Road bike ratio’s are largely useless for the average recreational or sportive weekend warrior. The lowest gears are not low enough for long climbing days and the highest gears are way too high….even on the fastest Apline descents I’ve done I’ve never topped out in the highest gear…the speeds are way too fast and scary and I don’t have a multi-million pound sponsorship on the line worth risking my life for with oncoming traffic, slippery manhole covers placed in the middle of the road and other hazards just waiting to catch me out and kill me. So i’m happy to roll down at high 30 to low 40mph. And I certainly don’t ride in a large peloton along the flat at 45 km/h very often..if at all, so the higher gears are utterly pointless.

For my road bike I want to build up a 13 or 14 to 36 cassette to marry to my compact crank. I think that will give me plenty of low enough gears to climb all day, a bail out granny gear for when I blow a gasket on a big hill, and plenty high enough gearing to satisfy my need for modest speed on the descents, and a bunch of close ratio sprockets for efficient cruising on the flats.

I have Shimano 105 with medium cage and I don’t want to faff around with a road link and from what I can gather form others exploits you can successfully run a 36 sprocket with a 105 or Ultegra with medium cage and ditching the 11 and 12 sprockets and reducing the cassette range means I can get sensible chain tension when using the 36t sprocket.

Has anyone done this already or can anyone point me in the right direction to the spec sheets of the various cassettes so I can suss out which ones to mix and match to get what I want? I’ve had a look on the Shimano website but not managed to find what I need…operator error I’m sure.

I’m aiming for 13 14 15 16 17 19 22 25 28 32 36 so suspect it’d be a mix and match of road and MTB cassettes.

Thanks

look at junior geared block for the 13/14 etc cassette. the 36 need to look as you say mtb, road goes to 32/34 mainly just double check mech cage length, but sounds like you done some research.

Think I got a junior 11spd block in stock if you get stuck.

Can you not find a crank with smaller rings to do the same job?

Isn’t this why some companies are making sub compact chainset? The issue you might have with mechs is not chain tension but the 36t just being too big and the mech will foul on it.

Could you not just use an 11-34 cassette and slightly smaller chainring(s)?

I’d like more choice, I currently have 34/50 and 11-32 but I never use 50/11 and would much rather have a 14-32 with closer ratios.

Sub-compact crank is the easiest option, there are a few around often marketed to the gravel crowd.

This is why triples are still a good idea for quite a few people. Closer ratio cassette with the extra smallest front ring giving you the lower gears you need. Probably lighter adding on another chainring than the dinner plate size rear cogs.

I had an Ultegra 30/39/50 (IIRC) triple on my last bike coupled with a 12-27 cassette. Could winch myself up the steepest West Yorks climbs with that but still have close ratio gears with the middle and outer rings.

As above, I think you’re looking in the wrong place.

If you really want the 34-36 bottom gear and don’t want to get a sub compact chainset then your best bet is a newer medium cage mech with 40t capacity, 11-36 cassette and a 46 tooth large chainring. You might need a hanger extender as well.

Road bike ratio’s are largely useless for the average recreational or sportive weekend warrior. The lowest gears are not low enough for long climbing days and the highest gears are way too high

Speak for yourself.

Without going down the bodging route, just get a set of 48/32 rings and couple it with a SRAM PG1170 11-36 cassette, if that’s not enough of a low gear, you’re into the options above for mountain bike gearing.

Most medium cage mechs will work with a 36t rear readily enough, if it’s a clearance issue then fit a goat link type thing too.

To echo others here, sounds like you’re in the market for either a sub-compact or a triple at the front, rather than going down the MTB route of huge cassettes. This would have the benefit of not needing a long mech and/or goat link, as well as keeping (relatively) close ratios for when you’re riding on flatter terrain.

Road bike ratio’s are largely useless for the average recreational or sportive weekend warrior. The lowest gears are not low enough for long climbing days and the highest gears are way too high

Hmm. Well, I’ve ridden the worst that West Yorks and the dales have to offer on a 34/50 and 11/32 and I don’t think I’d need to change this any time soon, although I’ll admit that I probably bottom out the gearing more often that I’ll run out at the top end! Gearing is a very personal thing and what works for one person, would have another off and pushing, whereas I know others that I ride with that would sooner chop off a hand than put a bigger sprocket than a 28t on the back of their bikes!

My summer bike has 11-30 and 50/34, which is adequate for even the steepest Dales hills. However for touring I had a Tricross with a triple, which was perect because, as others have written above, you get the best of both worlds, a wider range of gears and pleasingly close ratios on the cassette. Triples are not fashionable at the moment though.

I’m rubbish and I can get by with a 34/32 so I think the ratios available suit most sportive type riders. Never had to get off to walk once on my road bike. Caveat I’ve never done anything like hardknott, but for most stuff including alpine type climbs with some fairly steep ramps I’ve been ok.

If I ever did something like the fred whitton however I’d consider sticking on a 40 tooth for the day for sure. Cheaper option than fitting a triple for a day.

If I ever did something like the fred whitton however I’d consider sticking on a 40 tooth for the day for sure. Cheaper option than fitting a triple for a day.

I winched my 34/32 up Honister without too much problem and I’d be confident that it would get my soggy legs up Hardknott too. That said, the last time we rode Honister I forgot to change my son’s gearing before we set off and he rode up on a 38/30. I thought he was making more noise than usual…! #badparentbadge

Road bike ratio’s are largely useless for the average recreational or sportive weekend warrior. The lowest gears are not low enough for long climbing days and the highest gears are way too high….even on the fastest Apline descents I’ve done I’ve never topped out in the highest gear…the speeds are way too fast and scary and I don’t have a multi-million pound sponsorship on the line worth risking my life for with oncoming traffic, slippery manhole covers placed in the middle of the road and other hazards just waiting to catch me out and kill me. So i’m happy to roll down at high 30 to low 40mph. And I certainly don’t ride in a large peloton along the flat at 45 km/h very often..if at all, so the higher gears are utterly pointless.

So glad some one is with me on this. Not long ago I got up a 10% climb including some off road on 34×32. But it really is the wrong ratio for me. I want the option to spin and if on a longer ride keep my effort level low. I’m not telling anyone else what ratios to ride but just want the option for the one that would suite me

For my road bike I want to build up a 13 or 14 to 36 cassette to marry to my compact crank. I think that will give me plenty of low enough gears to climb all day, a bail out granny gear for when I blow a gasket on a big hill, and plenty high enough gearing to satisfy my need for modest speed on the descents, and a bunch of close ratio sprockets for efficient cruising on the flats.

That went through me mind on the ride today. I think my best is a sub compact chainset. I think 30×36 will do even for some touring. But that would mean a 46 largest ring which seems a big jump at the front

Any way here is the answer to the OPs question

Miche 11 speed Primato/Primato Light cassettes for Shimano/SRAM pick from 11T, 12T, 13T, 14T, 15T and 16T start and 21T to 34T final postion.

Shame my bike is 10 speed…

I joined just to post on this topic. I literally just put together a custom 13-36 cassette for my bike. I have an All-City Cosmic Stallion. I ride mostly gravel/dirt roads in Michigan (USA). I’ve ridden 1x for a couple of years but have always struggled to find a balance between sufficient climbing gears and comfortable gearing for the flats. To that end, I recently switched back to a 2×10 system using an FSA Omega crankset with 46-30 chainrings. Since most dirt/gravel climbs are significantly steeper than a similar climb on pavement, at least in my neck of the woods, I worried that even the 46-30 would be more than I needed/wanted. I’m a bigger guy so I have more to haul up those short, steep climbs. It’s not uncommon to end up with more than 1000 feet of climbing over the course of a 30 mile ride. I started out with an 11-32 cassette. After one ride, I knew I’d made the right decision. Spinning up climbs leaves me with fresher legs and I still have enough with the 46 tooth big ring to cruise on the flats. However, while 30-32 was nice, I quickly realized that an even easier gear for the real steep hills would be nice. I had an 11-36 cassette handy and since I run a SRAM drivetrain, I can make use of a long-cage MTB rear derailleur with my road shifters. I tend to spend most of my time in the middle of the cassette, so I was day-dreaming ways to tighten up the jumps in the middle to upper end of the cassette and do away with the 11 and 12 cogs since I only ever use them on descents and most of the time I coast the descents. I ended up making a custom cassette from two SRAM cassettes I had: a 12-25 and the 11-36. I used the rear spider from the 11-36 as well as the spider from the 12-25. That gave me 21,23,25,28,32,36. From there, I used individual cogs to get myself a 15, 17, and 19 combo. I initially went with a 12t first position cog and lock ring. But I didn’t like the shift from 15 – 12 and honestly, the whole point was to get rid of the small cogs I never use. So, I swapped out the 12t with a 13t second position cog and used the 12t lock ring. I thought initially I would need a 13t compatible lock ring, but the 12t lock right worked just fine and every cog has purchase on the freewheel and the whole thing is snugged down tight. So, I ended up with 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 28, 32, 36. The shifting works great and so far I love the smaller jumps throughout the cassette. I love tinkering and trying things and I think I might have hit on the perfect gearing combo for me and the riding I do. It is possible!

Bingo! I was messing with gear calculator for a while trying to figure out what cassette to choose/diy. Thanks for sharing, this gave me confidence to go through with it.

That Miche custom link looks great, book marked!

I’d looked at the option of the Miche sub compact but that custom cassette would be a cheaper option. I currently have a 34/50 11-32 range which gets me up anything but I never use 50/11, I’d probably be fine with a 14-32 and closer ratios would be much nicer.

My road bike came with 34/50 and 11-32 cassette (11-12-13-14-16-18-20-22-25-28-32), typically I’ll use 18-32 to go up inclines, depending upon the gradient and how tired my legs are.

Bought an R7000 GS rear mech and 11-34 cassette (11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34) a few months back for ~£70, for an extra gear (or possibly two if 17T feels ok as well) on inclines, plus an easier bail out gear should I need it if I ever get around to tackling Bwlch Y Groes https://www.strava.com/segments/3853027 and it’s stretches of ~20%.

Given I barely ever use 11T/12T/13T, I’d be much happier with 14-34 and have a set of gears I’d regularly use, which I suspect could be done by mixing an 11-34 with one of those Ultegra R8000 14-28 cassettes… But that “junior” cassette is ~£60! 😮

I have a compact (50/34) chainset with a Tiagra HG500 10 speed 11-34 cassette (11-13-15-17-19-21-23-26-30-34)

Very rarely used the 11 but really missed the 12 so just changed the 11T for a 12T and fitted a 12T locking ring. Much better for me.

That Miche link is brilliant, thanks!

Am trying to convert a singlespeed 120mm frame to a useful gravel setup. I’ll err on the side of low gears as it’ll also be a winter base miles bike.

Am limited to 7 sprockets from a 10spd cassette, and have a 38/25 chainset up front.

Can’t quite achieve the spread I want with a single Miche 10spd block, but at £30 each I’ll just buy two, gives me the option to switch it about depending on what I’m doing with the bike.

Thinking 14-15-16-18-20-23-26 for gravel use, and compress the top end a bit for road, maybe go 18-19-21-23.

Agree with OP that most road bikes are over-geared for casual riding, however I just put a SRAM 1×11 gravel drivetrain (and changed the front ring for something smaller!) for my do-it-all commuting/touring/gravel bike. Never particularly felt close ratios important for casual riding. Love the simplicity of a single front ring, think I’ll have it on all my bikes from now on unless I ever got into proper road racing.

Yes, 1x is appealing and getting there now we’ve got 12 spd on the basis a typical 2×11 setup only really has about 12 to 14 gears with the rest being duplicates or so close they are near as damn it duplicates.

I considered lots of options, road link, TanPan plus MTB mech, modifying a 105 mech with an XT jockey cage, sub compact cranks, but ended up just getting the latest 105 rear mech with medium cage that now has a 34t capacity. 105 mechs are cheap enough – the 11-34 cassette was more expensive. Anyway i’ve got a 34/34 first gear which should be low enough for my up and coming Alps adventures – again my main concern was not having a gear low enough to pedal, I know the Alps are not super steep, certainly not as steep as my local climbs, but on long days out with lots of accumulated climbing I wanted to have that granny bail out gear. I would have ideally liked a 36t cassette but We’ll see how I get on with the 34.