Folks,
My bike currently has Shimano 105 Compact running gear, 11/32 with the front chain set being50/34.
I might treat myself to Dura Ace, but see that the largest range in rear cassette they do is 11/28. If I stick with the front chain set of 50/34, how much of a difference will I notice on the hills ??? !!!!
(a wimp’s question ….. I know ……)
Thanks

Where do you live (county will do I’m not looking for your address!)?

Anywhere other than somewhere really hilly and 28 will be fine, that said I never thought dura ace cassettes where value for the average jo.

how much of a difference will I notice … ??? !!!!

about 2 gears worth…

I noticed more groin tingling when I reduced the size of my cassette!

YMMV

Or, try this handy tool: http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_speed

My bike currently has Shimano 105 Compact running gear, 11/32

Your 2nd gear on an 11-32 is probably a 28. go ride up your hardest local hill in 2nd gear and you’ll have your answer.

Do you use 50/32 much? If so, you’ll miss it a lot, if not then not much.

Also, no harm in using an Ultegra or 105 cassette with Dura-Ace mech assuming it has capacity.

+1

I might treat myself to Dura Ace

In which case, the weight saving will make it easier to climb hills so you’ll no longer need such a small gear.

HTH.

34 x 32 is quite a twiddly gear. 34 x 28 should be fine for UK roads unless your very heavily laden. Do you often use the 34x 32 or is it a back up gear just in case?

Not just about getting up hills, but about what cadence you want to run. I try to maintain 90 – 100 rpm cadence and it doesn’t take a particularly steep hill for me to start grunting to maintain that speed, so having a 30 or 32 rear cassette is still useful in the UK. The Pro’s are running greater than 28 cassettes for the hilly stages purely to maintain cadence so you must be able to squeeze a 30T or 32T Ultegra cassette under a DA rear derailleur – unless the pro’s are all using specially adapted derailleurs.

Don’t bother with a D-A cassette. Only the most flush/flash of proteams use them for anything other than photo ops and days in the high mountains. 99% will be on ultegra. Which is 99% as good for half the price. And it’ll last longer.

Would not bother with DA cassettes – Ultegra work fine and so much cheaper(assuming they do a 32) – I’ve ridden with both and you will not be able to tell the difference.

As above, swanky cassettes are for fools and millionaires.

But if you are either of the above, you’re more likely to notice the smaller gaps in the middle than the absolute bottom gear.

I’ve recently changed to a 34/28 bottom gear on my commuter and it’s not really any different from my previous 34/30, even fairly heavily laden.

Am about 95% sure that a stock Dura Ace mech won’t play well with a 32 tooth cassette, but a 30 would be fine.

IN answer to your actual question – FifeAndy has the answer. You experience of gears is fairly personal and subjective so only you can really tell. Usually on gear ratio threads someone comes along to tell you about how awesome they are for pushing a big gear. Ignore those people.

I try to maintain 90 – 100 rpm cadence

Why?

The Pro’s only use those low gear on insane stages of multi day races, and als on only on the type of climbs that simply don’t exist in the UK.

Do what fifeandy says.

I might treat myself to Dura Ace

Teeny weight saving for much £££ on a consumable part, I never get this.

Ignore those people.

Nobody to ignore then, nobody has told him to push a big gear and who said anything about changing a derailleur.

m about 95% sure that a stock Dura Ace mech won’t play well with a 32 tooth cassette

Thats irrelevant.

Do you use 50/32 much

I would hope not.

Dura-Ace mech

Whats that got to do with it?

Standards around here are appalling!!

Well …..
That’s provided some food for thought.
Thanks everyone for your advice / experience.
I think I’ll try what fifeandy suggests, as that should good guide. I’m in Worcestershire and there are some decent climbs – so that’s this weekend sorted.
Thanks also for your thoughts on Dura Ace -v- Ultegra. Ultegra looking good now also.
STW forum never fails……

As they said, treat yourself to Ultegra instead, then treat yourself to some new wheels as well, or some coke and hookers.

It’s your money, I’m not gonna tell you how to spend it.

The Pro’s only use those low gear on insane stages of multi day races, and als on only on the type of climbs that simply don’t exist in the UK.

Yes but I’m heavier than a pro with less power output. So for the same cadence i need a lower gear than a pro and if you did the maths by quite alot

The DA rear mech is rated up to 28t max, but will take up to a 30t on most frames with the b screw wound out – and 32 on some.

I have 36 11-32 on one bike. While I was on hols in the summer I rode a number of 100 climbs, one of which was Asterton Bank, which I rode a new PB 6 minute power in the 36/32 at 70rpm. Which was basically riding as hard as I could go from start to finish. If that’s the sort of thing you like doing, then 1km @ 17% requires all cogs you can fit, as running a 28 would drop down to 60rpm which is really difficult for such a low inertia situation for any length of time.

OP – to clarify – are you talking about changing the groupset or just the cassette?

and als on only on the type of climbs that simply don’t exist in the UK.

Actually the hills in the UK are often steeper (but shorter) than those on the continent, small gears have given many riders an advantage.

But while we’re talking pros, the high cadences are only really efficient at high power outputs. Still, ride whatever gear ratios and cadences you prefer.

Yes indeed, high cadence for high power output, usually when going up hills where you need a lower gear to maintain cadence, so handy to have the lower gearing. There are some chuffing steep hills near me – 15% one or two even steeper. Not particularly long. Even with a 32T on a compact crank you’re still out of your saddle grunting away. This is where 11 speed is useful. You’ve effectively got a normal 28T cassette with an additional steep hill hear.

Why bother going for DA when you need a 32T to climb?

Nice things are nice but why not spend the money on something to improve your strength / endurance?

Nice things are nice but why not spend the money on something to improve your strength / endurance?

Like a mars bar?
🙂
Ultegra +1

Like a mars bar?

They are probably why a 32T was needed in the first place 😛

Why bother going for DA when you need a 32T to climb?

TBF to the OP, he was asking if he really needed the 32t to climb.

Personally I would be fine with 11-28 in Worcs, and it just about does me in Lancs. But we’re all different obvs!

Why bother going for DA when you need a 32T to climb?

My what a big willy you have.

Btw, it’s pretty steep in some parts of the UK, did you know this? And some people want to base train whilst riding around in the steep places.

mrjmt – Member

Nice things are nice but why not spend the money on something to improve your strength / endurance?

you can buy strength, youth, and fitness?

(insert Fry meme here)

after decades of struggling with skinny legs up long steep hills (The North Sheffield Alps) i fitted a triple* to my road bike, my bottom gear is a 30/30, it’s bloody great.

(*i took the 50t ring off, obvs)

Why bother going for DA when you need a 32T to climb?

For me, because I can afford it, it looks ace and it works brilliantly. Same reasons I have Di2 and carbon wheels on one of my bikes. I don’t need them, in no logical way can I even try to justify them, but I wanted them and so I have them.

Personally I’m fine with a 28t in Worcs but I tend to grind not spin so you may choose different.