cassette - strange experience

[buzlevin]

Here's the question - what should I do?

Living in the rolling hills of Maryland (and then some) i have always used a traditional set on the back 12 - 25 and the normal duce on the front,
I recently hung up my 17 year old Merlin for a newer Fugi Team racing cycle (much liter) which had much different gearing 11 - 21 in the back.
My riding seemed to be much stronger and I was up the hills aggressively passing my team on the way. Now I attributed this to my recent 13 pound weight loss coupled with a liter cycle ... and enjoyed it all !.
Recently I had a tech look at my cycle and he mentioned that the racing gearing was exceptionally aggressive for this area, not to mention my 59 years of experience !
I am now due to replace all gearing, chains, etc. for the annual/mileage requirements and am thinking... am I nuts? should I go to a 12 - 25 or in between with a 11 - 23 or stay and replace the 11 - 21. I feel great and the hill experience is wonderful (even though feeling a little strange for me).
I don't want to loose this 'thing' but also don't want to spend a great deal on the wrong combo.

ANY ADVISE for the experts ? Am I nuts. Should I go between, to the norm for this area or stay with the new and feeling great. I am just prior to the PMC (Pan Mass Challenge <dbl cent.> in early Aug. <also hilly> so I need some added opinion.


buzz

[obtuse]

what makes you think some moron who works at a bike shop has a better idea about what gearing you should use than you?

stick with what works. 12-25 with a 39t chainring IS hilly condition gearing.

obtuse

[buzlevin]

got the chain ring rig down
but the rear cassette I am using now is 11 - 21 and a speedy gimmick, not for the hills here, but works (non the less)
so you are saying stay with the 11 -21 (which is what I am 'in-climbed' to do
b

[obtuse]

got the chain ring rig down
but the rear cassette I am using now is 11 - 21 and a speedy gimmick, not for the hills here, but works (non the less)
so you are saying stay with the 11 -21 (which is what I am 'in-climbed' to do
b

yes. the "rolling hills" of maryland are not mountains.

obtuse

[saab2000]

I use a 12-23. It is suitable for almost all terrain. An 11-tooth cog is virtually useless. Yeah, you will shift into it on the occasional downhill, but the 12 will be just as good and the 18 you will get in exchange is a very useful gear sometimes.

12-23 or 12-25

[buzlevin]

good comment SAAB,
thanks
into consideration on this advise
buzz

[Grant McLean]

It's a win-win.

I'm not real sure why it's a tough choice. If you buy a 12-23 or a 12-25,
it still comes with a 21 tooth cog, right? So if you like climbing in the 21,
keep doing it.

Like Obtuse sometimes says, if you want a single speed bike,
just don't change gears.

g

[Tom]

Of course I'm the idiot you see riding around in his little ring all day, but it's a Goldilocks thing. The 12-25 wasn't quite right. With the 11-23 I can stay in the little ring and cruise 20-21 and top out about 25-26 on those days and other days go big ring when I hook up with the group and we're in the mood to drill it. The 11's there for two reasons, it's a spacer for the 12 when I'm in the little ring and in the big ring I actually use it coming off a couple of the hills around here because I can carry speed for a while and I climb hills for two reasons. I like going up them but I really like coming down them fast. I do have a 53-39 in front so I guess if I had a 54-42 I'd do it differently.

Changing from the 12-25 definitely has made me stronger. I think I used the 25 just because I had it. That being said, there are rides I think I'd switch that back on in order to be able to do them. I still haven't gone over geared this way and taken a rip at a couple of the local very steep ones yet but it's on the list.

[Too Tall]

You live in Maryland? Do you know a guy named Smiley?

[Kevan]

Do I have to say it?

[palincss]

I am now due to replace all gearing, chains, etc. for the annual/mileage requirements and am thinking... am I nuts? should I go to a 12 - 25 or in between with a 11 - 23 or stay and replace the 11 - 21.

Just how many miles do you have on this rig, anyway? And how do you know you are "due to replace all gearing"? Have you measured it?

Changing chains and cassettes should be based on wear, not on "annual" or arbitrary "mileage" requirements. What is more, most of us have to change cassettes far less frequently than chains.

Sometimes the advice you get from people who work at bike shops in this regard is more oriented, I think, towards their benefit than yours. I recently observed a shop rat selling a poor befuddled customer a chain, cassette and a complete set of chain rings on a road bike with around 2,000 miles on it. Perhaps on an MTB or a cross bike heavily used in mud - but chain rings at 2,000 miles? Give me a break - I've got chain rings with over 20,000 miles on them that are still OK. I also have several chains with significantly more than 2,000 miles on them that according to the chain wear gauges are still well within tolerance.

One last thing, related to your posting but not to the section quoted above: "liter" is a unit of liquid measurement in the metric scale. It does not mean "weighs less" -- that is "lighter". :no: