Forum menu
I’m pretty certain I’m going to go from a xt 2*10 setup to an xtr 1*11 setup.
I’m running 26/36 on an 11-36 cassette.
I think i want to move to an 30t front and an 11-40 cassette.
That should be a nice close ratio setup in the range I mostly use.
the current bottom gear is 20.9 inches, the new bottom being 21.7 inches.
Is that a noticeable difference? Struggling to reconcile theory against reality. Local territory is the south lakes if that makes a difference. Norfolk it is not 🙂
Assuming your second biggest cog is 32, your current second to bottom gear would be 23.5 inches. So you have 2.6 inches between your two lowest gears now, and your 0.8 inches change is just under a third of that. Only you can say what you'd notice.
find sheldon browns gear calculator online
put your current setup in
it will list the gear inches for each of your current gears
note the gear inches of the second lowest gear
compare this to your proposed set up
e.g if your current 2 lowest gears are 20.9" and 22.5" your new proposed lowest gear will be harder to pedal than your current lowest gear but easier to pedal than your current second lowest.
FWIW you must be a strong rider running those ratios. i'm down around 18-19"
Could you not just go for the 11-42 Cassette?
Yep just get the wider range cassette,
26/36 = 0.72
30/40 = 0.75
barley noticable I'd imagine.
It really depends on you ..
That would be pushing me on a 27.5 in the Lakes but in Surrey I'm happy with a 32T on the front and 11-36 on the back on my carbon HT. FOD I'd cycle up (say push-up at Cannop) with my heavier FS with a 32T and 11-42 though probably not use the 42...or not much ... and perhaps not all day??? Afan I'd not really use the 42T riding up on the HT.. it's just too slow to keep any momentum.
(Previously the HT was 12-42 with a 34T and only got changed because I swapped parts across bikes)
I doubt I'd have got any of these through using a gear calculator...
However NW chainrings are comparatively cheap.... I'd be tempted to go a bit bigger on both and then swap the chain-ring to a smaller one if you find you need the extra (and you'd still have the other for any trips to Norfolk).
Way cheaper than getting the wrong cassette ....
If it were me, my approach would be a little different.
Sunrace 11-50 cassette (or hope 10-48 if you're in a position to switch freehubs).
Pick chainring size to suit bottom gear required. Accept any sacrifice on the top end that may result.
When looking at differences, I find it more helpful to consider ratios or percentage rather than gear inches.
I wouldn't worry about, or notice, the less than 5% difference you describe in your original post though.
1x11:
If you pick the 11-50 cassette with 30 T front, smalles gear:
30 / 50 = 0.6
I run all my bikes in "mountain goat set up", Deore 2x10 :
11-42 cassette with 24 T 34 T front
Smallest gear for my bike: 24 / 42 = 0.57
I love that for going uphill.
Above 0.6 ratio for 1x11 with the big cassette : that's really great for climbing. Would go for that. I always was missing a "smaller gear" when going uphill for long stretches - the 0.57 ratio or 0.6 ratio is just great.