Road Cycling - Cassette Size?

I'm just getting back into biking...live in Boston Metro West suburbs.

I'm in pretty decent shape for a 40 yr. old bald guy. Bought an aluminum bike w/Ultegra....LOVE IT!

Bike came w/double chain rings and 11x23 cassette. I'm thinking that's a little aggressive for someone my age who's just getting back into it. (I've also already used lowest gear plenty of times on what seem like wimpy hills)

Questions...
Should I go for a 12x27, or will a 12x25 be enough of an improvement?

I have a chain whip and a remover tool from my old freewheel days. Is changing the cassette pretty easy? It looks like it should be easier than undoing a freewheel because one doesn't have all that torque constantly tightening the lock ring.

Do some people keep 2 o3 on hand and use whichever suits that day's ride?

Thanks, and sorry for the long post..

I personally ride alot of hills so I went with a 12-25 I've yet to use the 25 but it's there if I need it. I would get the 12-27 and as you get stronger go with the 12-25 it might take a while but you can use it as a goal.

A 12-25 should be be good enough, as long as you aren't going up serious mountains, from the sound of what your riding is, a 12-25 should be good. Changing the cassette is easy, as long as your removal tool is the correct tool. As far as I know the cassette requires a specific removal tool, specific to the brand of cassette. If anyone else knows better, please post.

Big R I'd agree here with Sherpa, good to go to big and then grow into the smaller cogs...

I certianly do do a form of what you're asking here, about keeping 2 or 3 cassets' around and use them as needed, I do it with different bikes, I have 3 road bikes and two of them have the 11-23 on them the other is for hill climbing and easy touring, it has a triple on the front and a 12-25 or something like that on the back...So yeah I think for some people it would be common to have 2 or 3 different cassetts..

Benjamin

My road rig has a 12-27 rear and a triple crankset. I've found myself using the granny gear less and less but I always manage to find a hill where I need those short gears. Get a 12-27 and keep your 11-23 aside for when you get faster and stronger.

And I must say that I commend you for having the cajones to go with a double :D

Before answering we need more info. Like how in shape are you are, you said decent shape which is a good indicator. How much do you want to ride? Where are you going to ride, it's been a long time since I've been to Boston, but I don't remember it being torurous with hills/mountains. What are your goals, do you want to race, or just ride for fun? Are you a spinner or a gear masher?

All of those will effect the decision of which cassette to buy.

For instance I live in S. Florida, where the biggest hill I'll most likely encounter is an overpass of the highway. My ride came with a 13-25 on the back of it, and even in the biggest head winds I never got myself into my 39x25 gear (even when I was REALLY out of shape), so I swapped the cassette for a 12-23, which will eventually get swapped for a 11-23 or 11-21. And the front chainring combo will get swapped to something bigger as well.

Match your gearing to your riding style and the roads you ride on.

Andrew

Originally posted by k2bikerider
As far as I know the cassette requires a specific removal tool, specific to the brand of cassette.

Correct. You will need a chainwhip to hold the cassette while unlocking it and a Shimano-compatible cassette lock ring remover.

Both tools can be from different manufacturers; and they shouldn’t be too expensive...

Originally posted by Big R

Questions...
Should I go for a 12x27, or will a 12x25 be enough of an improvement?

I have a chain whip and a remover tool from my old freewheel days. Is changing the cassette pretty easy? It looks like it should be easier than undoing a freewheel because one doesn't have all that torque constantly tightening the lock ring.

Do some people keep 2 o3 on hand and use whichever suits that day's ride?


I'd go with the 12-27, if you're not racing and you need it for the hills. The coarser spacing will bother you less than having to walk up a hill. You can always just pretend it's a 12x24 8-speed.

You'll need a Shimano-specific splined cassette tool. They're not expensive. Get the Park.

Sure, some people keep multiple cassettes, or even multiple wheels with different cassettes already installed. Some people are nuts, but it's a beautiful insanity.

Oh, and check your chain length if you go up to the 27.

RichC

Being true psychic I will predict that some day you will be tired, or facing a real headwind, or carrying a hesvy load, or will be out of shape, or face a steep, long hill, or maybe even meet several of these conditions at once, and may need a shorter gear. In the meantime, how close do your other gears have to be? Go with the bigger cassette.

How does anyone else know what you need?

thanks for all the quick responses.

boudreaux, no one else knows what I need. However, I've already determined that 11x23 is a little tight, and I could use something bigger. Rather than spend my money on trial and error, I thought I'd seek the collective wisdom of posters and go from there. The fact that it's pretty easy to change is somewhat helpful.

I think I'll try the 12x27 for a while, and go from there.

Thanks again

When you buy your 12-27 or 12-28, get one of the "lower grade" ones, like HG-50, HG-70, 105. The main differences between them and "higher grade" ones are:

- much cheaper

- heavier (but it only really matters if you race)

- cogs are individually assembled and held together with tiny bolts or rivets (that you can remove), whereas more expensive cassettes use a spider.



If and when you find that you don't use the lower gears that much, you could either re-install the original 12-23 cassette or build your own with gears coming from each cassette. A good combination could be:
12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-27,
with the "27" used exceptionnally as a bail-out gear.