Using a wide ratio cassette in a 2x setup?
Using a wide ratio cassette in a 2x setup?
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Celtic Dragon

Original Poster:

3,350 posts

264 months

Sunday 22nd January 2017
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Been toying with the idea of running a wide ratio cassette in my 2x setup, for bike packing. I'm only talking a 11 - 40 (ideally ending in 36, 38, 40) here so nothing extreme. Thinking about Italy last year a couple of lower gears than the 24x36 would have been nice with the weight of the bike.

Am I bonkers for considering it? I suspect, I'll end up with n 18 speed, as I won't be able to run large (38t and large rear 40t together because of chain length.

E65Ross

36,729 posts

241 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
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I reckon it'd be possible, obviously you'd most likely be looking at a mountain bike cassette, and you'd need a rear mountain bike cassette as well. May also want to check whether you'd need new shifters, too.

I'm running 10 speed 50/34 up front and 12-30 at the back, I'd rather 12-32 but alas, I don't think such a cassette exists. I do a fair few steep climbs (15-20%) and so the lower gearing is quite handy.

leyorkie

1,813 posts

205 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
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Yes it's possible and I'm going to do it for my next Ventoux trip, I was passed by two riders both spinning a 40.
You will need to modify your rear gear set up but if you google it's all available. One piece of kit drops your rear mech away from the drop out so that the top pulley fits below a 40 cog, I think it's called a roadlink or something like that.
There's also a gizmo that translates road sti shifters to mtb rear mech if you need to change as its not exactly the same movement.


Edited by leyorkie on Monday 23 January 12:03

leyorkie

1,813 posts

205 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
quotequote all
Yes it's possible and I'm going to do it for my next Ventoux trip, I was passed by two riders both spinning a 40.
You will need to modify your rear gear set up but if you google it's all available. One piece of kit drops your rear mech away from the drop out so that the top pulley fits below a 40 cog, I think it's called a roadlink or something like that.
There's also a gizmo that translates road sti shifters to mtb rear mech if you need to change as its not exactly the same movement.


Edited by leyorkie on Tuesday 24th January 09:10

Celtic Dragon

Original Poster:

3,350 posts

264 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
quotequote all
leyorkie said:
Yes it's possible and I'm going to do it for my next Ventoux trip, I was passed by two riders both spinning a 40.
You will need to modify your rear gear set up but if you google it's all available. One piece of kit drops your rear mech away from the drop out so that the top pulley fits below a 40 cog, I think it's called a roadlink or something like that.
There's also a gizmo that translates road sti shifters to mtb rear mech if you need to change as its not exactly the same movement.


Edited by leyorkie on Monday 23 January 12:03
The Gizmo is called a Goat Link, and yes, its an MTB we are talking about.

Thankfully, I shouldn't need one thanks to the Cube frame. I can just about squeeze my direct mount SLX mech past a 42T.

Barchettaman

7,251 posts

161 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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Celtic, what is your crankset? 50/36 with 100BCD?

If so you can go with a 34 up front and a 30 or even a 32 out the back, you might need to wind the B-screw in but it´ll probably work.

That´s take you from 34.5 inch smallest gear to 29.7 or 27.9, so a pretty big difference! 28 inches is a nice bail-out crawler gear to have when loaded touring.



Edited by Barchettaman on Tuesday 24th January 12:16

Celtic Dragon

Original Poster:

3,350 posts

264 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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38/26 with a 104 BCD.

Bike fully loaded is 20kgs, and I'm 90kgs!

Barchettaman

7,251 posts

161 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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Oops, sorry, misread your first post. I thought the 38 was the inner ring.

richardxjr

7,561 posts

239 months

Wednesday 25th January 2017
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Take less stuff and run 32t oval 11-40 it'll be fine.

(that's half a kilo off already)

Celtic Dragon

Original Poster:

3,350 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th January 2017
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You cheeky begger!!!

To be fair, kit is only about 8kgs, 4kgs sleeping kit, and 4 - 5 kgs for everything else. More like loose 10kgs off me, before anyone says anything.

And I still wouldn't want to run a 1x on this censoredhttps://www.strava.com/segments/13452937