Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • What cassette for a Shimano 48/36/26 chainset 11-32 or 11-34?
  • MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    As above, just making sure i get the right one.

    Thanks in advance.

    NWAlpsJeyerakaBoz
    Free Member

    Wouldnt an 11-28 be better if you are using a MTB for road use (assuming you are)? Unless you are touring with heavy loads, then a 32/34 may be of more use.

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    im not using it for road, its just the chainset that came on my bike, it's a shimano m590.

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    antigee
    Full Member

    depends what you are riding and stylee – only other consideration can think of is "capacity" of the rear mech i think 11-34 with the bigger front cogs might be too much even with a long cage mech

    epicsteve
    Free Member

    I tend to use a 11-34 one bikes I've fitted a 26/36/48 chainset to, although that's usually because I've replaced the 48 with a bash ring and it's on a heavy bike.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    You've given no information, how can we know?

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    cynic-al, ive told you the size of the chainset e.g 48t it's a shimano deore m590 and asked which cassette to run with it. Not sure what other info i can give?

    Maybe that it will be going on with a 2010 deore shadow rear mech.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    what kind of riding you do, what c'set/cassette you've been happy with previously etc.

    antigee
    Full Member

    ignore my comment on capacity as 2010 deore shadow rear mech according to ad's has capacity of 45 which means 11-34 would be ok*

    *i think front = 48-26 = 22 rear 34-11 = 23 22+23 = 45

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    ah good point, i've just had stock bikes before where as this was bought as a frame with the chainset fitted. On my Rockhopper i had a deore chainset and i have no idea what cassette so that's why im asking the question.

    Riding is mostly xc and singletrack.

    antigee
    Full Member

    i know there are more expert peeps on here than me but if i give my opinion at least will bump a bit 48/36/26 is big for a front for any hilly offroad/technical

    (that is in my in my opinion and possibly the comment by NW Alps Jeyer aka Boz above about road – think i would assume the same)

    so personally i prefer a 34T at back cos will let me twiddle thru uphills
    with that front set up some (technical)hills will be tough (very tough?)

    – await the trade experts but i suspect most "stock" MTB's (not hybrids) ship with a 22 or 24 tooth granny ring and thats what you would have had in past i think

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    aw no, so should i be looking to swapm that chainset for a different model. It was on sale when i ordered the frame so i had it fitted!

    Guess i'll have to take it off try and sell it and look for a deore with 44/32/22.

    So stupid of me.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Speaking personally I'd put a 11-34 on it, and remove the big ring entirely- that'd suit me really well. You could swap the little ring down to a 22 for about £7 or get one off some 1×9 racer type on here, but you'd probably be fine with it as it is.

    48T is too big for most people offroad, but then frankly so is 44 😉

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    i'd not even thought about the big ring to be honest. Always bought stock bikes and upgraded forks, brakes and so on.

    I rarely go into the big ring so i guess this chainset will be fine for offroad.

    Unless anyone wants to buy it and i'll get a deore with a 44 big ring.

    I don't half annoy myself sometimes.

    epicsteve
    Free Member

    26/36/48 and 11-34 gives a huge gear range and will cover nearly all off-road riding, although with a lot of high gears you don't really need. Ok the lowest gears aren't as low as a 22/32/44 and 11-32 but not enough to be worth worrying about unless you're doing a lot of very steep climbs. the 26/36/48 and 11-34 will be a good bit heavier though.

    I was running with 24/36 using a a Deore chainset with the granny changed to a 24 and the big ring replaced with a bash. Using an 11-34 cassette and even on my Enduro, which isn't light, it was good.

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    so i can just stick an 11-34 cassette on the back and it will be fine for xc riding and stuff around Derbyshire Sherwood pines etc?

    Oh and it will be fine with the 2010 shimano shadow rear mech (long cage)?

    Thanks for everyones help, greatly appreciated.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Yes and yes. Though you might find the big ring catches on things, it's not actually that much bigger in radius but 44T ones ground out often enough. I think that's going to be the only real downside, so unless you can get a really price, don't worry too much.

    (and, assuming you do keep it, keep track of how rarely you use the big ring)

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    i don't think i have ever used the big ring off road, i was just worried the front mech might not be compatible, i will be buying this gear kit from merlin cycles so wanted to check first:

    http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/mountain-bike-gear-levers-shimano-and-sram-gear-levers/shimano-deore-shadow-gear-kit.html

    Edric64
    Free Member

    I would have thought a 13 tooth sprocket small enough on a 48 tooth ring it gives a 96 inch top gear

    MoseyMTB
    Free Member

    Edric is that a good or bad thing lol

    Edric64
    Free Member

    Probably good as you could have slightly closer ratios

    westkipper
    Free Member

    Just for those naysayers who think that a 48/36/26 chainset is too big for offroad, that wasn't an unusual size in the early 90s (and the cassettes were smaller too). It was still possible to get XTR 950 with this ratio too.
    Frankly I miss those gears, not least 'cos chainrings lasted longer with the load spread across more teeth.
    Most of my offroad riding now is done with a 50/34 chainset ans a 11/34 cassette so the ratio on the OPs bike should work

    Edric64
    Free Member

    used to run 26/36/46 on 12/28 back in the day…

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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