Touring - Touring cassettes

I've heard rumours of touring-specific cassettes, with a range of like 14-34t (9 speed). Anyone know who makes such a thing, where to get one, etc? Anyone had any experience? The benefit would obviously be closer spacing in the range you're using most of the time.

Fwiw, my chainrings are 50-39-26, my cassette is currently 11-34. I do quite a few 3-4 day trips on road in hilly but not mountainous terrain, but these days am doing more and more off-road stuff. I almost never use the big ring...

Harris does custom ones but they're spendy $125USD for a go:
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html

Thanks - looks good except, as you point out, pricey. Have you used it?

Thanks - looks good except, as you point out, pricey. Have you used it?

look lower on the page. they sell a 12/36 for something like $59

There are Shimano SLX 9-sp MTB cassettes that are 12-36 and cost around $50 or Deore 11-34 that are around $30.

Adam

I've mixed and matched 2 different sram cassettes before. You might be able to get an 11-32 and an 11-34, and make your own cassette since they seem to have different cogs. You might need to keep the 11 on there though, since it has the locking doodad on it. So you might be able to do something like: 11,15,16,17,20,23,26,30,34.

(I use a $30 12-23 sram cassette but i replaced the 23T with an sram 34T which works fine, but I can't garuntee what I'm recommending will work since i've never tried it)

I can't figure out why there isn't a purpose-built 14-34 from one of the manufacturers. It would seem that there would be more demand for this than what there is of some of the many individual roadie combos. There must be a good reason....

AngrySaki, do you think the 11t would still be usable in that configuration? It's an interesting idea...I didn't mention that my current 11-34 is worn out, hence my search, so it's actually not that bad for me if I have to buy another one (plus a different cassette).

Can Shimano cassettes be mixed-and-matched? Maybe a 12-36t mixed with an 11-34 or something, to give 12-36 but with most gears at the lower end. I wonder if it would even be possible to make two useful cassettes, one for commuting, and one for touring/offroad.

Incidentally, I saw some alarming comments about 36t sprockets here (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=545054). Is the moral of the story, don't mash on a 36t? I don't know what my freehub is. (Specialized Tricross Sport 2009...)

AngrySaki, do you think the 11t would still be usable in that configuration? It's an interesting idea...I didn't mention that my current 11-34 is worn out, hence my search, so it's actually not that bad for me if I have to buy another one (plus a different cassette).

Can Shimano cassettes be mixed-and-matched? Maybe a 12-36t mixed with an 11-34 or something, to give 12-36 but with most gears at the lower end. I wonder if it would even be possible to make two useful cassettes, one for commuting, and one for touring/offroad.

Incidentally, I saw some alarming comments about 36t sprockets here (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=545054). Is the moral of the story, don't mash on a 36t? I don't know what my freehub is. (Specialized Tricross Sport 2009...)

I would be shocked if your rear hub splines aren't steel. I can't see you chewing up a steel one touring.

Yeah, if you don't know whether your freehub is steel or aluminum, it's definitely steel.

Sweet. (Fwiw, I do a lot more than just "touring" on this bike, I tend to thrash it pretty hard off road.)

But yeah, can Shimano cassettes be mixed and matched?

Yes, they're almost all modular so you can mix and match. Sometimes you have to drive out a couple of pins to free up the ind sprockets. I like using the 9sp junior racing cassette (15-25) and swapping the two largest sprockets for a bigger bail-out. 8sp and 9sp sprockets are the same! Just remember to use the appropriate spacers. As 8sp cassettes can be had for cheap, they make good donor cassettes.

TM

I'm pretty sure you can mix and match shimano cassettes. I'm done it on one, but I can't be 100% sure since it was a while ago.

I would expect the 11T (or 12T) would still be useable, since I have no problem shifting from a 21T to a 34T and back.

You can mix and match the lower end and some mid range Shimano cassettes and cogs. The more expensive cassettes are built with a 3-4 cog stepped "module" (reduces weight) which would not be practical to take apart. The cassettes that are riveted together can be taken apart by drilling out the rivets. Some of the better cassettes are held together with 3 long hex head bolts. I've done this on several cassettes, especially on my 8 speed which seems to have less choices in stock cassettes. Harris Cyclery has a good selection of loose cogs. However, the smallest I found there was a 13T "first" cog.

im making a 13-34 cassette out of a 13-26 cassette, dropping the 14t cog and adding a 34t. Same spread as sheldon's cyclotouriste 13-34 cassette. Its 8 speed though, not sure what spreads are available for 9 speed.