chasm54

Personally I'd opt for the tighter ratios in the middle of the cassette and pass on the 11. You don't say what your setup is, but with a standard double you're not spinning out on a 53-12 until you're going well over forty mph. If there's anyone here who can sustain that for more than a few seconds on a flat road, good luck to them, they need an 11. Personally I can't TT like Cancellara and at more than 40mph on a descent I'm happy to tuck.

CliffordK

I was most happy when I was able to rid myself of that pesky 16T sprocket that just was in the way

I do mash a bit, and run a bit lower cadence than the average person here. I'm not quite sure what my "favorite" gear is, perhaps it depends on the bike. But, I like to have the choice for both higher and lower gears so I don't find myself always riding in the highest gear.

Anyway, if the OP is in tune with his bike enough to know that he does or does not use the 16T, then I would think he would have some idea of the utility of the 11T. Not the gears that some stranger thinks he should be using, but what he is actually using.

pdedes

53x16, the prettiest gear ratio in the world.

rpenmanparker 

That's what I meant. I should have specified that due to weight weenieness, I use the Red cassette which doesn't come in a 12 smallest cog. Also I am still stuck in 10-speed rear land, so I am missing both the 16 and the 18 on my 11-26 cassettes.

When I go to 11-speed, I have to decide what to do. Dura Ace cassettes have too many Ti cogs for me. I would be riding on one most of the time. Same for the Campy Super Record. But the Record isn't a bad compromise. A little heavier than the Red but only three Ti cogs down at the large end of the cassette. I could probably make that work. But as pricey as Red, and I would have to change out my freehub bodies.

The best solution for me and many of you also is the simplest: come on SRAM, just bring out a 12-26 Red cassette. What's the big deal? It is just a setting on the damn CNC mill. Just do it.

joejack951

I draw the line at compromising on gearing for weight weenieness. Hell, I run a (carbon with titanium axle) triple on my lightweight bike! An Ultegra 12-25 weighs in at 212g per some online sites so not as 'extreme' of a weight penalty as the boat anchor 266g 105 12-25 cassette that I have.

rpenmanparker 

Well, you're right, performance comes first. But actually I have only just realized my desire for the 16 and 18-tooth cogs in the past several months so it hasn't been an issue on previous purchases. And as long as I still use a 10- speed rear, the poont is moot. It is the 18 I want most, but with the 25-12 what you get is the 16. What I'm saying is tthat the decision will have to be made when I make the move to 11 cogs in the rear, most likely in conjunction with buying into SRAM electronic. Maybe by then SRAM will hsve seen the kight and started offering a 12-25 or 26.

BTW I do realize I could get both the 16 and 18 in a 10-speed cassette if I give up the 25 or 26 like in a non-SRAM 12-23, but I am just not ready to do that.

Sy Reene

One reason for this is that an 12-23 would need a 12-speed cassette for only 1-tooth jumps.

merlinextraligh

While, I'm also in the camp of liking the 16, an 11 tooth cog is useful with a compact crank.

50/11 at 100 rpm is 36 mph. Personally, my peak power sprinting is around 100 rpm, so it can be useful in a sprint, particularly if its downhill or downwind.

Descending, its helpful getting up to the speed where you coast and tuck. To hit 40mph with a 50/12 you're going to have to do 120rpm., whereas its only 111rpm with the 11.

So there are situations a reasonably strong cyclist can make use of the 11, particularly with a compact crank.

colnago62

I think I am going to go with the 12. I use a compact crank, but even with that, I don't think I am in the 11 all that much. I can't think of the last time I ran out of High gear. My sprint cadence is around 126 rpm, so a 12 should be OK for big accelerations. My race gear on the track was a 90 inch gear. Either way, it probably not that big of deal. I am switching my Zipps over to Campy because they didn't make the Zipp 11 speed upgrade cut.

RPK79

Sometimes I wish I had a 10.

Seattle Forrest

The last 20 times I used my 11, it was coming down a mountain.

rmfnla

My wife uses her 11, and she complained that it wasn't fast enough (with a 53 front!) so I found a Stronglight 54.

She uses her gears very only occasionally; gets into top gear and just goes!

Hurts my knees just to think about it...

PepeM

Is she the World Champian?

wphamilton

When I had one (53-11) I didn't use it enough to even justify the weight of carting the 11 tooth cog around. Probably more by accident, cross-chained, than with the 53 ring.

CafeVelo

You're right. There's a reason I almost didn't make through math in school.

caloso

Word.

floridamtb

Go Ultegra 11/23 you get 11 and 16

CliffordK

As the world goes to more sprockets on the rear .... 5 --> 6 --> 7 --> 8 --> 9 --> 10 --> 11

One has 3 places to put the extra sprockets. At the high end, (11,12,13), filling in the middle (15, 16, 17), or at the low end (24, 25, 26, 30, 36).

For me, I'd much rather sacrifice those super-low gears (anything bigger than 25 or so), to get the high gears (11, 12, etc).

Those extra gears in the middle are nice, but manly those in the high range. By the time I get down to the 16, double tooth jumps are just fine.

chasm54

I agree in principle, but I'd go higher up the cassette. Ideally I'd like to keep the jumps between ratios at 10% or below, so wouldn't move to double jumps until the 20 and above. 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-22-24 would imo be marginally superior to an 11-25.

On reflection, I'd be prepared to sacrifice the 19, but would probably trade it for a 26 rather than the 11.

Drew Eckhardt 

No.

Since 1997* I've ridden a 50x13 big gear with small cogs that go 13-14-15-16-17-18-19 because that avoids situations where one cog is a bit too big and the next a bit too small. I find that makes enough of a difference I'll go out of my way to maintain the spacing - run a triple crank, upgrade to more cogs when my favorite cassette is discontinued (13-21 8 cogs), etc.

* apart from 2500 miles on a 14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23 10 cog straight block. The 22 wasn't really noticeable between 21 and 23. The 20 was but not like the 18 between 17 and 19. While 50x14 was an OK top gear (even 39x14 is a 30 MPH sprinting gear), I'd rather have a 14 starting cog than a 20 in the middle for more top end on my 39 ring to delay the big ring shift, and 3-cog compensating rear shift (one shifter actuation) on ring changes.

SoCAlAD8

53/39 x 11/25 here. I've spun out my 53x11 on flat ground in group rides or sprints/races. It definitely has its place.

for the casual rider, it's not necessary, a nice mid range cog would be better.

redlude97

What pro team are you on? You can sprint at 50mph?

caloso

Visiting the track convinced me that I was overgeared for most road races. There I was limited to 46x15 on the rental bike and I really had to spin it to sprint, but acceleration was so much better. I find I have much more snap starting a sprint in the 14 or 13 and then dropping into the 12, rather than starting in the 12. Lost a race because I was in the 12 coming out of the final corner and was just way too bogged down. I only use the 11x27 in hilly races anymore. YMMV, of course.

SoCAlAD8

No pro team, CAT 4, sponsored by a kit company. (profile pic is a giveaway.)

I don't know about 50mph, but mid/upper 40s yeah.

rmfnla

Yep, and she's hot, too...