Cassett Preference... and use

[terrytnt]

I'm getting ready to replace my Campy 10 cog cassett and was curious what serious riders usually use. I ride a mixed terrain with many rolling hills, 53/39 chain rings and rarely use 12 occasionally 23, 100-200 miles per week and 95 rpm.

12-23 (12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,23)

Just curious :D

[stuckey]

I use a 13-26 with a compact but I tend to ride 6-24 hour rides so super fast is not a thing I need to be.

[wasfast]

The 12-23 is a great option for general riding because you get nearly all 1 tooth changes. 12-25 is probably the most used cassette. Cassette choice varies widely with rider ability and terrain.

FYI, I use a 12-23,39/53 on my TT bike but 12-25, 34/50 on my 2 road bikes.

[Dave]

This seems like a no-brainer. If you seldom use the 12 or the 23, you've got all the cogs you need. There's no other choice that would be an improvement.

What others use is irrelevant. I've seen young racers heading into the mountains with an 11-23 and 53/39 crank. On the same route, I use an 11-25 with a 50/34 and I use both extremes often. My comfortable maximum cadence must be slowing because the 50/11 sees a lot of use on the descent. A 50/12 just wouldn't cut it.

[bigbill]

I ride a 39/53 and use a 13-26 or 12-25 here in the hilly PNW. With the 13-26 I can stay in the big ring over some of the less steep or long hills. The 39X26 feels good on the last climb into my neighborhood at the end of a long ride. I will probably use the 12-25 on the Seattle to Portland next month to give me one tooth spacing for the relatively flat ride. IME, between miles 170 and 200, sometimes a two tooth jump will stall my legs.

11-25 is no good for me, I like having a 16.

[Andreas]

13-29

because it works for ascutney, lincoln gap, king road, the wall of jericho, washington

and all the other local climbs

[terrytnt]

Hey Bigbill,

where are your gaps on the 12-25? Do you loose the 18? I actually like the one cog tooth difference until I reach the 19 (19,21,23). But I admit there are times where a 25 would be helpful to maintain high rpm up hills. I'm leaning towards keeping my ratio as before, 12-23.

[skijoring]

Ugh. Lincoln Gap. The East side of that is just sick and wrong. I rode up and over on the MTB: 22 X 34. No walking in that gear. :)

[TAW]

I use a 53-39 with a 12-23. Very seldom if ever use the 23, but I keep it for the security of knowing I always have at least one more gear. I'd switch to the 11, but I like the gaps of the 12-23 (9 speed). I'm not a sprinter, so the 11 isn't a need.

[handsomerob]

I stumbled on what may be my new favorite. I had a Ritchey cyclocross crankset with a 48/38 on it and the swapped the 48 for a 50 I had in the parts bin. Mated to a 12/28 cassette, the combo has a great range and two very usable front chain rings.

I keep discovering new preferences with regard to cycling.

A somewhat double edged discovery was the versitility of the 50T big ring. I was a bit disappointed to come to the realization that I am not strong enough to "need" a 53T, but it was nice to have a far greater use for the big ring in normal riding.

For anyone that hasn't considered a 50T big ring, I would have to say for most cyclists a 50/12 is plenty of gear. For me, it is good for around 34mph at a relatively comfortable short term cadence. For reference a 50/12 is a bit taller than a 53/13 and a 50/11 is a good bit taller than a 53/12.

I have recently started to use a 50/34 with a 12/25 on another bike, but so far I have discovered there aren't enough steep inclines around here to warrant the 34T small ring. So a 50/38 seems to be ideal for my mostly flat terrain (especially with the 28T bail out in the rear).

[bigbill]

Hey Bigbill,

where are your gaps on the 12-25? Do you loose the 18? I actually like the one cog tooth difference until I reach the 19 (19,21,23). But I admit there are times where a 25 would be helpful to maintain high rpm up hills. I'm leaning towards keeping my ratio as before, 12-23.


12-25 is the same ratio as an eight speed 12-21 with a 23 and 25. No 18. No even numbered climbing gears.

[Pete Serotta]

Tried and proven,.....stay with it...wish I could push a 23 in Bucks County.

Centeur or Chorus are fine - unless you just like RECORD.

PETE

I'm getting ready to replace my Campy 10 cog cassett and was curious what serious riders usually use. I ride a mixed terrain with many rolling hills, 53/39 chain rings and rarely use 12 occasionally 23, 100-200 miles per week and 95 rpm.

12-23 (12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,23)

Just curious :D

[RPS]

and was curious what serious riders usually useDon't know your definition of serious, but I use 11-21 on 9-speed and 11-23 on 10-speed.

However, what I use should mean nothing to you. For example, I ride over 90 percent of miles where it is perfectly flat, and stay between the 13 and 17 most of the time.

Also, without me specifying chainring sizes the cassette I use shouldn't mean much either. From what you describe it sounds like you've made a great choice already and should stay with it.

[soulspinner]

No mountains, just rollers, 53/39-12/25. But Im slow these days...I remember when I called a cassette like that a plate :)

[tmanley]

I just went back to compact gearing (50/34) and have found the need for an 11-23. I used to ride a 53/39 with a 12-25. My cadence up hills has improved 7-10 rpm's depending on the climb, which is feeling much better on the legs than before. I can't imagine what it will be like to do some of the steeper Bay Area climbs in my 13-29! I'll bust that out for the low-key hillclimbing series this fall.

Decided to order a Centaur cassette as it was much more economical for my tastes and it wasn't worth the extra couple of hundred dollars for the Record version.

[terrytnt]

Interesting feedback folks... and thanks for your POVs and comments. I totally realize this is a person question, just curious what others ride.

Buck County & Princeton North by the Delaware is fabulous riding and though I've been using the 23 cog more more these days, that's because I've been working on keeping my cadence at 90+ up hills. Think I've proved to myself to stay with 12-23 for now (appreciate your comments Pete).

Off to Lickbike for my Campy cassett and record chain.

thanks again folks...