canflyboy

It's as flat as an ironing board where I live and I'm geared accordingly, 53/39 front with a 12/25 rear. I'm going to visit my daughter in Calgary this April and will be taking my bike. Bonus here: Air Canada ships bikes for $50 (one way).

I want to go with a compact in the front, any suggestions for the rear?

Thanks

Canflyboy

10 Wheels

11-30 for the rear.
I put one on and didn't have to change the dérailleur.

Randochap

Calgary is not that hilly ... unless you plan heading out to the mountains.

DXchulo

There are lots of variables that make it hard to say. What's the longest climb you'll be doing? How steep is it? How good of a climber are you? I mean, I did 20,000 feet in one day with a 50/34 12/25 combo, but I'm a lightweight.

Why not just find the biggest gear you can for a reasonable price? If you don't use it, no big deal.

sfrider 

I'd err on the big side; go 50/34 and 12/27, that should be good for anything. It's impossible to know what you're going to need without spending some time out there. It's also preferable to have and don't need to need and don't have.

RiPHRaPH

just get a 105 cassette, like a 12-27.

merlinextraligh

I'm assuming you're using Shimano equipment. If so the easiest thing to do is an 11-28. No derailleur change necessary. A short cage rear derailleur will work with the setup, even if Shimano doesn't offically approve it. (they'll tell you you need DA 7900 )

If you need more you can get an 11-32, 11-34 cassette, and put on a mountain bike rear derailleur.

How low you need to go really does depend on your strength, and the cadence you like to ride.

I'd bet there are some grades where you live, even if they are just bridges or highway overpasses. Find the steepest one. See what gear you need to comfortably spin up it. (at a pace you could sustain for an hour given that you'll have hour long climbs in the Rockies.) Then see how that grade compares to the ones youll ride in Calgary and adjust your gearing accordingly

beeballman

I live in Flat Florida and I am prepping for 6Gap in North Georgia (11,200 feet of climbing in 104 miles) Needless to say I just changed out for a 50/34 Shimano R600 Compact Crank, and I am planning in a couple months to get a 12-27. Right now I am riding a 12-25.

merlinextraligh

^ depending on how strong you are, 50-34 12/25 will likely be fine for Six Gap. There is one section of Hogpen perhaps 500 meters long that is very steep (around15%) The rest is really not that steep.

I'm not exactly the light climber type, and I've done it with a standard 53/39 crank. Although I'll admit that the 50/34 12/27 makes the one bad part on Hogpen a lot easier to spin up, as oppossed to slug through.

Hunt-man

50/34 and an 11/28. Best you can do for hills. My normal all around favorite for my very hilly area is an 11/26. 34 - 26 is a good gear for super steep when you need to stand. 28 is just a bit lower and standing on it isn't so good.

canflyboy

Thanks all

I'm going with the compact and the 11/28 (no need to start changing deraileurs)

billydonn

Good choice.

jklasdf

34/25 will get you anywhere, but your cadence may get down to like 50 RPM.

Sardian

Yep, 50-34 and 11-28 is what I have and I have climbed up to a 22% hill without making my own switch backs.

Have a safe trip.

Steve in MA

I live in Massachusetts, with a blend of rolling hills and long, steep climbs on my usual routes. I'm running a compact (50/34) with an 11-28 ultegra cassette on my road bike. So far I haven't felt like I wanted/needed anything lower than that, and it still gives me good high end gearing for the downhills and flats.