Got some cash for Xmas so thinking of upgrading my 105 5700 10-speed gruppo to the latest 11-speed version from Merlin.
I currently have an 11-28 cassette & I’m pondering the 11-32 version.
I ride in the Pennines/Dales/Lancs/Cumbria/Peak etc. so hilly, only had one hill (Mytholm steeps) crack me, will I really need a 32 & what are the drawbacks of a wider range over an 11-speed 11-28 ?

Bigger gaps is the only downside. If you think you’ll make use of it then go nuts!

Is there really much point in upgrading just for 1 gear difference? After-all, it’s not like yer going from say Claris, to Dura Ace…
Why not just splash it on some lighter wheels?
Genuine q, not being an arse..

Even tho Teetosugars is being an arse, I agree with him. Seems like a bit of a crab move.

…although, the 5800 shifters are flippin’ sweet.

Just had a look and £300 is very cheap for a new 11 speed groupset!

As for gears, I live in the lakes and use an 11/28 cassette (11 speed). I don’t often use the 28 though, I only bought this cassette as they had sold out of the 12/25. I do use a compact chainset though.

I would go for a 12/25 since it’s nearly a straight through. The bigger the range, the bigger the jumps between the gears (which can be annoying). I rarely use the 11t. I prefer to buy a cassette which is best for the majority of my riding, and just grind up the real steep stuff. Unless you’re riding up Hardknott all day, I’d go with a 25.

But as the OP has a 28 and has been defeated by a climb it seems a 25 is a bit daft!

I do agree though that new wheels would be a vastly better place to put £300. Will virtually get you some Chinese carbon ones.

But as the OP has a 28 and has been defeated by a climb it seems a 25 is a bit daft!

😀 whoops, didnt spot that part.

I think my point remains though, I’d prefer to get off and walk up one hill every once in a while, rather than miss the 16t (or whatever it is) that I’d make use of alot.

I actually prefer bigger gaps, 12/25 10speed gets you nothing from a full sweep of the shifter.

I’m tempted by the 12-25 cassette, nice single tooth increments all the way up from 12 to 19.

Already have some nice, light (1395 grams) AR 30 wheels & the reviews of the new 105 set are pretty damn good. Mytholm Steeps has one section approaching 30% apparently – certainly on my Mio page the line goes vertical at that point! I have managed it once with current gearing though so its not that important, more interested in how much improvement there is over my current 10-speed 28 cassette (also with a compact chainset).

I’ve not used the new 105, but the 6800 feels good, so if it’s similar then the braking and front shfiting will probably feel a touch better than your current setup.

As for the cassette “upgrade” – if you’ve done the hill once with the 28, then you can do it again. I imagine you don’t use the 11t very often, so you could just remove it and stick a 16t in your 10speed cassette to feel the benefits of the extra gear.

Depends what you mean by improvement. Just buy it and try it. 105 cassettes are only 25 quid so not a huge problem.

Er, TBH I do use the 11 tooth cog on the flats & descents. Maybe its because its a compact but I find I drop/climb into the tallest gear more often than I thought I would, not saying I use it all the time but it gets used every ride – along with the rest of the cassette.
Maybe I’m doing it all wrong!

The cassettes are cheap, but you need all the other bits to upgrade to 11 speed!

Maybe I’m doing it all wrong!

It sounds like I’m doing it all wrong tbh! I probably use it once or twice a week if I’m lucky with a tail wind!

Well, you are in the Lakes, not sure I’d use it much if I lived there.

The purpose of 11 speed is so you can keep the 11-25T close ratios and not need to swap cassettes for the 28T. Shifting will be nicer, but the extra cog isn’t such a great deal if you don’t already run close spaced blocks. The 10 speed 11-28T so favoured by compact entry level road bikes is a little gappy in the middle.

I run 10 speed 11-23 and 12-25. I also ride fixed and single speed. But when I ride gears, I like them closely spaced 😉

Are your current wheels 11 speed compatible ? If not budget wheels too 🙂

Wheels are 10/11 speed compatible 🙂