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Cassettes

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,159
Copenhagen, Denmark
Range is not a big deal when you live in flat Denmark. Then closer ratio is better.

I remember reading something about durability issues with the first gen but I am not sure?
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
And you'll announce that you're running an e13 cassette with the endless creaking.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I'm still not fully on board with the gigantic range thing. I feel like unless you're climbing mountains out west, you don't really need a 500% range. I got away with an 11-40 for everything out here on the east coast and kingdom trails, and I just don't see the logic of 800g cassettes with 52t rings messing up your suspension. Again, when you're grinding up steep grades for half a day I get it, but for 90% of users this super boost x2 9000.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
I'm still not fully on board with the gigantic range thing. I feel like unless you're climbing mountains out west, you don't really need a 500% range. I got away with an 11-40 for everything out here on the east coast and kingdom trails, and I just don't see the logic of 800g cassettes with 52t rings messing up your suspension. Again, when you're grinding up steep grades for half a day I get it, but for 90% of users this super boost x2 9000.
I think it makes sense out here. Maybe not the 52 tooth stuff, but while we don't have huge long climbs, there are enough steep climbs around here that it doesn't hurt.

One thing that sucks is that if you look at the derailleur when in one of those hooooooooge pie plates, its now just hovering above the ground....
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
where is out here?

I totally think it makes sense in places where you are grinding up a ski hill just to turn around and bomb back down, but most stuff on the eastern US seems to be ups and down in quick succession where better cadence is gonna be a winner. There are days I miss my front deralliuer...dropping the equivalent of six cogs in a single shift...
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
Our here as in Ontario, I guess.

If you're grinding up a fire road in your 52 tooth ring, how friggin' slow would you be going? Might as well walk... Even in Pisgah getting up some of those roads, I don't think we were ever really in the lowest gears. In Quebec there was one fire road we did last year, that was balls steep and loose enough rock that it was actually quicker to just walk; we passed a kid trying to muscle his way up doing this. Maybe @Jozz knows of this death march climb in VBN.....we did it in 40 degree weather. :D
 

Jozz

Joe Dalton
Apr 18, 2002
5,753
7,215
SADL
I've heard of it. Haven't been to VBN in years since dogs became persona non grata.

On the above subject, I rely more on engine power than transmission. No matter the gearing your body will adapt.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,572
24,186
media blackout
I'm still not fully on board with the gigantic range thing. I feel like unless you're climbing mountains out west, you don't really need a 500% range. I got away with an 11-40 for everything out here on the east coast and kingdom trails, and I just don't see the logic of 800g cassettes with 52t rings messing up your suspension. Again, when you're grinding up steep grades for half a day I get it, but for 90% of users this super boost x2 9000.
i think a lot of has to do with this; there's not a lot of sustained climbing out here in the new england / mid atlantic region, so its not really necessitated. i mean, i'm super out of shape and i'm still rolling around on an 11-34 cassette and a 32t chainring and i don't find myself saying "gee self, you know, we could have made it up that climb if you had a wider range cassette"

but if i lived in the PNW, and i was riding trails where i had one big climb followed by one big descent, i'd have a much different outlook.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
i think a lot of has to do with this; there's not a lot of sustained climbing out here in the new england / mid atlantic region, so its not really necessitated. i mean, i'm super out of shape and i'm still rolling around on an 11-34 cassette and a 32t chainring and i don't find myself saying "gee self, you know, we could have made it up that climb if you had a wider range cassette"

but if i lived in the PNW, and i was riding trails where i had one big climb followed by one big descent, i'd have a much different outlook.
sure, but what I'm crabbin about is that they're marketed to every person under the sun, when many, many people live outside of the PNW and can get away just fine with the 11speed 10-42t that sram makes.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
I feel I'm in a good spot with my 9-42t 11-sp SRAM cassettes and a 32t or 30t chainring. I ride that as my "daily driver" setup on the east coast, but I've been to the west coast, the southwest, and even the southern hemisphere with this setup and haven't really felt held back in any way. I've never wanted a larger cassette.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,261
8,767
Crawlorado
Not sure I’ve ever encountered a situation where the 50T in the rear would be an asset. I wager by the time my legs needed that kind of gearing I’d be going too slowly to keep my balance anyway. At least that seems to be the case with the 42T rear I’m pushing around now.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
Not sure I’ve ever encountered a situation where the 50T in the rear would be an asset. I wager by the time my legs needed that kind of gearing I’d be going too slowly to keep my balance anyway.
I'll disagree for me - I have 32x50 as my low range and STILL have situations where I could use a 30 or even a 28.

For example - I may have been able to climb that entire Lenawee jeep road to the top of A-Basin with a 28x50 low combo.

Well, maybe *more* of it.

:D
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
Not sure I’ve ever encountered a situation where the 50T in the rear would be an asset. I wager by the time my legs needed that kind of gearing I’d be going too slowly to keep my balance anyway. At least that seems to be the case with the 42T rear I’m pushing around now.
Well, while I was recovering from surgery and only able to pedal with one leg....but I HTFU and dealt with it.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
OK, so those of you who have wished for a lower gear...have you also wished for a higher gear on the same ride? With things like cinch and honestly the ease of 4 chainring bolts, you can simply swap in a new chainring if you need more climbing.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
I'll disagree for me - I have 32x50 as my low range and STILL have situations where I could use a 30 or even a 28.

For example - I may have been able to climb that entire Lenawee jeep road to the top of A-Basin with a 28x50 low combo.

Well, maybe *more* of it.

:D
I think we tend to think that, but it's more about fitness than gearing, that's how SS operate, there's no good reason why they should be able to turn those gear combos and in races, they are often real close to the top geared guys, yet, if the SSers use gears, it's not like they somehow blast way ahead with a crazy advantage. The gearing makes less difference than we think it does IME. Getting cadence up takes work and training, but just having lower gears isn't a final solution to this. We are going lower with the low combos than we had with 3x10 and 3x9, and somehow it's still not low enough yet? I think the manufacturers have done a good job of giving us usable range, without the extra that doesn't really do anything. No one is losing races because they don't have a 44t ring. i see the gearing bubble kind of like many others, going to some extremes, but hopefully coming back to a somewhat stable range. Maybe with a few extremes available, but I'm with the 50t is ridiculous group.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,572
24,186
media blackout
I'll disagree for me - I have 32x50 as my low range and STILL have situations where I could use a 30 or even a 28.

For example - I may have been able to climb that entire Lenawee jeep road to the top of A-Basin with a 28x50 low combo.

Well, maybe *more* of it.

:D
Have you considered improving your fitness level? Or are you ready to give up on life and get an ebike
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,379
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
I'm working on fitness now that bike season is (close to) rolling around.

That being said - my fitness days of yore are likely over. Sometimes a lower gear would get me up some stuff I might otherwise walk. Especially early in the season like the other day when I had to fucking walk a couple sections that I had no issue with last fall. :mad:

Just sayin' that 50-tooth, for me, has proven to be an asset... and that I could use even MORE help sometimes.

Not ready for an e-bike yet, though - that shit is for REALLY old fuckers. :p

We are going lower with the low combos than we had with 3x10 and 3x9, and somehow it's still not low enough yet?
Full disclosure - I also ran out of gears running a 3x9. :D
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,192
19,158
Canaderp
I'm working on fitness now that bike season is (close to) rolling around.

That being said - my fitness days of yore are likely over. Sometimes a lower gear would get me up some stuff I might otherwise walk. Especially early in the season like the other day when I had to fucking walk a couple sections that I had no issue with last fall. :mad:

Just sayin' that 50-tooth, for me, has proven to be an asset... and that I could use even MORE help sometimes.

Not ready for an e-bike yet, though - that shit is for REALLY old fuckers. :p


Full disclosure - I also ran out of gears running a 3x9. :D
Just leaves you with more energy for going down. :D
 

oldfart

Turbo Monkey
Jul 5, 2001
1,206
24
North Van
It’s not about range but useful range. I run a 10-50 Eagle with a 32 which gives me a low enough low for the steepest climbs here and still I have to walk a few places but that’s OK. When I had an 11-42 I needed a 30 ring but a 30 x 11 wasn’t high enough for road transfers to and from trails so I would get dropped by others. I don’t use the 10 much but I do from time to time so I think I have a useful range.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
Agree with most points...but how old are you?
Big 40. I see the necessity of some of the 50-52t stuff for riding uphill on ice (with studs). You have to make your pedal strokes real smooth to avoid slipping and real low gears helps, plus the weight of the wheels and tires people run in these things, not unusual to see 28x52, but this is a niche IMO.

I’m not against 10-50 all that much, but the steady march towards even more range is getting ridiculous IMO. No one needs a 9t and the gearing doesn’t make as big a difference as some people think IMO.
 
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OK, so those of you who have wished for a lower gear...have you also wished for a higher gear on the same ride? With things like cinch and honestly the ease of 4 chainring bolts, you can simply swap in a new chainring if you need more climbing.
Yes. I miss front derailleurs and the range they offered. When you're getting on towards mile 50 or 60 range becomes more desirable.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,630
5,444
Range is not a big deal when you live in flat Denmark. Then closer ratio is better.

I remember reading something about durability issues with the first gen but I am not sure?
Same for me in Australia, I just ordered a road cassette which is 11-36 11 speed. I was looking at 11-40 but then I can't use a short cage Saint mech, if it's too steep or I'm too unfit I'll walk.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,261
8,767
Crawlorado
Yes. I miss front derailleurs and the range they offered. When you're getting on towards mile 50 or 60 range becomes more desirable.
Speaking of which, whatever happened to the Truvativ Hammerschmidt? Cool concept, but I never really followed to see why and when they faded into obscurity.