KonaRider125

I got my first road bike a few months ago and it has a compact crank 50-34 with a 12-25 cassette. I find doing any kind of extended climbing exceedingly difficult and more like weight lifting than cycling in the 34-25 gear combo.

I know I need to get a new cassette and I was wondering what the "norm" is for climbing bikes. I've got a 105 short cage RD that will accept a 28t cassette, will this make a big difference? Do I need to get a long cage RD and go with a 30 or 32T cassette?

What do you guys run?

Thanks

BoSoxYacht

50-39 with 12-23(10spd)on one bike, and 50-34 with 12-25(11spd)on the other bike.

Btw, what I run is meaningless to you. For the last 8 years I've been riding 12-15k miles a year, so our fitness level is probably going to be different.

spdracr39

I just switched from a triple 50/39/30 with a 11-28 to a lighter bike with a 50/34 11-28. There is a little difference but not much. I am going to start some hill repeats to take care of losing the lower gear.

RollCNY

47x18

grolby

I'm sorry, my what bike?

THSdrummer

50/34 up front. 11-25 or 12-25 out rear - depending on which wheels I'm on.

That's the gearing for my flat bike, hill bike, and wind bike. I only have one bike though....

Team Sarcasm

x2, I just have "a bike"

RollCNY

I have one of those too. Notice the downtube.

jeff@work

As was pointed out there really isn't a "norm" for climbing gearing since it depends on the rider... and also the climbs themselves. Going from 25 to 28 is definitely a noticeable difference... is it enough for you? I have no idea. I went from an 11-26 to an 11-28 before doing a huge climbing ride and I was very thankful I did... i could have done it with the 26 but the 28 was enough to make it more enjoyable for me.

Do you know what cadence are you going on these climbs? Are you having to stand out of the saddle for extended periods to get up them or are you just mashing your way up?

You can input the gears into this calculator to give you an idea of the change you'll see Bicycle Bike Gear Ratio Speed and Cadence Calculator
Basically for a given speed you're looking at around a difference of 10 rpm's going from a 25 to a 28 and 15 rpm's going from 25 to 30.

softreset

Maybe the OP has a support car that follows them around and has a climbing bike ready for when the double-digit grades show up.

The gearing is all about fitness. I've been smoked many times by people pushing much bigger gears than myself, I as reach for a granny gear.

TrojanHorse

Fitness and weight. You can't cheat physics.

having said that, I have one wheel with a 11-32 and that thing is divine when the roads get really steep. My "normal" climbing cassette is 11-28 and yes, it makes a difference over 11-26 even, even if it's just a slight difference. I have a compact up front and the appropriate RD to accommodate 32 teeth.

Carloswithac

I only have one road bike, it has a 50/34 crank with 11-28 cassette. I climb most stuff in the 24, but I also do a lot of miles on a mountain bike on trails with lots of climbing, so that helps. My mtb runs is a 1x10 running a 32 ring with an 11-36 cassette, I try to stay away from the 36 and only use it as a bailout gear.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yes, a climbing bike. Why not? I have a triple with a lowest gear of 26 X 27. The good thing about a triple like that is that an ordinary road RD works fine. If you occasionally ride 100'/mile, a climbing bike is a good thing.

Our tandem goes down to 26 X 34. We use an XTR RD. Works for either 9 or 10 speed.

f4rrest

In the mountains, flats, whatever... 53/39 in front, 12/25 rear.

I enjoy standing and low cadence climbing. Everyone's different.

Darth Steele

small crank-39 in the front and what ever gear/cog (12-25) in the back that keeps me around a cadence of 75-85

Bostic

Up to 120 miles, 12,000' I like either a 50/34 11-26 or a triple with a 30t granny with a 11-25 or 11-28 Ultegra cassette. A few weeks ago I did my big ride for the year, a double century with 200 miles, 21,000'. I had a Sram 11-28 rear with a compact. What I saved in grams on the bike in weight based on Sram vs Ultregra triple setup I more than paid for in gaps in gear inches that irked me for several hours.

KonaRider125

Thanks for the input guys. I understand fitness levels come into play. Google search Figueroa mountain, this is a few miles from my house. Its 3,900' of climbing over 9.5 m

znomit

28 will make a big difference. If you're managing those climbs with your 25 go for that.
30 even better. Check your derailleur specs to see if it will fit.

bruce19

For the past several years I have been using an 11x25 with a 50x34 crankset. Last week I changed out to a 12x27 because I rarely use the 11 and thought a 27 might make some climbs easier. But, my 12x25 worked fine for me.

spdntrxi

was using 50-34 w/ 12-29 for about 4-5 months.. 29 was bail out gear.. hardly ever used it, I think I could walk faster. Went to 12-27 and do my best not to use 27 now.. The cassette has a 25 which is used on most grade less then 10%. I was going up a mile long average 10% and was in the 27 and barely making ground on the old asian couple and a lady walking her dog. I had to laugh it myself. Average 10% my butt.. every time I looked at my garmin is was reading 14-15-16.

wallrat

I have a compact as my only bike 50-34 and 12-25. That was good for most of my rides around here that average 1,000' climbing per 10 miles. It's a fairly standard ride in Marin. I ended up getting a 12-30 cassette for the Death Ride which was 130 miles 15,000'. It felt like my bail out gear had a bail out gear. It was great. I'm thinking about getting another set of wheels for the 12-30 so it'd be easier for me to switch back and forth.

dicktill

Some of us need more help than others! I have a 9-speed Ultegra triple (52-42-30) and an XTR 12-34 cassette (with an XTR derailleur). So my lowest gear is 23.2 gear inches. I do most of my riding (including grades up to 7%) in the middle chainring, but need the small chainring now and then when I hit grades over 7%. YMMV.

Regards, Dick

OldsCOOL

My climbing bike has 39/53 and 12-28. So does my long distance bike. And my short-course bike. You've probably figured it out.....I have one bike.

If you arent climbing mountains you could work with that compact and as said, go with a cassette that has a 28 granny. Otherwise, just ride a lot.

gregjones

I don't know about 32t, I am running a 12-30 right now with a 105 short cage and haven't yet had a problem in almost 800 miles.

chipmunk32

I switched out my real derailer to a xtr long cage, lengthened the chain and use a 11-34 cassette with a double up front. Help much with climbing long grades on a compact.