riderkental

Hello everyone. I am a newbie here. Started cycling last Oct 2016 after retired from rugby & soccer due to multiligament injuries of my left ankle and right knee...but interestingly,after I started cycling, I was pain free even after a 60-mile ride..

Here,i need suggestions/answers from all the pros here..

Is there any big difference during CLIMBING if I use cassettes 11speeds 11-28t vs 11-26t? My crankset is 52-36t...i did few readings in google, and noticed that expert cyclist said the smaller the gear range,the better for our muscles & cycling improvement..which lead me to choose 11-26t..but i know with that 26t,my climbing will be more difficult..but is it really a big difference between these two?

Thanks!😊

Doge

You might get a better response posting in the Road Cycling forum, or if about racing under the -33 Technical or something like that. This is not a very busy forum and is about junior <19 year old racing. Even if you are a junior you may get better responses there. Juniors have gear restrictions so that 11T would limit you to about a 42T large front ring. Your retired from soccer and rugby (at age 18) makes me think you are not a junior. I was a rugby #3 by the way, so hills and I were never friends.

To the answer. I'd go 11-28 if there are hills. You didn't say 11speed or 10speed, but the 2nd biggest cassette cog is likely a 25T or 26T. You can drive that up smaller grades in your 52T. A 36TX26T will work for most hills but it requires you really pedal slower / and or harder than you may want on long ones. A 36TX28T would be better to have until you know you don't need that 28T.