# 22/32/44 Chainset - Thinking of going from 11-34 to 11-32 cassette - advice?



## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

Hi - I have a Hewtt Cheviot SE touring bike and as am having to rebuild the rear wheel anyway, as the hub needs repairing and the rims are worn out and the cassette is looking fairly worn after almost 5 years of (ab)use.

I currently have an 11-34 Shimano LX Cassette and am thinking of upgrading slightly to an XT cassette, but am not sure whether to go for 11-34 again, or to the more closely spaced 11-32. My chainset is 22/32/44, and with the 22 ring, I find I never really need to use the 34 rear sprocket and was thinking maybe it would be better to go for an 11-32 cassette for a smoother progression through the gears. My typical cycling, both commuting and touring, does usually involve reasonably steep hills, but I have no intention of touring in the Alps or similar!

Do you think with a medium-weight touring load (bar bag, lightweight Hilldeberg tent, 2 rear panniers, and me at 11 stone) the 11-32 cassette would be a better option this time around?

According to Sheldon Brown's Gear Range Calculator:
11-34 gives me a range of 17.5 inches to 108 inches
11-32 would give me a range of 18.6 inches to 108 inches

Would there be any other issues in changing the cassette range? I have a long Shimano XT rear derailleur, if it makes any difference.

I will be using 700c wheels with 32mm tyres and 170mm cranks.

Thanks


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

Also is there any point in upgrading all the way to an XTR cassette or will XT be more durable (and much cheaper!)?


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

Anyone? Am veering towards 11-32, unless there are issues with this...


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## ColinJ (29 Jul 2013)

Is it 10-speed?


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## Rickshaw Phil (29 Jul 2013)

Looking at it I can't see that there would be any issues. Gearing will be raised by a couple of gear inches across the low to mid part of the cassette, which will probably give the bike a more lively feel when not loaded.

I see no reason not to go for it.


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

ColinJ said:


> Is it 10-speed?


 
9 speed Shimano XT (it's a mountain bike gearset on a touring frame with Campag shifters, "Shimergo" style...)


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## lulubel (29 Jul 2013)

Why are you even upgrading to an XT cassette? As far as I know, the only benefit of upgrading the cassette is weight reduction, and that isn't going to make any difference when touring. Personally, I try to keep the "consumables" as cheap as possible, and spend my money on things that will make a noticeable difference, like the rear derailleur and shifters.

As far as the range is concerned, I would never give up my low gears, but if you're not using it and don't think you ever will, I don't see a problem with it.


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## frank9755 (29 Jul 2013)

11-32 or 11-34 will make bugger all difference to how the bike feels!

And there's certainly no need to get an expensive groupset unless you either plan on racing or the money is no object and owning it will give you pleasure!


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

lulubel said:


> Why are you even upgrading to an XT cassette? As far as I know, the only benefit of upgrading the cassette is weight reduction, and that isn't going to make any difference when touring. Personally, I try to keep the "consumables" as cheap as possible, and spend my money on things that will make a noticeable difference, like the rear derailleur and shifters.


 
I've read elsewhere that the XT cassette is harder wearing and the price difference is not much, it's not like I'm going to XTR..



lulubel said:


> As far as the range is concerned, I would never give up my low gears, but if you're not using it and don't think you ever will, I don't see a problem with it.


 
When not touring with the 11-34 cassette I can only think of a couple of time I've even needed to use the small chain set ring on the front, and never with the largest sprocket on the back. Loaded touring I do use the small chain set ring a little, but even then I don't think I've barely ever needed to use it with the largest sprocket at the back, so it feels like I'm "wasting" the extra gear range at the expense of a less smooth gear progression


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## ColinJ (29 Jul 2013)

lulubel said:


> Why are you even upgrading to an XT cassette? As far as I know, the only benefit of upgrading the cassette is weight reduction, and that isn't going to make any difference when touring. Personally, I try to keep the "consumables" as cheap as possible, and spend my money on things that will make a noticeable difference, like the rear derailleur and shifters.
> 
> As far as the range is concerned, I would never give up my low gears, but if you're not using it and don't think you ever will, I don't see a problem with it.


I was going to say the same thing. I used to buy LX or Deore cassettes because I wasn't bothered about a few grams here or there when I was nearly 30 kg overweight!

I was looking to see if I could find a cassette with a 12 top gear rather than an 11 because I don't see the need for such a high gear on a touring bike. I would definitely try and find a cassette with a narrower range.

What is the lowest gear that you think you actually need, oxford_guy?

I'd be tempted to go for a much nicer 12-27.


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

ColinJ said:


> I was going to say the same thing. I used to buy LX or Deore cassettes because I wasn't bothered about a few grams here or there when I was nearly 30 kg overweight!
> 
> I was looking to see if I could find a cassette with a 12 top gear rather than an 11 because I don't see the need for such a high gear on a touring bike.


 
I use the biggest front chain ring (44)/smallest rear sprocket (11) combination all the time going to work down a long hill, have even felt could do with a higher top gear sometimes!



ColinJ said:


> I would definitely try and find a cassette with a narrower range.


 
Well 11-32 is slightly narrower at least...



> What is the lowest gear that you think you actually need, oxford_guy?
> 
> I'd be tempted to go for a much nicer 12-27.


 
Am not sure what the lowest gear I need is, but I still want to be able to get up hills fully-loaded when touring, so don't want to go too high


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

BTW a Shimano 9-speed XT cassette is £41.49 on Wiggle currently, so it's not going to break the bank... Unlike the XTR, gulp!


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## ColinJ (29 Jul 2013)

I did two 140 mile rides each with 13,000 ft of climbing. I had a couple of small panniers on my bike. I weighed just over 14 stone at the time and had a bottom gear of 30/28 so I reckon you would be okay with a 22/27 bottom gear, given that you only weigh 11 stone and you are not intending to do huge mountains. 

You could buy a 12-27 Tiagra cassette for only £15.99 from Chain Reaction Cycles and see how you got on with it. It would be much nicer for your day to day riding, and you could always swap to a lower-geared cassette for touring if you needed to.


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

I think I'm likely to go for 11-32 and be done with it, although if I ever change the front chainset (e.g. to 48/36/26) I may change my mind...

BTW I found this page very useful about gearing for touring bikes


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## oxford_guy (29 Jul 2013)

BTW the gearing for the 11-32 vs. the 11-34 works out like this:

*11-32* 11-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32
*11-34* 11-13-15-17-20-23-26-30-34

So some smaller jumps in a couple places 11-12 vs 11-13 and 16-18 vs 17-20, but still big jumps at the low end

BTW Bear in mind I have a pretty low geared "expedition triple" (22/32/44)


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## Bodhbh (29 Jul 2013)

I can't see it will make much difference tbh. And with a touring load half the time (in the UK) I find myself double or triple shifting everytime the gradient changes half a degree anyhow  And it is a consumable that'll get chewed thru soon enough - why not at least wear out the current one? (well, unless you just want to put theory to the test, which is fair enough).


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## I like Skol (30 Jul 2013)

My hybrid runs 26/36/48 and an 11-26t cassette and I can't remember the last time I switched to the 26t granny ring other than by accident. Are you sure you really need a 34 or 32 tooth sprocket with a 22 tooth chainring? I bet if you actually looked at the gears you use you will find the 22/34 combination just isn't there.

I also recommend not wasting your money on the XT cassette. For 9 speed I have been very pleased with the mileage I am getting from Sram PG950 cassettes. In fact I ordered one today FROM CHAINREACTION just for stock as the same cassette does my hybrid and my road bike and they are at a really good price at the moment.

Fitting an 11-26 cassette was one of the first jobs I did when I got the hybrid as I knew I just wasn't going to need the 11-32 it came with (that went straight on ebay)


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## Sterba (30 Jul 2013)

Get the 11 - 32. If ever you had to use it, somebody walking their bike up the hill would overtake you.


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## oxford_guy (30 Jul 2013)

I still think the 11-32 one still looks like the best compromise, think will still manage the hill I have to cycle up home on from my commute every day without having to drop to the smallest chain set ring, whilst still have a good low gear available for climbing that and worse hills when with a full camping load. As for going for the XT version - this is the first time I've had to replace the cassette in almost 5 years on a touring bike that cost over £1,300, so for less than £10/year, it hardly seems like a big expense for a nice cassette.


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## oxford_guy (30 Jul 2013)

BTW if I do find the 11-32 still too low, I could always swap to a 48/36/26 chainset (from 44/32/22) when that eventually wears out (though it still looks like there's quite a bit of life in that) - this would give be a range of 118 to 21.9 inches, according to this website, but I'll see how I get one with my current chainset and the 11-32 cassette on a week long tour I'm doing in a fairly highly part of the Czech Republic at the end of August...


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## GrumpyGregry (30 Jul 2013)

My 2p.

Stick with what you've got.
&
don't bother with going for XT over LX unless you're getting a NOS bargain. You won't notice the difference when touring.


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## jjb (30 Jul 2013)

I vote for the 32 or smaller (1:1 gearing was fine for the alps, for me, with camping gear). And I vote for aspiring toward a lighter touring bike as it's nice when touring uphill. You know what your own spending priorities are; don't go crazy.


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## andrew_s (31 Jul 2013)

Go ahead and get the 11-32. I don't suppose you'll notice much difference, but there's no problem at all with swapping cassettes.



Sterba said:


> Get the 11 - 32. If ever you had to use it, somebody walking their bike up the hill would overtake you.


People say that, but mostly they are comparing walking with no bike on the flat with riding up a steep hill. No matter how slow you ride, it's still quicker than pushing a bike up the same hill, especially if the bike's got full panniers on it.


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## ColinJ (31 Jul 2013)

andrew_s said:


> People say that, but mostly they are comparing walking with no bike on the flat with riding up a steep hill. No matter how slow you ride, it's still quicker than pushing a bike up the same hill, especially if the bike's got full panniers on it.


I agree. I hate walking with my road bike. I accept that there are places that I have to push or even carry my MTB because I like to do some serious offroad on it, but I try to ride up all roads no matter how steep. I get up anything up to about 20% and used to manage 25+%, but struggled with those severe gradients once I got very fat.


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## Ticktockmy (31 Jul 2013)

When I am touring, I tend to get off and walk the bike if my speed drops below 5MPH going uphill, after all if you are touring speed and being quicker does not come into it, well not for me. As to Cassette once touring fully loaded 11-32 or 11-34 will not make much difference. My concern regarding anything to do with the drive system is will it last a reasonable distance. Over the years i have used many makes of chain and cassette, and have not found much difference between them for durability.


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## I like Skol (31 Jul 2013)

My thoughts are that you shouldn't set the bike up for that once in a blue moon time when you do actually want to climb the side of the Alps. If you do, you end up compromising the bikes function for the other 99.99% of the time you are riding it.


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## Bodhbh (31 Jul 2013)

andrew_s said:


> People say that, but mostly they are comparing walking with no bike on the flat with riding up a steep hill. No matter how slow you ride, it's still quicker than pushing a bike up the same hill, especially if the bike's got full panniers on it.


 
I think last I pushed it was about 2 - 2.5mph, riding the same gradient was 3.5mph (with a MTB drivetrain). That and using a bunch of muscles that normally never get used, it soon gets tiresome pushing a loaded bike uphill. As usual, each too his own, somepeople like the change.


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## andym (31 Jul 2013)

andrew_s said:


> Go ahead and get the 11-32. I don't suppose you'll notice much difference, but there's no problem at all with swapping cassettes.
> 
> 
> People say that, but mostly they are comparing walking with no bike on the flat with riding up a steep hill. No matter how slow you ride, it's still quicker than pushing a bike up the same hill, especially if the bike's got full panniers on it.



+1 on that. It's one of those myths that keeps getting recycled - the variant is that you have to pedal really fast to avoid falling over. Personally I think they say it because someone else said it.


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## Amanda P (31 Jul 2013)

Either one. We're splitting hairs here; you won't notice the difference.


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## oxford_guy (31 Jul 2013)

Have ordered the 11-32 one, expect difference will be very minor, but possibly helpful when not loaded touring


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