Cassette Advice

[Marek]

Am off to Italy and the Pyrenees in June and need to get a new cassette for my bike as made the school boy error of running my chain on it for too long doh. Anyhow, I have a compact chainset so should I go for:

12 - 25
13 - 26
13 - 29

Not sure whether I would need a longer derailler for the 29, have run a large cog on the back before but think it was a 28 and was ok. Should I go for the safety net of the 29 or is having the 12 up my sleeve a better option for the flats.

By the way, when it comes to mountain ascents I tend to climb pretty badly, which is why I went for the compact, what are your thoughts.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Dombo]

Go for the 29. If you don't I guarantee there will be some point on a mountain, probably just as you crawl past one of those gradient signs saying average 10% for the next km but with a 100 yard downhill stretch to tease you, where you will wish you had.

[Marek]

Do i need a longer mech for this?

[Paul H]

A compact chainset? You are turning in to a big girl - stop hanging around with those East Grinstead waisters.

I guess the small ring is a 34 so would have thought a 25 would be more than enough. From my experience, a lot of mountain roads in europe are not that steep anyway.

[Toks]

[quote="Marek"]Am off to Italy and the Pyrenees in June and need to get a new cassette for my bike as made the school boy error of running my chain on it for too long doh. Anyhow, I have a compact chainset so should I go for:

12 - 25
13 - 26
13 - 29

Not sure whether I would need a longer derailler for the 29, have run a large cog on the back before but think it was a 28 and was ok. Should I go for the safety net of the 29 or is having the 12 up my sleeve a better option for the flats.

By the way, when it comes to mountain ascents I tend to climb pretty badly, which is why I went for the compact, what are your thoughts.
Cheers

Marek.....

[Snoop Doug]

I used a 28 for Ventoux, but not a compact on the front. Hey - I may be unfit, but I'm not a girl

Just kidding Marek - but I do agree w Dombo, go big, you'll need it.

Have fun

[Sylv]

FYI Ventoux I had 39 x 25 and had to stand up most of the way

[Andrew G]

Technically you should use a medium cage with a 29 but if you avoided small small or big big combinations it would be okay. I'd go for the 13-26 though. It's a better all rounder of a casette and you'll get more use from it back in blighty. You would almost certainly be okay with the 25 but you may as well have an emergency spocket after the 23.

[Paul H]

I would have thought youd spin out on the descents with a 13x26.

[quote]FYI Ventoux I had 39 x 25 and had to stand up most of the way

[Andrew G]

You'll spin out on the descents anyway particularly with a 50 can't see a 12 over a 13 would make much difference. On the east bits of descents I can't pedal a normal gear at 50 plus mph anyway. For what it's worth Marek I had a compact with a 13-26 in Majorca and could keep up on the hammerfest down the main road back from Puig, just spin your less faster .

[Ian A4size]

Marek,
I used a '29 on the Ventoux with a 39/53 on the front- didnt use the big ring that much on the ascent if I remember correctly- i did use a medium cage.
However I was a lot fitter/lighter then.
Its a long old climb- all three ways up. Keep the cassette and chain together and use it for those hilly rides/sportives.

[Marek]

So it sounds like the 13 - 26 will be adequate with the compact on the front as I don't really want to fork out for a new derailler as well.

Toks, I have been training but trying to do longer hillier rides, the club run is just too flat and considering I have the Ashdown Forest on my doorstep I have been heading south with a few other guys and have been hitting the hills. Was feeling quite good until a cold hit me today, but reckon I will shake that off quick enough.

Cheers

Marek....

[Mike I]

I used a 13-25 on 50/34 for the Marmotte and didn't feel I needed anything lower.

[Keith]

[quote="Mike I"]...... the Marmotte .......

[David.Hilbert]

Read the big ring thread.
Then, put an 11-20 cassette on and just put your heels through it (my son).