So why didn't you go ten speed then? 8 to 9 maybe different but I ride a 7 speed double and a 9 speed triple and can find the right gears for feeling comfortable on both. Also the second Cassette looks loads more versatile anyway even if you took out one sprocket like the 16.
I am much the same Dragon and Mo. Only saw the real difference when I swapped from 11-27 to 11-30 and then 11-34 rear cassette. Much more comfortable ride now and can get up hills which I usually struggled up. Also don't have to change onto small ring on gentle climbs now as middle will do me.
Cost, I am very poor, and not sure I can split 10sp cassettes the same way I do 7/8/9 sp ones. i picked up a set of Sora 3400 shifters for £50, a 9 speed chain £15 and a cassette £11, its took me along time working out what the right gears are for me, you quote me your rear ratios but without knowing what the front is for either it means nothing, it is very unlike I will push a 52x11 on anything but down hill even a 52x12 would be difficult, so my highest gear is a 52x13 105", i have changed my middle ring from 42 to 40 to enable better spinning and to have a closer grouping, it has meant it has however had two detrimental effects one my 40x13 sometimes is not high enough, not a major problem as 52x17 is about the same gear, the other being as the middle ring is no long ramped shifting from the 30th to the 40th is a little more difficult again not a major problem as as this only happens after climbs, the 19-21-24-27 isnt such a bad range though the jumps are a little on the large size, where you are you might need the lower range of gears, I dont for the most part, what I do have to contend with are winds off the north sea, and trust me a 10mph nor nor/east is wicked,
My ideal set up currently would be a 52/40 posilble41/30 with a 13/14/15/16/17/18/20/22/25/28, if I climb anything that needs less than that I would just stick on a lower set of ratios and suffer the larger jumps, and if you can find a better set up of gears on any road bike, for gear choice and range please do let me know, as things are going an 11 rear will be common soon because of manufactures policy, but at these tolerances, its going to be difficult for the home mechanic to make many choices for themselves, the biggest difference between a triple and a compact for range is the number of gears a compact rear has to go to get to the same gear range, the greater the range the more the equipment has to work within certain tolerances, hence the high price of modern equipment, and does it last as long, well lets see if this 105RD lasts as long as a Sora RD3300 thats worked outside its tolerances for so long.,
I can see where improvements have been made the pivots where they may wear are now inside the outer casing, the rest hasn't changed much, except it doesn't sit as close to my rear cogs, is this an off set to compensate to have the ability to use lower gears, if i want to use really low gears just put a MTB RD on they work just the same.
To add to this a lot of my gear changes are so subtle you hardly notice and it takes two gear changes to notice, this is what I mean by being to high or low
We need some people on this thread who know what they are talking about with gears.
