11-36 cassette on an Ultegra Cyclocross bike
Discussion
E65Ross said:
Maybe some people don't want to get off the bike? Plus, pushing a bike up a hill can be a pain in the backside. I think you're looking at it too simply, it's also to do with energy expenditure, which your "easier walking" thing doesn't account for. The cranks may be going round faster but you'd be putting in less power per rotation. It's quite complex but if it makes it easier to actually stay on the bike and continue pedaling, then I don't see a harm in that 
That might be true but in the title he did say it's a cyclocross bike, a key part of cyclocross is knowing when it's more efficient to get off and push. If I decided I didn't want to get off a cyclocross bike I wouldn't get very far:
Now that I see that it's being used for some crazy hills on road rather than muddy races it makes more sense but I would still feel like I wasn't getting anywhere spinning a 34-40, however PTaylor73 will probably have considerably better knees than me in the future because of it.
PTaylor73 said:
Just saw the Hope Expander Sprocket.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Hope+T-Rex+Expan...
It will give 11-40 instead of 11-36. The 17t in the cassette is removed, so you get both 36t and 40t.
Will also change the front 52t back to 46t -- it may be that I can shorten the chain a little as well.
Pics when I do it...
Better than that, a purpose made 11-42 (or 11-40) cassette?https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Hope+T-Rex+Expan...
It will give 11-40 instead of 11-36. The 17t in the cassette is removed, so you get both 36t and 40t.
Will also change the front 52t back to 46t -- it may be that I can shorten the chain a little as well.
Pics when I do it...
Sunrace do them in 10-speed. Have one my 1x gravel bike, in readiness for some fully loaded, on/off-road alp climbing.
E65Ross said:
Maybe some people don't want to get off the bike? Plus, pushing a bike up a hill can be a pain in the backside. I think you're looking at it too simply, it's also to do with energy expenditure, which your "easier walking" thing doesn't account for. The cranks may be going round faster but you'd be putting in less power per rotation. It's quite complex but if it makes it easier to actually stay on the bike and continue pedaling, then I don't see a harm in that
I'm with you Ross! Failed on Hardknott on this year's Fred, 36/32 combo not enough for me. It was very hard pushing the bike up there though, cleats not helping either, luckily it was dry. I felt like I was bent in half at the waist and my back started to complain. This thread is giving me ideas for next time...if there is a next time!
Rob_T said:
blimey, so you're running a 52/34 up front and an 11/36 at the back so your smallest gear is a 34/36. That is a tiny tiny gear for a light cx bike with skinny wheels. the smallest i run is a 36/28 and i can climb walls with that.
where do you ride?
In my opinion it's not just about being able to climb.... It's about making the climbs easier and more comfortable. I'm running a 50/34 with 12-30T yet a hill I regularly go up is around 17% (and I do lots over 10%) and I did one today which was around 15% and even in the smallest gear of 34/30 I was only doing around 70rpm and just to get up it I was into VO2 max power zone..... So whilst I can get up it without much bother, if I was running 36T at the back my cadence would have been around 85rpm which is much more comfortable! where do you ride?
I won't go for a 36 simply because it means the gears would be too spread out for my liking but I understand why some people would want that, surely you can as well.
Another agree with Ross from me! My old bike had a 53/39, and a 12-25 cassette initially. On any hilly ride with friends, they would all sit in the saddle for longer than me, and all pull away from me slowly uphills, spinning away. When the cassette wore out, I got a 12-27 and noticed I could sit for longer into a hill and felt less knackered at the end of it. May even have got a 12-29 next!
Current bike came with an 11-28 and a semi-compact, now has an 11-32 and really enjoying that. I like to dance on the pedals and would love to be able to climb anything with a 12-25, but those days are gone, if I ever had that ability.
Current bike came with an 11-28 and a semi-compact, now has an 11-32 and really enjoying that. I like to dance on the pedals and would love to be able to climb anything with a 12-25, but those days are gone, if I ever had that ability.
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