# 11-32 or 11-28 cassette - what noticeable difference is there?



## RegG (29 Jul 2016)

My daughter is looking for a new bike. She currently has an 11-32 cassette mated to a 34-50 chainring which she gets on well with in the area she lives in Yorkshire, with a fair few hills around. 

She says a lot of the new bikes she is looking at have 11-28 cassettes and has asked what difference it would make to go with one of these.

I realise it is possible to put an 11-32 cassette on but this may also necessitate a medium cage rear derailleur and possibly a new chain.

That aside, can any of you give your thoughts on any noticeable difference between the two cassettes particularly when it comes to hills.

Thanks.


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## T4tomo (29 Jul 2016)

Quite a big difference, if she regularly uses the 32, then going back to a 28 will feel tough. I notice a big difference moving from 11-25 to 11-28.


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## gavroche (29 Jul 2016)

11-32 anytime, much easier on hills.


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## steve50 (29 Jul 2016)

gavroche said:


> 11-32 anytime, much easier on hills.



100% agree with this, I changed my cassette from 11-28 to 11-32 it has made a world of difference when hill climbing. It was also a straight swap over, no changing chain or rear mech. as long as she doesn't go big to big it will be fine.


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## Sharky (29 Jul 2016)

Just as important as considering the lowest gear is to work out which gear your daughter prefers for normal "flat" riding. An 11-32 cassette must have sacrificed one of the mid cogs, which might leave a wider gap at the point where most of the riding is done.


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## Joffey (29 Jul 2016)

I use a 11-32 and you can really tell when switching to a 28.

As long as she doesn't ride big ring when using the 32 cog there would be no need to change to med cage or lengthen chain, i have been running that set up for a year now with no problems.

I take it she's riding a 50-34 on the front?


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## T4tomo (29 Jul 2016)

User said:


> A good point, which brings me on to the 11 tooth cog. Does she need it or use it? If not, it is just giving a gap somewhere else.


Agree but whilst easy to get a 12-25, the wide range stuff always seems to start at 11. I'd prefer a 12-28 to 11-28 but getting on in stock at decent price is often hens teeth territory. 
Caveat in 11 SPD guise, 10 SPD an less a bit easier.


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## Dogtrousers (29 Jul 2016)

As noted above its VERY noticeable. (by me anyway)

IMO a lot of new bikes are over-geared which is why we have so many threads discussing gear-lowering options, derailleur capacity and so on.

Only recently I installed a 32T cassette on a friend's bike for that very reason.


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## doog (29 Jul 2016)

OP an 11-30 might suffice without have to worry over the derailleur , chain length etc...B screw adjustment only.....I'm an old bugger and get up most things on an 11-30.


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## Banjo (29 Jul 2016)

I don't buy this "if she doesn't use big/big combination it will be fine".

Either you can use all the combinations or you need a new mech and chain.
Eventually she will accidently go big/big probably in the dark when tired ,the stress of too short a chain could even snap the frame.

PS you may not need a new mech .


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## steve50 (29 Jul 2016)

Banjo said:


> I don't buy this "if she doesn't use big/big combination it will be fine".
> 
> Either you can use all the combinations or you need a new mech and chain.
> Eventually she will accidently go big/big probably in the dark when tired ,the stress of too short a chain could even snap the frame.
> ...


You should never go big to big on multi geared bikes, its whats known as cross chaining and could pull the rear mech into the rear wheel hence the advice of not going big big.


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## Dogtrousers (29 Jul 2016)

steve50 said:


> You should never go big to big on multi geared bikes, its whats known as cross chaining _*and could pull the rear mech into the rear wheel*_ hence the advice of not going big big.


Going OT I know, but that's just not true (unless you have your limit screws wrong). Modern road transmissions are designed and advertised as having _all gears usable._ (SRAM are, at least) It's not an ideal way to ride but it's not the ruinous practice that some people think. Worst that will happen is you get extra component wear if you do it a lot. 

Anyway, I agree with @Banjo any set-up that you could accidentally break by going into big-big either because the chain is too short or the mech has insufficient capacity is just downright dangerous. Some competitive MTB-ers do ride with short chains where this would happen, but they know the risks.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (29 Jul 2016)

steve50 said:


> You should never go big to big on multi geared bikes, its whats known as cross chaining and could pull the rear mech into the rear wheel hence the advice of not going big big.


SRAM 22 groupsets are very much 22 usable ratios. If they say it's nonsense enough to release a groupset capable of it, I'm happy with that


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## Banjo (29 Jul 2016)

I wasnt having a dig at anyone over the big/big thing.

Some people may be alert enough to never end up cross chaining but I know I have done it occassionally usually in the dark when tired.

Hence my feeling that the chain and mech need to be able to take the odd cock up.


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## Aravis (29 Jul 2016)

The answer to the OP's question may be different depending to how many cogs she has in her cassette.

A typical 9-speed 11-32 cassette will probably have 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32 cogs, giving sensible gaps throughout the range. If you lose the 32, you have little alternative other than to insert a 12, which is very unlikely to be worth doing at the expense of the 32.

An 8-speed cassette is likely to have 11-13-15-17-20-24-28-32, again giving sensible spacing throughout, but this time losing the 32 would allow you to have 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28. This narrows the gaps in the midrange and delivers a significant benefit which may be of greater value than retaining the 32.

On the cross-chaining thing, I'm an arch-traditionalist. I have a triple on the front and 8-speed on the back; I tend to stick rigidly to the outer 4 cogs with the big ring, middle 4 with the middle ring and the inner 4 with the small ring. This gives me 12 usable gears which progress evenly throughout, and if I were to use any of the more eccentric options I would be duplicating. That doesn't mean I don't frequently get it wrong.


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## Dogtrousers (30 Jul 2016)

Maybe she should just look at different bikes. When I was in the market for a new bike, my _starting point_ was my gear-inch spreadsheet. I did some experimenting with ratios on hills and had a think beforehand so I knew what I wanted. Anything that didn't deliver my required bottom gear as standard didn't get looked at any further. I certainly didn't want to buy a new bike only to have to take it to bits and start tinkering with it immediately.


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## SpokeyDokey (30 Jul 2016)

AFAIK Giant & Specialised stores will sort things like cassettes out within the usual price.

Giant I base on experience and Specialised I think I read in the fine detail of their website blurb a while back.


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## betty swollocks (30 Jul 2016)

gear inch table


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## Ajax Bay (30 Jul 2016)

RegG said:


> [She[ currently has an 11-32 cassette mated to a 34-50 chainring which she gets on well with in the area she lives in Yorkshire, with a fair few hills around. . . .a lot of the new bikes she is looking at have 11-28 cassettes and has asked what difference it would make


Disadvantage is that when climbing the steepest hills she will have a gear which is 12.5% harder.
Advantage is that the sprockets are closer together with less gaps for cycling on the flat.
Most unlikely the 11t sprocket is useful so 12-28 is better.
Have a play with this gear calculator.


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## Kajjal (30 Jul 2016)

Just be realistic about the range of gears she uses. 11-32, 11speed works well for me. The 32 means on a bad day on steep hills i am fine. The 11 means plenty of speed if needed.


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## Dogtrousers (30 Jul 2016)

I find I use the whole range of my block 11-32. If its there I use it. I could live without the 11 but it's good for blasting along dual carriageways, hoping not to die. Lose the 32? Never. Big hills, medium hills, good days, bad days, low speed manoeuvres. I wouldn't consider a bike without it. 

But I'm not the OP's daughter!


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## si_c (30 Jul 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Lose the 32? Never. Big hills, medium hills, good days, bad days, low speed manoeuvres. I wouldn't consider a bike without it.



I'm largely in agreement, until relatively recently I was using a 52/42 with a 30t large on the back, having swapped first the cranks for 50/34 and now a 32t largest on the back, I've found myself eyeing up 36t MTB cassettes to put on. I can always pedal faster, but I don't think I can go too low.

Edit: I've been putting together a touring bike lately, it's an old 1972 pug, one of my criteria has been a triple on the front with a small sprocket around 24t -28t, and a 28t/32t large on the 6 speed freewheel at the back. 20 gear inches sounds about right to me.


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## kiriyama (30 Jul 2016)

Also take into consideration her fitness and riding style... If she does a lot of hills and likes to spin with her current 11-32 an 11-28 might feel a lot tougher.... unless like me she prefers grinding out of the saddle in which case an 11-28 will be fine if she's a strong rider!


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## gavroche (30 Jul 2016)

The granny gears on my bikes are as follows:
Giant Defy 4: 34/32
Specialized Allez: 30/30
Cube Peloton: 30/32.
So you can guess that the Cube is my favourite bike when tackling hills.
Those two extra teeth really make a difference.


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## bondirob (30 Jul 2016)

The best climber I know rides a 50/34 with a 11/32 on the back.
I'm nowhere near his standard hence why I'm looking at a 36 or more on the back


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## RegG (31 Jul 2016)

Many, many thanks for all the replies and advice..... It was as I suspected overall in that the 11-32 is the set-up to go for and is what she currently uses albeit on an 18 speed Sora.


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## Vantage (31 Jul 2016)

I went for a megarange cassette with 11-34T from the fitted 11-32T because of overgearing. There's a mahoosive jump from the 28 to the 34 but that final gear has saved me crawling up some hills.
As for big ring and big ring, I've done it myself and been in that ratio for several miles without noticing due to being knackered because of those hills. Can't say I've ever heard of it snapping a frame, but it doesn't half mangle the teeth and chain.


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## Nigelnaturist (31 Jul 2016)

T4tomo said:


> Agree but whilst easy to get a 12-25, the wide range stuff always seems to start at 11. I'd prefer a 12-28 to 11-28 but getting on in stock at decent price is often hens teeth territory.
> Caveat in 11 SPD guise, 10 SPD an less a bit easier.


Easy answer (depending on cassette) I know 105 10sp have the three low gears on a spider but the rest are individual cogs so make up your own ratios starting with a 12th, 9sp and lower are held together with either rivets (Shimano) or bolts (Sram) these can be removed and the cogs used in whatever ratio you want.


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## Vantage (1 Aug 2016)

Just be sure to replace the rivet/bolt when done. They help to spread the load from an individual cog among the other cogs. A single cog being so thin and having enough force on it can chew up the freehub body.


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## Ajax Bay (4 Aug 2016)

Vantage said:


> single cog being so thin and having enough force on it can chew up the freehub body.


Is this true? @User how many steel freehubs are around nowadays? What about the smallest 3 or 4 sprockets which are often separate? What about Campagnolo cassette sprockets? I thought the pins were merely there to keep the sprockets together for ease of fitting and to allow some weight saving in the larger ones.


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## Nigelnaturist (5 Aug 2016)

Vantage said:


> Just be sure to replace the rivet/bolt when done. They help to spread the load from an individual cog among the other cogs. A single cog being so thin and having enough force on it can chew up the freehub body.


Never did in over 12,000 miles. I wear wheel rims out quicker than freehubs.


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## Louch (5 Aug 2016)

I went from a 32 to a 28 this year. Find it a lot harder climbing on the 28. I'm usually faster, but it takes a lot more from me. When it ones time to replace derailleur I will swap to 32 again. Using shimano ultegra and im over 200 lbs


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## Dec66 (5 Aug 2016)

I pootle about on a triple; 50/39/30 front, and originally 12/25 rear (8 speed). I could get up pretty much anything with that, but up the 1 in 4's and 1 in 5's I'd be stood up on the pedals.

I now have another triple; same at the front but 12/32 at the back. This would allow me to spin up a cliff face, pretty much. But, do you know what? I hate spinning. Doing 90rpm for 6mph road speed is rather disheartening to me. Plus, if I remain seated on the steepest hills I feel like I'll fall backward. Thus, I'd rather keep the bike in a higher gear and stand up.

I guess the point of my ramble is; horses for courses really. If you like spinning, get a big rear sprocket. If you prefer to stand, get a smaller rear sprocket and closer ratios. 

Incidentally, the 12/25 on the original is now an 11/28, which makes it markedly faster downhill whilst easing a bit of the pain on the big slopes, at the slight cost to acceleration (but at my age I don't so much accelerate as gather momentum, so it doesn't really matter).


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## Racing roadkill (6 Aug 2016)

The biggest difference is that an 11-32 cassette is for a mountain bike, the 11-28 is for a road bike.


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## Nigelnaturist (6 Aug 2016)

Racing roadkill said:


> The biggest difference is that an 11-32 cassette is for a mountain bike, the 11-28 is for a road bike.


CS 6800 11-32 Ultegra is hardly a mountain bike cassette.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (6 Aug 2016)

Nigelnaturist said:


> CS 6800 11-32 Ultegra is hardly a mountain bike cassette.


I think it was an attempt at humour from a guy who isn't remotely funny


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## double_dd (8 Aug 2016)

I spin way too much on a 32. 28 for me.


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## TheJDog (9 Aug 2016)

Vantage said:


> Just be sure to replace the rivet/bolt when done. They help to spread the load from an individual cog among the other cogs. A single cog being so thin and having enough force on it can chew up the freehub body.



And don't forget to tighten your lockring to spec, my hub is knackered because I didn't tighten it enough


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## Nibor (9 Aug 2016)

I run a 34 on mine and I have a triple


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## Ajax Bay (9 Aug 2016)

RegG said:


> My daughter . . . currently has an 11-32 cassette mated to a 34-50 chainring which she gets on well with in the area she lives in Yorkshire, with a fair few hills around. . . . looking at . . 11-28 cassettes and has asked what difference [is]





Nibor said:


> I run a 34 on mine and I have a triple


What's your point, Robin? Perhaps the OP's daughter has a higher power to weight ratio than you? Maybe she'd appreciate usable gear ratios rather closer together than your 11-34 offers.


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## Dogtrousers (9 Aug 2016)

Ajax Bay said:


> What's your point, Robin? Perhaps the OP's daughter has a higher power to weight ratio than you? Maybe she'd appreciate usable gear ratios rather closer together than your 11-34 offers.



Well, herein lies the problem. We don't know what the OP's daughter actually needs/wants.

We do know that she'd lose a noticeably big chunk off her bottom gear if she switched from 11-32 to 11-28. _But we don't know if she'd care._ 

We do know that she'd get closer ratios than she's currently used to if she switched from 11-32 to 11-28. _Again we don't know if she'd care._ 

Personally I would and wouldn't care, respectively. And guess what? I run an 11-32.


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## Nibor (9 Aug 2016)

Ajax Bay said:


> What's your point, Robin? Perhaps the OP's daughter has a higher power to weight ratio than you? Maybe she'd appreciate usable gear ratios rather closer together than your 11-34 offers.


I didn't have a point I didn't realise it was compulsory.
I should imagine the ops daughter definitely has a higher power to weight ratio than me.
I imagine it would be a good idea to see how she manages on a 11-28 and swap it out if it is an issue.


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## Dogtrousers (9 Aug 2016)

User said:


> Hence post 2


Clever clogs


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## SpokeyDokey (9 Aug 2016)

double_dd said:


> I spin way too much on a 32. 28 for me.



Find some proper hills then.


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## Postmanhat (10 Aug 2016)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Find some proper hills then.



Agreed! Went from a 32 to a 30 recently and that's pushing it at times. Might as well book the hernia op now trying the local ones on a 28


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## double_dd (11 Aug 2016)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Find some proper hills then.



Ha touché. 

In all fairness it's a little hard to advise on gearing without knowing OP fitness level, type of hills etc.

What works for one won't always work for another.


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## Ajax Bay (15 Aug 2016)

User said:


> without any regard for the numbers at the front


OP:


RegG said:


> She currently has an 11-32 cassette mated to a 34-50 chainring which she gets on well with


Let's assume 700c with a compact (but I agree your post #2)


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