Originally Posted by
HillRider
OT: [rant]What is with this insistance on 11T small cogs on road bikes? How many riders, even fairly strong ones, using typical road cranks (50, 52 or 53T big chainrings) can make any use of the 122 to 130 gear-inch high gear they produce? Using a 12T is a reach for most. An 11T on a MTB with a 42 or 44T big chainring may make some sense but not on a road bike unless you are National Team or ProTour material.[/rant]
There is another use for those little cogs which is extension of the top end range of the inner ring (or middle ring on a triple). Especially with the changeover from 42 to 39T inner/middle rings in the past few years (and the compact double), those desiring to stay in one ring for most of their cycling have either needed to learn to spin faster or use smaller little cogs. I'm a holdout using 42T middle rings to avoid the hassles of quick wearing 11T cogs that I'd otherwise want.