Am I right in thinking that 11-28 is aimed at compact chainsets?

.. or a mtb

No.

or girls….
Or proper hills.

Most standard capacity mechs will handle a 28.

I’ve got one and a compact, great combination but my descending speeds have dropped.
Probably for the best, eh?

Specialized used to spec 11-28 SRAM cassettes with standard chainsets, may still, I’m not sure. I find the gaps between gears a bit big on them.

Big problem I used to have with compact was that where I wanted to ride was right about the point where I had to shift chainrings, so I was shifting all the time. Pain in the ballz it was.

Can’t remember what cassette that was though 🙂

Rusty, why have your descending speeds dropped?

50×11 is 50×11 whether you have a 23 largest sprocket or a 28. Unless you were running a standard double before?

Unless you were running a standard double before?

And regularly spin out on 50×11 lol.

I had a 50 39, now have a 48 34.

Regularly find myself spinning out on long downhills.

Scared myself stupid in search of the mythical 60mph with the standard 😀
Couldn’t better 52 no matter how hard I tried. Graine Road in Bolton, the drop down to Holmfirth, the Horseshoe Pass and the drop to Bedgellert are favourites.

What a thoroughly confusing thread.

Mol – nope. Don’t think of the cassette relating to a specific chainset. Think more of how it relates to your legs. So, I ride a 12-27, cos I’m overweight and therefore gash at climbing. Other than very long hilly days with super steep climbs, I use a standard chainset (52/39). For those hilly days, I use a compact (50/34). Same cassette.

Oh, and 50×11 is a bigger gear than 53×12 (119.5″ vs 116.5″)….

the drop down to Holmfirth

Holme Moss to Woodhead Pass: (recorded) 63mph.

Doffs cap.
I blame aerodynamics.

I got 52mph last weekend. And that was held up by cars. And my 53×12 is lower than 50×11. And I live in the south.

You ain’t trying! 🙂

I ride a 12×23. It is lovely, everything is close together, nice smooth changes in gear. And 52,39 rings at the front makes for one ring for flat / downhill and one ring for anything even slightly uphill.

Although I must admit I have got a 30 tooth granny ring for trailer pulling purposes or when I have loads of luggage in the saddle bag.

Joe

In all honesty I’d love a triple, or Sram Apex, but I can’t justify the cost.

Off to Snowdonia again soon and I know I’m going to struggle, even with the compact.

I was even thinking of an MTB rear mech and huuuge cassette but talked myself out of it.

MTB gearing is the fat lads best friend.

In the Giro Dave Millar was using a Xx rear cassette and mech to get a low enough ratio ( but HR uses funny ovoid chainrings so can’t get compact)

Ivan Basso used 34:29 in the Giro last year, Contador uses 34:28 on steep climbs, and they have the power to turn a bigger year – it’s just that having low ratio gives the option of using a different muscle group so you don’t tire so fast.

Make sure you have 12 or 11 if you have a 50 as your big chainring, ive just got a13:29 which is going to have to be customised as 50:13 is pathetic as a top gear

ourmaninthenorth – Member

the drop down to Holmfirth

Holme Moss to Woodhead Pass: (recorded) 63mph

62mph is my record so far. Mountain rd Caerphilly.

Did come down a road last weekend that showed superb potential.
The Abergavenny B4246 road from Blaenavon down into Llanfoist .. def one to go back to ..

Mooman that is the famous Blorenge, a superb climb 🙂

You mean the Tumble
http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Tumble&qryMountainID=7574
but Llangattock might be a better bet for top speed down
http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Llangattock-Mountain&qryMountainID=10389

Fastest one I know of is into Dinas Mawddwy in North Wales.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Dinas+Mawddwy,+Machynlleth&hl=en&ll=52.736811,-3.773632&spn=0.074523,0.169945&sll=48.109536,11.726445&sspn=0.082182,0.169945&t=h&z=13&layer=c&cbll=52.736814,-3.773343&panoid=f0QsMJ-9kknJJH8d7T8pYw&cbp=12,100.64,,0,-9.73

They picked a fabulous day to take the Google car round North Wales too 🙂

I have 12/27 & 34/46, I use 27/34 on my commute in and could prob do with an 11t for the way home.

Any one got a 11t 10spd cassette ring knocking around that they don’t want?

Make sure you have 12 or 11 if you have a 50 as your big chainring, ive just got a13:29 which is going to have to be customised as 50:13 is pathetic as a top gear

presumably you can just file one of the teeth off?

LOL at the Cav wannabees

Don’t be a hater, Al 🙁

I’m a lover not a hater, but mostly a laugher.