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Cassette size

Mike

Mike

Maximum Pace
Sep 24, 2007
1,066
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My new HED Jet 50 wheels are coming today, so thanks to everyone who gave me sound advice on the last thread.

Now on to the next matter, after last weekends haul over Mikuni Toge I am seriously thinking about going to a 12-27 cassette. Actually, I often find myself trying to move the levers in search of one more gear when I'm climbing, only to be disappointed because the pain is only getting to get worse. I sometimes can't believe that's all the bike has got and catch myself saying phrases like:
F%$#&* C&^% P%%$^ of S*&# bike! :D For those code breakers out there, see if you can interpret that one!

I currently ride a 12/25 and 53/39 set up. I think I'd like to try a 12/27. I'm not interested in changing the front rings, just the rear cassette.

Without getting too technical, does anyone else ride this ratio and what do you lads think about it, especially riding in the mountains of this wonderful country? I presume that with a 12/27 I'll be losing one gear in the middle somewhere, or does it mean that there is a bigger jump from one gear to the next?
 
I have a 12-27, but it's currently off all the wheels, as I'm running a 12-26 on the Ridley and the Specialized has an 11-23 (compact triple up front).

Going from the 12-25, you'll lose the 23 but gain a 24. (19-21-24-27 instead of 19-21-23-25)*. I've never been bothered by gaps in gearing going from one cassete to the next, although I have grown to like the consistent shifts across the range of the 11-23.

The jumps are quite noticeable from 21 to 24 and 24 to 27, but by the time you're shifting up into that range, you want the jumps to be big, right?

* Reference: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html#10cassettes
 
Compact

50/34 plus 12/27 for me and I use all of it !

New Dura Ace has a 11-28 option which might be of interest.

I was quite pleased with myself on Tuesday as I managed some sections of Tomin no Mori on the second largest cog (25?). I was generally experimenting with lower cadence (50-55) and a harder gear to see if this was better for me. I have been a determined spinner up to now ! It was manageable for the most part but definitely with higher degrees of pain !!

It was very comforting to know that there was the option of one more bale out cog !

chazzer
 
be careful of Dura-Ace old 7800 vs. new 7900 interchangeability!

chazzer said:
New Dura Ace has a 11-28 option which might be of interest.
chazzer
Click to expand...

Very unfortunately, the new DURA-ACE 7900 series Cassette Sprockets are not fully compatible with the old 7800 series:( (opposite works)....the new 11-27T and 11-28T cannot be used with 7800 series although it is possible to use the new 11-21T, 11-23T, 11-25T, 12-23T, 12-25T and 12-27T together with the old 7800 series.

and Mike, yes for that one steep pancake stretch leading to the summit of Mikuni, I was wishing I had an extra 27T on my cassette...but otherwise very little use for 27T...I'd say, stick to your current 12-25T setup. The real headache is the final 22% wall of the Hotaka Hillclimb...here a 29T would be most welcome (that part is also so narrow you cannot resort to effective zigzagging...hear that Deej?:eek:) !
 
I think the 12-27 cassette has a much more sensible spread of ratios than the 12-25. Maintaining the 2T separation when the sprockets get bigger means a small change in actual gear ratio. The change in the middle of the cassette from the 17T to the 19T gives almost 12% change in ratio, but the 23T to 25T gives only a 9% change.
I find that by the time I'm going slow enough to need the big sprockets, the size of the jumps don't bother me.
 
Thanks for all your comments guys. You're all a great resource for bike info. After reading your posts I'm gonna try a 12/27 and see how it goes. The wheels are coming at 5pm tonight, so I'll head straight to the shop with wheel in hand and beg them to put it on so I'll be able to ride on those new babies tomorrow. Mikuni Toge here I come, I'm gonna whip your arse :)

p.s. Alan, are you back in the land of mountains yet?
 
Just to remind you not to forget to put on a new chain with your new cassette :)

Mike said:
Thanks for all your comments guys. You're all a great resource for bike info. After reading your posts I'm gonna try a 12/27 and see how it goes. The wheels are coming at 5pm tonight, so I'll head straight to the shop with wheel in hand and beg them to put it on so I'll be able to ride on those new babies tomorrow. Mikuni Toge here I come, I'm gonna whip your arse :)

p.s. Alan, are you back in the land of mountains yet?
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Philip, yeah I just had my bike overhauled last week and got a new dura-ace chain put on. Oh, I'm getting excited:D
 
Mike said:
so I'll head straight to the shop with wheel in hand and beg them to put it on :)
Click to expand...

Hi Mike.
I hope you'll be very happy to see what happens with new gears. And at the same time I'll induce you to make almost every detail of things about your bike by changing and adjusting to fit them to your perfect comfort. As the matter of fact, it is really rather easy to changing parts of your bike including your cassette. I'll bet you'll find more fun by doing them all yourself.
 
Michel Angelo, it's actually my dream to build my own bike in the near future, starting from the ground up, hence the wheel purchase. The problem is I don't have the special tool to tighten the cassette in place, but I will get it one day soon. I have my eyes on a Pinarello frame set the moment. As you can see I'm sitting here waiting anxiously for delivery.
 
It's done! Thanks all

The wheels have arrived, I've put the 12-27 cassette on myself thanks to Michel Angelo's advice and they look great. My little old Trek has been transformed into a beast. The Jet 50's weren't much cheaper than the bike itself and I'm starting to get the need to get a new frame....oh I've gotta stop for a while or I'll be broke:confused:

Oh, and they forgot to put a valve extender in the box so I'll have to go the shop again before my ride tomorrow, unless anyone has an idea to pump the tubes.

hed002.jpg
 
Thanks Pucci, always full of great advice:)
Holy crud! I've just weighed my bike and I've lost a kilo with those new wheels, unless air weighs 1kg:confused:

That means my 10 kilo clunker just became a 9 kilo clunkerooner. And with my new 12-27 cassette I'm gonna be flying up those hills. Those bontrager select wheels must've weighed a ton!
 
Mike said:
The wheels have arrived. My little old Trek has been transformed into a beast. The Jet 50's weren't much cheaper than the bike itself and I'm starting to get the need to get a new frame....oh I've gotta stop for a while or I'll be broke.
Click to expand...

Very sexy, Mike! Gotta start counting my pennies...:)
 
Bling!

Congratulations, Mike! The wheels look great. Oh, and to answer your earlier question about my wheels, I think they weigh 1,550 grams.
 
Thanks guys, esp Philip with your advice on HED wheels. I can't wait to ride on them tomorrow. Cheers for the info Deej.
 
Mike,

Those wheels look very nice indeed.

You'll have to let us know how they ride tomorrow ....
 
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