Originally Posted by
Palomar01
The Apex is a good idea but it is an even bigger compromise than a standard double. Doubles are compromises by nature it is very important how you gear the cassette to match your terrain and fitness. In my opinion, the best compromise for the 50/34 double is the 11-25T cassette. I had an 11-28T cassette and I really didn't need to use the 28T and I lost the close ratio of the upper middle gears. The Apex 11-32T would be an even bigger jump in the middle gears. However, it may fit a lot of riders who prefer to stick with the Compact Chainring yet need to have the granny gear.
I prefer to have the very close middle gears, which I use 90% of the time, to give me the RPM range I like to spin at in flat/rolling terrain.
I don't disagree, having that apex rd though at least gives you that option of dropping bigger cassettes on should the situation dictate... I live in IL along the WI border... it is pretty damn flat here, my cassette is a 12-25 on my apex equip'd bike (coincidentally, shimano 5700 cassette)... so far, and I don't have a ton of road bike miles yet so my overall conditioning/strength isn't all ~that~, I've not yet encountered a hill that I couldn't get thru staying on the big ring up front, I'm sure it will happen soon, though given the terrain around here, if I did drop to the small ring it is still very unlikely I'd have to go higher than than about a 21t cog to make it up... but that is based on MY terrain and MY fitness levels...