Road bike cassette size?

Probably daft question of the day?

But what cassette size for a road bike? the one on my proper road bike is a compact chainset but I have no idea what size it is, and my planetx carbon hybrid has a much smaller cassette both 10 speed which seems to suit me better.

What sizes do you guys use just normal sunday riding, maybe the odd charity ride?

12-32 for me

11-28 is more common

Due to having a compact chainset, I fine for Streatley hill I could really do with the 32

For normal riding (i.e. not racing) a compact chainset (50/34) and an 11-28 cassette.

I’d go 11-28 these days.

11 – 32 is a bit excessive for a road bike, you’ll be bouncing up and down on the pedals like Zebedee. You can get up most hills with 11-28 and a compact.

On a compact I’d go 11-25 if the bike is decent. But end of day it’s all personal (fitness and terrain wise), so look at what you’ve got already, decide if you like it and count the teeth.

I’ve ridden up Streatley hill on both a 39-23 and 42-25, but one was when I was fit and I cruised up it, and the other was a lot slower with a very slow cadence.

Compact and 11-25 for me but most of my riding is fairly flat.
Previously had compact and 11-26 and was enough for 3.5k of climbing in Exmoor although I’d be lying if I said it was easy.
I’m definitely not a climber BTW.
If I had lot’s of long 20 min plus climbs I’d consider a 11-28.

I hate big gaps in the cassette so wouldn’t run a 11-28 as a everyday cassette unless I really had to.

A standard road set up used to be 53/39 and 11-23 but that is seen ax a bit hardcore these days. Personally I run a 50/34 and 11/25. Gets me up most things and I am a not particularly fit 50 year old. It depends how hilly it is in your area and how much you like to spin.

11-28 with compact for me and I’m, not even half “roadie fit”

I must be worse than I thought.

The short answer is ride the set up you feel comfortable with. There is no ‘right’ answer.

Can you even get 12 – 32 road cassettes?

Most road bikes seem to come with 50/34 – 12/25 which is fine for me in flattish Suffolk, looking at a 12/27 for a trip to the Alps but may do the 11/28 if someone says the gaps aren’t too big. Tother bike is 53/39 -12/23 btw which actually feels better than the compact around here.

wilburt – Member

Can you even get 12 – 32 road cassettes?

I bought one last week. Then averaged 18.121 MPH on a 10 mile segment of a 40 mile ride…

but you lot are fitter than me it seems.

For the first time I’ve a 50- 36 instead of a 52-42. I should have moved to a compact years ago but didn’t for some reason.
The cassette is a 12-25 with the 50-36 gives plenty of scope for flat and some pretty steep hills.

The short answer is ride the set up you feel comfortable with. There is no ‘right’ answer.

But end of day it’s all personal (fitness and terrain wise), so look at what you’ve got already, decide if you like it and count the teeth.

This is it. Most folk I know are on 11-23 or 12-25 at the back with a compact at the front, but they’re all youngish. The racers will have similar cassettes and a double at the front. The older folk I know (50’s) who go off to the Alps each year have a compact with cassettes that are pretty big, 29-32.

Now I live in the Peak District I have compact and 12-28 but will switch to 11-28 son.

When I lived in Manchester I had standard double and an 11-23

Really depends on you and where you ride. For most training rides I have 11-25 on a 53/39, but then it’s pretty flat around west berks and the climbs are short and punchy. Spent a couple of weeks riding around Pembrokeshire recently though and if I lived there I’d probably be riding a wider ratio and/or a compact.

Agree with above, even I manage on a 11-28

Looking at the canyon it’s a 48 up front and possibly 32 at the back, explains why I struggled to gain speed. Had a look on Planet X the hybrid is 50 up front 11-28 out back going to give that a blast today see how I get on. Might get a smaller cassette for the canyon.

11 speed 11-28 here (on a 50/34 compact)

I try not to use the largest two so I know there is always something left when I’m struggling (or hit the 20% +). Just checked the sizes:

11-28: 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25-28

Looking at the canyon it’s a 48 up front and possibly 32 at the back, explains why I struggled to gain speed.

Eh? That makes no sense, the 32 will be the biggest, you’ll have an 11/12 most likely at the other end. You can’t blame a 48-12 gear for being the reason you can’t “gain speed”!

11-25 with 50-36.

Had a 11-25 on my road bike, which I swapped out for an 11-28 (SLX cassette, I think) when I did the Wiggle Dragon Ride. Not being used to hills (living in East Angular) I thought it was a sensible precaution (it was). EDIT – not really felt any need to swap it back, either.

I also want to swap my 50T ring for a 48T as I find I’m always at the big end of the cassette when in the big ring, so might as well put something smaller on, so i use the middle of the cassette more. I did buy a Stronglight chainring to do this, but couldn’t get it shifting right so took it off. Should really have another go at it.

I’m running a mid-compact 52-36 on my roadie. Deep section race wheels have 11-25, training / climbing wheels are running 11-28.

However, both are Shimano 11-speed – so the 11-28 is effectively a traditional 11-25, but with an extra bailout gear. It’s one of the major advantages of 11-speed IMO, you get the traditional ‘steps’ between gears but the bailout is there if you need it (much like 10 –> 11 MTB).

11-28 cassette and 39/53 chainrings…considering going 11 speed now its moved down to the 105 groupset and at that point i would consider Shimano’s 11-32 cassette to give me a bit more comfort on hills…i miss my compact, thought i was being all ‘billy big b**locks’ going to 39/53 chainrings but they’re no fun on the climbs, i havent had to get off and push yet but i prefer to sit and spin whereas this gearing has me standing up to turn the lowest gears.

Double & 12-25 for me. A 28 has to many jumps & never the right gear for me.

A lot depend on two main things:
1) Are you going to be climbing Alps etc?
2) Do you prefer cycling with a high cadence on climbs? (lighter riders often do)

If its a yes to the above, then get the biggest cassette you can (32).

I’ve got a compact with a 28 cassette. It’s ok for england but a not great on alps as my cadence drops lower that i want.

11-28 and a compact for me. I like to have a bailout gear even though it is very rarely used.

11-28T compact again. Can stay in the larger ring nearly all the time, unlike the 11-25. Wrong probably but my chains last a long time too so I get away with it.

11-28 on a compact too. Don’t want to be a hero, do want to get up (most) hills, would not want a less ‘spinny’ gear.

Totally personal. I’m pretty fit but don’t like grinding up stuff. 50/34 compact with a 11/25 out the back. A recent trip to the Alps had me wishing I’d fitted a 11/28 and I will for the next trip.

I’d suggest getting the biggest cassette you can so something that has a 32 on it for the days when you really want to go up something steep or bonk and need to struggle home

i reckon that if you are used to riding MTB cassettes then the gaps in a 11-28 cassette wont feel too bad, especially if its 10 or 11 speed.

I live on the edge of exmoor, its about 100 feet of climbing for every mile on average around here. I’m not proper roadie fit but not too bad.

I rode all last winter on 50/34 and 12/26 as my old wheels have an old cassette on. That was fine although there are some hills where i was grinding it out. My posh wheels have 11-28 and i climb quicker on them – i’m light and i prefer a high cadence.

(edit: i did honister in the lakes on 34/26 last year, having 34/28 as my lowest gear made things more pleasant this year!)

anything over 11-28 would seem like overkill but i’m only 40…..

I

I have an 11-32, really fit (and fast) bloke in my club swears by his 12-34 with compact. In summary ride what works for you , but be careful of the maximum size that your rear mech will work with.

G

I race on a 53/39 with a 12-26 cassette in the Midlands (and had the same on for the Helvellyn Tri), and have a 50/34 on the training bike with a 12-25 cassette. However, I will be changing both bikes to a 52/36 with a 12-25 when the rings wear out.

11-28 for me on both bikes

It depends on the hills and cadence

In the Veulta this year on at least one stage they have been running 32 cassettes and compact chain sets

As I am heavier and less powerful I might need lower when I get a road bike

To the OP

try counting the teeth?

Maybe I could get up everything on a 11-25 or 11-28, but I definitely can on 11-32. I don’t use the 32 very often, but it’s nice on steep stuff when I’m blowing out of my a@@e.

Standard 53/39 and 11/25 on rear, works fine for me in Cotswolds/Chilterns. I climb out of the saddle. I bought a compact as received wisdom is I’m riding silly hero gears, fitted it and took it off after 1 ride. I’ve got used to the ratios and found the differences distracting.

Have kept it for summer European mountain trips with longer climbs where being out the saddle for half an hour might get hard work!

Other half rides a compact with a 27 and got up everything on Ronde Van Calderdale (20% gradient cobbles), although she is nails 😉

If you can’t count passed 20 you may find the cassette cogs are stamped with their size.