It’s quite hilly isn’t it?
People are worrying me saying I should be going 50/34 x 12/28 or I will die, especially after 135miles.

I’m currently running 9speed 52/39 with a 12-25 cassette.

Was thinking of getting a 12/27 cassette but it’s going to cost £60

Should I just put on the XT mech and XT 11-32 cassette that I have in the loft and be down with it? It would then only cost me the price of a new chain….

David Millar did it…

9spd HG50 in 12-27 is usually about £20-25 online… Doesn’t need to be an Ultegra level cassette if you’re only going to use it for one event.

Not done the Dragon Ride, but have done other similar events. Everyone is different, some people are fine pushing 39/25 up steep hills for miles, some (like me) prefer a much higher cadence and seated climbing, so a compact and a wide range cassette makes more sense.

Oh, and the issue with running an MTB cassette on a road bike is you get large ratio gaps where you don’t want them. Offroad, the gaps between ratios aren’t as obvious as they are onroad. Typically a road cassette will have 1 tooth gaps between its smallest 4 or 5 cogs. On an MTB cassette this is usually 2 teeth, and sometimes even 3 teeth gaps creep in, which means you’d often end up looking for a gear inbetween the gears you have!

It really depends on your fitness and endurance. You may be glad of a nice low gear for that final climb up the Bwlch.

I’m just an average non-talented non-racing cyclist who trains regularly and I’ve done the Dragon on 50/34 compact with an 11-28 cassette and was fine. The main long climbs are only around 4-5% so the lowest gear wasn’t used much except for the shorter steeper stuff, however depending on your fitness and how well you think you’ve trained 34×28 or its equivalent might be useful going up the Bwlch at the end.

39×32 is the same gain ratio as 34×28 so if it was me I’d go for your XT 11-32 option.

ackie. I’ve done the climbs in the ride, in my view it is definitely survivable on 39/25 but will be a little more enjoyable with a larger rear sprocket. I’m not convinced 2 extra teeth are worth £60.

Most of the climbs are long and gradual, rather than steep. But there are enough that either compact or a wider range cassette would be useful. Shouldn’t need both if you think you are fit enough for the long route.

The climb up the Bwlch is a pain, it’s a long draggy climb that just seems to go on and on….

Just a matter of finding the right gear for you, getting comfortable and going for it

There is a steep climb about 3/4 of the way round, which is quite tough. The other climbs are fine. I rode last year with 34/25 but as this year the previous weekend I’m riding the GF Stelvio I’ll probably have a 28 block on.

Thanks for the feedback. I can handle 39/25 on long gradual climbs but find anything steeper than 10% and I’m out of the saddle to keep me ticking over. So I’ll definitely find a couple of teeth useful.

So will the Ultegra’s 12-27 be enough or would a HG80 11-28 be more useful?
Cheers

I think you go up Devel’s elbow, if so it’s a sod 20%+ went up up with a 39/27 and would have got off if I’d seen anybody doing the same. Maned up in the end but would have liked a lower gear !!

20%! Woah! How long is the Devil’s elbow?
My training ground has been Hampsted/Highgate hills and Swains Lane 14% (briefly) in London.
Am I going to get a nasty shock?

In fact I’ve remembered doing a race down in Brendon, Exmoor and there was a Hill 25% and I had to get off and push with 34/25!!! the Shame

I think I’m going for a the 11-28 and buy me a bag of MTFU 😉

Its not very long half a mile or so. Also called hill with no mame or bryn melin. Just get up it as best you can, probably not worth gearing the bike for one little bit, if you’ve got to get off and push I bet you won’t be the only one.

11/28 for me on my first Dragon Ride

Should I just put on the XT mech and XT 11-32 cassette that I have in the loft and be down with it? It would then only cost me the price of a new chain….

I did that on one of the Fred Whitton rides about 5 years ago. It all worked well enough.

As mentioned, occasionally you find yourself looking for a gear in between what you’ve actually got available but in the list of life’s greatest problems, I’m not sure that merits a mention!

Certainly the easiest and cheapest option then when you put the old cassette and mech back on you just re-trim the new chain to suit.

Just a thought. Would putting the 10 speed Compact chain set I have lying around work with the 9 speed front derailleur chain/cassette?

Surely the cheapish simplest option….?

Almost certainly. 🙂