General Cycling Discussion - help in wanting to switch cassette from 13t to 11t

I have a trek 2100 road bike, i think the cassette is 13-28 or 13-34 The front is (53t/xxt), sometimes i feel like i want to ride faster, so i'm thinking of something like 11t, like

Shimano HG70 7-Speed 11-28 Cassette ICSHG707128

Does anyone know whether it will fit or not? I have disect another old junk mountain bike before, so i'm thinking of doing the upgrade myself this time, any tips/tricks/warning/advice from anyone? In addition, what is a good chain to go with it?

Will I wear off the 11t cassette really fast, since it is so small?

1. If your rear hub now is a 7-speed cassette (not freewheel) it'll fit. A new lockring will come with the 11 tooth cassette. You have to use it.

2. How old is your chain? I'm a believer of buying a new chain to go with a new cassette.

3. I wouldn't worry about the 11 tooth cog wearing out too soon. In fact, I doubt you'll ever wear it out because your 16 or 17 will die first. 53/11 is a huge gear so you'll need stronger legs to turn it.

If you are routinely going faster than 28.7 mph on the flats at a cadence of 90 for long stretches of time, you need to go pro.

you will find air resistance makes more difference in reaching breakneck speeds.

1. If your rear hub now is a 7-speed cassette (not freewheel) it'll fit. A new lockring will come with the 11 tooth cassette. You have to use it.

2. How old is your chain? I'm a believer of buying a new chain to go with a new cassette.

3. I wouldn't worry about the 11 tooth cog wearing out too soon. In fact, I doubt you'll ever wear it out because your 16 or 17 will die first. 53/11 is a huge gear so you'll need stronger legs to turn it.

1) Cool, thanks. I was worrying about the gap between each sprocket in the cassette may be different, i guess not.=)
2) My chain currently is at about 1/2 of it's life, still looks fantastic. 12 1/16" per 12 chain.
3) I'm usually so lazy to use low gear to start, so at about 80% of the time, I'm using 53/13 to start. I think having a 17% increase in strength may be still sufficient for my riding. I seldom uses gears in the middle unless i know i don't have enough power to get over the hill.

If you are routinely going faster than 28.7 mph on the flats at a cadence of 90 for long stretches of time, you need to go pro.
I don't really know how fast i'm going. I think i can go at about 20-22mph at 1% incline for my max sustain speed for a few minutes.

you will find air resistance makes more difference in reaching breakneck speeds.

I don't think i ride that fast now, but during downhills, i do feel the air resistance. =)

I think about hitting my 53x11 right around 35 mph.

If you are hitting 53/13 at around 20 mph- your cadence is too low. Well not really as everyone has different styles but you couldl be putting more strain on the knees than is good for them and PAIN can come.

I ride 50 /12 as my highest gear and I rarely use that except on down slopes or downhill. And 30mph in that gear means that I must be going downhill so time to take a rest and concentrate on missing the potholes.

My chain currently is at about 1/2 of it's life, still looks fantastic. 12 1/16" per 12 chain.

That's at about the point at which I'd replace it even if I wasn't buying a new cassette. A partially worn chain will wear out the cogs that you use the most real quickly.

That's at about the point at which I'd replace it even if I wasn't buying a new cassette. A partially worn chain will wear out the cogs that you use the most real quickly.

Oh, really, I was thinking of another 1/16", hmm, i guess i'll being thinking about replacing the chain and cassette really soon then.

I was thinking about replacing it in about 2 months or so originally. Any good recommandation for a good chain for the system? Chain won't cause me an arm or leg, right? $50 good enough for the chain+cassette?

If you are hitting 53/13 at around 20 mph- your cadence is too low. Well not really as everyone has different styles but you couldl be putting more strain on the knees than is good for them and PAIN can come.

I ride 50 /12 as my highest gear and I rarely use that except on down slopes or downhill. And 30mph in that gear means that I must be going downhill so time to take a rest and concentrate on missing the potholes.

I couldn't sustain that fast of speed for a long time, but i think i still need a faster gear cassette. May be with a faster cassette, i'll use different sprocket more often. Cause right now, I'm kinda using my bike quite close to being a SS bike, which i don't think it is good at all. If i continue the way i ride my bike at constant 50/13, i'll may be considering a SS modification.

C'mon, no freewheel, go 50x13 fixed. You da man!!!!

Some days I'd be satisfied with a 14-36. :D

C'mon, no freewheel, go 50x13 fixed. You da man!!!!

lol. Unless there are no hill around me, and the slope are 1% or less, or 2% for a short distance. The overpass is already killing my legs at 53/13. =)

Some days I'd be satisfied with a 14-36. :D

If my assumption is correct, a 14t at the crank and 36t rear?

Doesn't mean that a fastest peddler in the world would still go at a "window shopping" speed?

If my assumption is correct, a 14t at the crank and 36t rear?

Doesn't mean that a fastest peddler in the world would still go at a "window shopping" speed?

:p

Nah, a 14-36 cassette. It's very rare that I ever get to really exploit the 12 and 11, and if I'm on the 13, I'm probably cross-chaining with the small ring.

:p

Nah, a 14-36 cassette. It's very rare that I ever get to really exploit the 12 and 11, and if I'm on the 13, I'm probably cross-chaining with the small ring.

lol. opps, what was i thinking? 14-36t. What is the driving gear? My usual trip is usually 10miles 1 way to go to my church, and there are a few stretches that enable me to peddle quite fast, so 13 is really not enough at times.

My crankset is a 50-34, so a 13t small cog would be good for over 30 mph pedaling at 100 rpm (the 11, pedaling at 120, would put me past 40 mph). That's plenty fast for me.

i just did a calculation, 53x11t at 120 will put put me in over 45mph, that's quite exciting (but now i have to worry about the wind >_<)

i just did a calculation, 53x11t at 120 will put put me in over 45mph, that's quite exciting (but now i have to worry about the wind >_<)

BUT - you have to have the legs to turn that gear at 120 cadence. That's the hard part. Can you turn a 53/13 at 120 cadence for an extended period of time?

BUT - you have to have the legs to turn that gear at 120 cadence. That's the hard part. Can you turn a 53/13 at 120 cadence for an extended period of time?

Maybe he can with a steep enough downhill. :D

Maybe he can with a steep enough downhill. :D

lol. Exactly! I don't think anyone can sustain at that speed for long. I might be able to hit 120 if i'm down hill. But most of the time i'll be expecting myself hitting 80-90. =)

On the other hand, it's just a cassette.

Buy one and stick it on your bike. Then just ride for a month or so. If you find yourself using and liking the 11 cog - cool. If you find that you seldom, if ever, use the 11 and would rather have an additional mid-range cog, just switch back. The money that you spent on the 11t cassette wasn't completely wasted because you will have learned through the process. Think of it as tuition in the school of bicycling.

Maybe he can with a steep enough downhill. :D

If it's a steep enough downhill to hit 45 MPH, it's probably faster to just stop pedaling and get into as much of an aero tuck as possible.

11t and 12t and.....well, honestly 13t cogs are useless high gears for me. I just learned to spin faster and occasionally coast on downhills. A 14-32t with a 28t next to the 32t is my preferred cluster....7 or 8 speed.

YMMV -- it completely depends on how you like to ride and where you ride, etc.

11t and 12t and.....well, honestly 13t cogs are useless high gears for me. I just learned to spin faster and occasionally coast on downhills. A 14-32t with a 28t next to the 32t is my preferred cluster....7 or 8 speed.

YMMV -- it completely depends on how you like to ride and where you ride, etc.

I'm mostly riding on flat road, not really mountain, I'm actually not very comfortable biking at 120 (unless there is a certain time that i want to feel "being fast"), so i doubt i can hit 45mph, maybe 35mph is a more realistic number

I can spin relatively smoothly for short intervals, at up to 160 rpm or so. But there's no power there. My power starts falling off above 100 rpm, so I gear accordingly. Within those constraints, a 53/12 gear is good for just about 35 mph. I don't hit that a lot on flat ground, but OTOH, I do occasionally need to up-shift from there if I'm going for a particularly well-contested sign sprint.