Cassette on new bikes.

[derrick]

For anyone that struggles or doesn't enjoy a hard climb I would always suggest something like 28/38/48 as the perfect chainset. Certainly worked well on my hybrid coupled to an 11-26 cassette, and I even enjoy hill climbing (probably because I try to choose gearing suitable for the Pennine hills?).

I would imagine you would have to have a really high cadence to get a good top end with that setup.

 

[Oldfentiger]

I would imagine you would have to have a really high cadence to get a good top end with that setup.

Around here, I’m more likely to be feathering the brakes on descents rather than pedalling. It’s either up or down with no flat between. For this reason I’m not bothered about having particularly high gears.

 

[rogerzilla]

Go and ride fixed for a year, then you'll be glad of 42 x 21!

I once hauled myself up to Princetown on 42 x 21 just to let rip down the Tavistock road. Got up to 56mph and caught a Land Rover so had to brake . I'd hoped for 72mph, which allegedly was the St Budeaux CC record.

 

[I like Skol]

I would imagine you would have to have a really high cadence to get a good top end with that setup.

Could hit 50mph quite regularly without trying too hard. I hit the real high speeds on my 50 or 52 chainring bikes, but maybe that's because they have drop handlebars and are more aero?

 

[Bazzer]

The Milk Race went up local climb 'Mytholm Steeps' once in the 1980s. I got chatting to a local cyclist who had been standing on the steepest section (see my photos below) and he said that spectators were having to catch the cyclists as they toppled sideways, their feet still strapped onto their pedals. They certainly weren't climbing well on their 21s - ha ha!

View attachment 451279

View attachment 451280

That second picture looks similar to the bottom of Shaw Wood Road. IIRC another lung burner

 

[ColinJ]

That second picture looks similar to the bottom of Shaw Wood Road. IIRC another lung burner

Oh, it's about 50% worse than that!

In fact, it would be interesting to compare them. I'll get into action with my mapping and graphics software ...

Hmm - there is something interesting going on which I hadn't noticed before... The elevation data on my OS maps seems to be offset laterally by a significant distance! The profiles are showing the steepest bits to be just before the ACTUAL steepest bits. I'll investigate that later, but this is roughly a comparison between Shaw Rd and Church Lane/Mytholm Steeps ...

Anyway ... neither would be fun on 42/21!

 

[Reynard]

11-30 with a 46 / 34 on mine. Fine for fen roads, but show me a hill and I'm ready to throw my bike into the hedge.

Impending new arrival has 11-34 with a 44 / 32 / 22 - far better for when I get madcap ideas involving bits of road that go up.

 

[derrick]

Go and ride fixed for a year, then you'll be glad of 42 x 21!

I once hauled myself up to Princetown on 42 x 21 just to let rip down the Tavistock road. Got up to 56mph and caught a Land Rover so had to brake . I'd hoped for 72mph, which allegedly was the St Budeaux CC record.

Have i got this right?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Why do they all come with 11x28 cassette? It is ok if you are a good climber or young or very fit or live in a flat area. In my case, 12x32 is a minimum as Wales is not flat, I am not young, a bad climber and not as fit as I would like to be. All my present bikes are 32 and one even 34 cassettes.

Ask for it to be fitted with a 12-32 cassette when you buy it. No extra cost usually.

 

[NorthernDave]

The Giant came with a slightly more hill friendly 11-32 and a 50/34 up front.

The Boardman Pro Carbon is a sportier set up with 11-28 and 52/36.
I've had that within a hairs breadth of 50mph on a couple of occasions. I'll get there one day...

 

[ColinJ]

For anyone that struggles or doesn't enjoy a hard climb I would always suggest something like 28/38/48 as the perfect chainset. Certainly worked well on my hybrid coupled to an 11-26 cassette, and I even enjoy hill climbing (probably because I try to choose gearing suitable for the Pennine hills?).

I changed my CAAD 5 from a 53/39, 13-29 to a 48/36/28, 12-30 which is a LOT nicer on the kind of vicious hills I mentioned earlier.

 

[tyred]

I'm old enough to remember when most bikes came with 14-24 five speeds block, usually paired with a 52-42 up front.

I have one such steed sitting in my hallway. I intend to ride it this summer once I've given it some TLC.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm old enough to remember when most bikes came with 14-24 five speeds block, usually paired with a 52-42 up front.

My drop-bar Dawes has 52/42 and a 14-24 freewheel, although it has the luxury of six speeds on the back not five. It's not even that ancient either, only mid-late 1980's! The gearing is a bit too "manly" though, I'm going to be a wimp and fit a 14-28 one.

 

[the_mikey]

Why do they all come with 11x28 cassette? It is ok if you are a good climber or young or very fit or live in a flat area. In my case, 12x32 is a minimum as Wales is not flat, I am not young, a bad climber and not as fit as I would like to be. All my present bikes are 32 and one even 34 cassettes.

I remember a time no so long ago when 11-25 was the default...

 

[DCBassman]

When I first got the Scott, it had 12-25 8-speed on the rear and 52-42-30 up front. Still has the same chainset, but 11-34 on the back. But the one that gets me up hills is the old Trek 800, with 48-38-28 and the same 11-34 cassette. Despite it being 10lb heavier.