZ metro area. It's a valley so you are always going uphill at least one way. Once you get out of the valley a little there are some good inclines, but I'm might ride into the mountains once in a blue moon.

I'm pushing a 50/34 now with either a 12/25 or 13/26 and 99.9% of the time have no problem turning the peddles over. There a couple inclines around here where I really have to dig, but they are the exception not the rule.

So with all that being said, before I go and order...Campy is offering a compact 50/34 or a sub compact 48/32. With a cassette option of 11-29, 11-32, 11-34.

I've looked at the gear inches calculator, but I'm having interpreting what it means to be in the real world performance?

I'm leaning towards the 50/34 with an 11-32 cassette. But do I even really need an 11-32 cassette? Do I opt of 11-29 with smaller jumps?

Or do I go 48/32 with the 11/29? Would that give the best of both?

Thoughts?

Sorry for the repeat. I can delete one post or the other depending upon which place is the best for the question to be posed.

TiHabanero

I, too, am a clyde at 235lbs. Just put Record/Chorus 11 speed on my daily rider and went from 39/53 + 14-28 to 39/50 + 11-32 cassette and find the lower gearing is welcomed, and the higher gearing not needed, but the stuff in between is perfect. I say go with the 34/50 + 11-29 cassette. Won't be much different than your current gearing and will grant you just one more lower gear for those tough spots.

iflyskyhigh

Thats good info. Thank you very much!

how do you “likel” a post btw. I can’t figure it out.

TiHabanero

Never used the "Like" button, but I suppose one click on it in the lower right of a post should do it. Testing now. Yep, that worked. I just "Liked" your post.

iflyskyhigh

I know I’m not crazy...that like button was not there yesterday....I swear!

Homebrew01

On the toughest hills, do you feel as though you need 1 lower gear, or 2 lower gears ? Maybe be better to get slightly lower than what you think you'll need.
Cassettes wear out, so you can always get a different one next time.

eja_ bottecchia

50-34 up front and 11-32 in the rear.

YMMV

iflyskyhigh

There are only a couple hills around here that are tough to get up and they are relatively short climbs.

Most everything around here is long gradual climbs. Like I said, it's not hard to ride uphill for hours on end if you want.

I have a 12-25 and 13-26 10 speed now which pretty much get the job done.

And since the Chorus 12 speed cassette is an 11-29 that already gives me a a couple more teeth than I have now. The other two options are the 11-32 and the 11-34, which seem a little much for around here.

iflyskyhigh

That was my original inclination, but then I though the 11-29 would give me closer spacing between cogs and still get the job done.

I'm open to it, but just wondering why you feel the 11-32 would be a better option over the 11-29?

Thanks to everyone for all the input

eja_ bottecchia

For me, I do a lot of relatively short but steep climbs. My LBS mechanic recommended a Campy medium cage and a 11-32 cassette for the C60. I love having the 32 cog when I climb. By comparison I have an 11-29 cassette in the C59 and it makes climbing the same hills a bit tougher.

There are bike gear apps where you can compare the effects of different gear combinations.

Good luck.

iflyskyhigh

That's good info. Thank you. Seems like maybe we ride a lot of the same type of situations.

So you don't find the couple extra cog jump in the back of the 11-32 to "feel" much different than the jumps on the 11-29?

Here are the ratios on Chorus 12 speed.

11-29: 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-26-29
11-32: 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-22-25-28-32
11-34: 11-12-13-14-15-16-17-19-22-25-29-34

rosefarts

I ride 50/34 x 12-30 on a 10 speed set up. I find it pretty adequate in Colorado. The gaps between gears isn't really noticable. I do have a 12-25 on my heavy wheels I ride on flat days though.

Only occasionally do I wish I had a little lower gear up and a little higher down.

For my area and desire to ride up mountains, I'd stay 50/34 and go 11-32 if I were to go to 12sp.

Two caveats to this. I don't ride my bike loaded. 2 bottles and a seat bag max. A touring set up might need lower gears. The other is that I weigh 140.

eja_ bottecchia

To be honest, The only difference that I have experienced between the 11-29 and the 11-32 is when I run out of gears in the steepest parts of my normal climbs.

I practice climbing while sitting on the saddle, for some reason that makes me feel stronger. But when I use the 11-29 I find myself climbing out of the saddle.

The spacing has never been an issue for me.

iflyskyhigh

11-32 it is then.

I'm a big guy, so it's much more efficient for me to climb siting than standing.

iflyskyhigh

I'm 225, so I have a couple pounds on ya.

Seems like the 11-32 is the way to go so I that's what I'm gonna try first.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It really helped.

Sy Reene

so.. it's only a difference (11/29 vs 11/32) at lower end, One finishes with a 2-2-3-3 gap, the other with a 3-3-3-4. And hey, you never know.. maybe someday you'll ride somewhere else?

Surprised they haven't put out any 12-xx cassettes for the 12speeds.

iflyskyhigh

Agreed. I ordered the 50/34 and 11/32 yesterday. Excited to get it on the bike.