Rant about cogsets

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike.
Both are presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered
upgrades, like going to 9 speed with it. Being Florida and mostly
flat, I've been happy with the 12-28 cassettes I've been running. I
rarely use the 12, but it's got an excuse, someday I'll be in a race
and need it (I hope to eventually race at a level that such a thing
could make a difference) mostly it's there in case. The 28 gets
pretty darned lonely. I don't remember actually using it, but it
could happen and I figure if I ever do want it, I'll want it real
bad. We won't even talk about the granny ring up front, I don't think
it's been used since I adjusted the limit screws (it'll be adjusted
out and gone before the end of summer)

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that
are 11-32 or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what
I've got now. The commonly available road cassettes all stop short of
the 28 I've got now. What a pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32? I
understand, elsewhere in this great country they have "terrain."
Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing bigger than a 28, were
there places that nobody could go that they go now? Doesn't it take
more skill to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand on the
pedals?

Am I missing something?

Thank you for attending this rant. And, yes, I do feel better now.

Ron

Are you saying you need a big cog between 27 and 32?
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

RonSonic <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

You are missed stating your point. What exactly do you want?

If you live in pancake country, why not just get a single speed?

I was in a similar dilemma except that I didn't have to worry about
racing. I decided to swap out my 11-28 8 speed Shimano LX(ah) with a
14-25 9 speed Shimano Tiagra. Riding on flat terrain is much nicer when
you're not skipping up 2 teeth with every shift, especially with
changing wind conditions. Also, I wasn't using the 12 or 11 gears since
I adapted to a much easier on the knees higher cadence style.

RonSonic said:

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that are 11-32
or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what I've got now. The
commonly available road cassettes all stop short of the 28 I've got now. What a
pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32?

I do. I live in the hills. Plus it's great to be able to stay in the
middle ring and not shift down to the granny.

Quoted message said:

I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?

It was long ago when 32s and 34s came out.

Quoted message said:

Doesn't it take more skill to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand
on the pedals?

Not if you know how to ride a bike.

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

Yes, being able to ride a bike.

Greg
--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

RonSonic wrote:
[can't get the cogset I want]

Go singlespeed!!! 🙂

Seriously though: I'm pretty sure Harris will send you a custom
cassette. You should give Sheldon a buzz

\\paul

RonSonic said:

Does everyone else need an 11-32?

http://llatikcuf.home.comcast.net/littlecottonwood.jpg

This ride is 20 miles up and 20 miles back from my front door. I only
do it a couple times a year. I'm probably just a wimp, but sometimes I
glad to have my 34.

-nate

RonSonic said:

Does everyone else need an 11-32?

http://llatikcuf.home.comcast.net/littlecottonwood.jpg

This ride is 20 miles up and 20 miles back from my front door. I only
do it a couple times a year. I'm probably just a wimp, but sometimes I
glad to have my 34.

-nate

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike. Both are
presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered upgrades, like going to
9 speed with it.

[skip]

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

So, 9 speed drivetrain does not give you any extra gears, makes cassette
and chain heavier and more expensive, and you still consider it as an
"upgrade" and plan to go for it. Now I am missing something.

Konstantin.

RonSonic <[email hidden]> wrote:
[...bored and wants to tinker with cogsets...]

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

<jobst>
Ride bike!
</jobst>

SCNR ,-)

--
MfG/Best regards
helmut springer

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike. Both are
presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered upgrades, like going to
9 speed with it. Being Florida and mostly flat, I've been happy with the 12-28
cassettes I've been running. I rarely use the 12, but it's got an excuse,
someday I'll be in a race and need it (I hope to eventually race at a level that
such a thing could make a difference) mostly it's there in case. The 28 gets
pretty darned lonely. I don't remember actually using it, but it could happen
and I figure if I ever do want it, I'll want it real bad. We won't even talk
about the granny ring up front, I don't think it's been used since I adjusted
the limit screws (it'll be adjusted out and gone before the end of summer)

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that are 11-32
or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what I've got now. The
commonly available road cassettes all stop short of the 28 I've got now. What a
pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32? I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?
Doesn't it take more skill to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand
on the pedals?

I'm not sure I understand your problem, but I think you're saying you
are thinking about going to 9s to give you gearing in case you do a mtb
race in a place where you will have some significant hills.

My thought on it is that if you are not able to train on that type of
terrain you will not be able to race on it. Using an 11 on a downhill
takes significant skill as does using the 32 with the small ring. I
don't see how you could possilbly use these gears in a race if you
didn't get the chance to train on terrain that required them.
Personally, I think going up a steep trail does take practice.

If you did upgrade to 9s it seems to me you should get at least 2
cassettes- one for FL and one for mountains (assuming that you get the
opportunity to train in mountains).

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike. Both are
presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered upgrades, like going to
9 speed with it. Being Florida and mostly flat, I've been happy with the 12-28
cassettes I've been running. I rarely use the 12, but it's got an excuse,
someday I'll be in a race and need it (I hope to eventually race at a level that
such a thing could make a difference) mostly it's there in case. The 28 gets
pretty darned lonely. I don't remember actually using it, but it could happen
and I figure if I ever do want it, I'll want it real bad. We won't even talk
about the granny ring up front, I don't think it's been used since I adjusted
the limit screws (it'll be adjusted out and gone before the end of summer)

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that are 11-32
or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what I've got now. The
commonly available road cassettes all stop short of the 28 I've got now. What a
pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32? I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?
Doesn't it take more skill to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand
on the pedals?

Maybe you ought to go to a decent bike shop to see that there are 9s
cogsets out there(certainly not from MO) that are say 12-28, 9s....

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

Thank you for attending this rant. And, yes, I do feel better now.

Ron

I don't see why you need to keep an unused 28-tooth bailout gear if you
aren't even using the granny either. My suggestion would be to get a
12-23 or 12-25 road cassette and make use of the granny if you need
more torque than the biggest cog provides on the middle chainring.
Consider getting a road rear derailleur to match the cassette for
better shifting if you go this way.

If you go with carrierless SRAM cassettes you can easily swap in a 26
or 28 tooth from your 8-speed cassette if you really want to keep a
bigger cog. You can even transfer 8-speed cogs to a 9-speed cassette
this way provided you only do a few to keep the spacing close to normal.

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike. Both are
presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered upgrades, like going to
9 speed with it. Being Florida and mostly flat, I've been happy with the 12-28
cassettes I've been running. I rarely use the 12, but it's got an excuse,
someday I'll be in a race and need it (I hope to eventually race at a level that
such a thing could make a difference) mostly it's there in case. The 28 gets
pretty darned lonely. I don't remember actually using it, but it could happen
and I figure if I ever do want it, I'll want it real bad. We won't even talk
about the granny ring up front, I don't think it's been used since I adjusted
the limit screws (it'll be adjusted out and gone before the end of summer)

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that are 11-32
or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what I've got now. The
commonly available road cassettes all stop short of the 28 I've got now. What a
pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32? I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?
Doesn't it take more skill to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand
on the pedals?

Maybe you ought to go to a decent bike shop to see that there are 9s
cogsets out there(certainly not from MO) that are say 12-28, 9s....

IRD is the only maker who offers 12-28 9 speed cassettes.
12-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-28. Worse than Shimano's 12-27 9 speed. At
least Shimano gives you a 12-15 straight block before starting the 2
tooth jumps. But if he absolutely has to have a 12-28 from the
factory, he can mail order from IRD.

Cheapst and best is to buy the 12-25 105 HG70 9 speed cassette from
Nashbar for $30 and replace the 25 cog with the 28 cog from his current
12-28 8 speed cassette. End up with a 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-28. The
HG70 is losse cogs and spacers when you take out the needless bolts
holding the last set of cogs and spacers together.

Nashbar does off a 11-28 9 speed cassette for $20 if changing cogs
frightens the original person.

Miche sells a 12-27 9 speed cassette in the Shimano spline pattern too.
Mail order from Universal Cycles for $36. All loose cogs so you could
easily replace the 27 cog with a 28 cog from an old 8 or 9 speed
cassette laying around.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Am I missing something?

Thank you for attending this rant. And, yes, I do feel better now.

Ron

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 03:11:36 GMT, RonSonic <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Does everyone else need an 11-32? I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?

For values of "a few years" which are close to a generation, namely 25
years. Ultegra 9 comes in a 12-27, which is damn close to 12-28.

Jasper

RonSonic said:

I live in Florida and ride mostly a mountain bike and a 'cross bike.
Both are presently 8 speed. Since it's mtb season I've considered
upgrades, like going to 9 speed with it. Being Florida and mostly flat,
I've been happy with the 12-28 cassettes I've been running. I rarely use
the 12, but it's got an excuse, someday I'll be in a race and need it (I
hope to eventually race at a level that such a thing could make a
difference) mostly it's there in case. The 28 gets pretty darned lonely.
I don't remember actually using it, but it could happen and I figure if
I ever do want it, I'll want it real bad. We won't even talk about the
granny ring up front, I don't think it's been used since I adjusted the
limit screws (it'll be adjusted out and gone before the end of summer)

So I was thinking of going to nine and everybody makes cassettes that
are 11-32 or 34 even. This will give me FEWER useful gears than what
I've got now. The commonly available road cassettes all stop short of
the 28 I've got now. What a pain. Does everyone else need an 11-32? I
understand, elsewhere in this great country they have "terrain." Still?
Just a few years ago there was nothing bigger than a 28, were there
places that nobody could go that they go now? Doesn't it take more skill
to stay upright pedaling a 22x32 than to just stand on the pedals?

Am I missing something?

Thank you for attending this rant. And, yes, I do feel better now.

Shimano arrived at 24/32 for the original XTR through testing with racers.
They found it was faster to walk than to ride gears lower than that.
That was before dual suspension bikes though. With these it's sometimes
faster and easier to ride a short, steep, rough section by spinning
furiously in a low gear, than to dismount and remount.

Also, not everyone uses Compact cranks. XTR still has a 24T small ring.

I'm not surprised you have no use for such gearing in FL. I bet you could
get by with a single chainring!

My favorite MTB gearing is a 24-34-46 crank with a 9sp 11-32 cassette. I
find the 46/11 useful on the road. I ride to the trailhead, and use my
MTB around town. Larger chainrings have less chainsuck, more cheap
aftermarket options, and last longer.

Matt O.

russellseaton1 said:

IRD is the only maker who offers 12-28 9 speed cassettes.
12-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-28. Worse than Shimano's 12-27 9 speed. At
least Shimano gives you a 12-15 straight block before starting the 2
tooth jumps. But if he absolutely has to have a 12-28 from the
factory, he can mail order from IRD.

Cheapst and best is to buy the 12-25 105 HG70 9 speed cassette from
Nashbar for $30 and replace the 25 cog with the 28 cog from his current
12-28 8 speed cassette. End up with a 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-28. The
HG70 is losse cogs and spacers when you take out the needless bolts
holding the last set of cogs and spacers together.

Nashbar does off a 11-28 9 speed cassette for $20 if changing cogs
frightens the original person.

Miche sells a 12-27 9 speed cassette in the Shimano spline pattern too.
Mail order from Universal Cycles for $36. All loose cogs so you could
easily replace the 27 cog with a 28 cog from an old 8 or 9 speed
cassette laying around.

What about SRAM?

Matt O.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What about SRAM?

SRAM Roads go up to 26. MTBs start at 32.

RonSonic said:

Does everyone else need an 11-32? I understand, elsewhere in this great
country they have "terrain." Still? Just a few years ago there was nothing
bigger than a 28, were there places that nobody could go that they go now?

In the early '80s, you could get a freewheel with a 38 tooth large
sprocket. I still have a couple. Now I use 11-34 freewheels because
they have a larger overall range.

In my town, there are paved streets with slopes up to 27%. There are
thoroughfares that exceed 20% in spots. If I could get an 11-38
freewheel or cassette, I would.

In Florida, why wouldn't it be satisfactory to use a coaster braked
bike, or a fixie? I can see why you might want _some_ gears, but what
the heck do you need 18 of them for? Why not use a straight block and
run it with a single ring? That way you'd have the close ratios you
desire while shedding a little weight and extraneous junk from your
ride. Make it 8-speed rather than 9 (or 7-speed instead of 8), and
you'll save money in the process.

Chalo Colina

Llatikcuf said:

RonSonic said:

Does everyone else need an 11-32?

http://llatikcuf.home.comcast.net/littlecottonwood.jpg

This ride is 20 miles up and 20 miles back from my front door. I only
do it a couple times a year. I'm probably just a wimp, but sometimes I
glad to have my 34.

I'll bet. That looks fun and I'll bet you get to use all your gears.

I can do 20 miles out and back without having any one change in altitude greater
than 50 feet. Even that may be more than what I see. Not that there isn't plenty
of altitude change, but it would look more like a roller coaster profile. Or as
one guys described Florida terrain, "like a slice of swiss cheese on a table
top."

Ron