Got a number for the Assault on Mount Mitchell.

Likely will use the bike that currently has this drivetrain:

FSA SLK 50/36
Ultegra 6600 FD/RD
Ultegra 11/23 cassette

To prepare for the AOMM I plan to lose 10-lbs, add the toughest hills around to my daily training rides, do the Freewheelers AOMM training rides, etc.

Guess there are three questions:

1. Would replacing the 11/23 cassette with a 12/27 be a good mod to make for the AOMM's extreme climbing?

2. Could that cassette swap (it will be going on a AC 350) be done on the given RD, FD and crankset? (Reckon the chain will have to be swapped, but don't want to make many other expensive mods...)

3. How does a lazy, reluctant climber learn to love climbing? :o

If you are a lazy, reluctant climber, I'd re-think that 11-23 in favor of an 11/25 or a 12/26 at least. You need a bailout gear for fatigue, bonking, etc.

12/27 will go on with no other changes necessary. With the compact 36, I'm not sure you'll need the 27, but it won't hurt, and if you're not a really strong climber I think you'll want lower than 36/23. 36/27 should allow you to spin up anything on AOMM at a decent cadence. Of course, it ultimately depends on your style and strength. Find a hill with a 8 to 10% grade, and try it out. If you can comfortably spin your lowest gear up it, you're fine. If its a grind you need a lower gear

No I am pretty sure he is right about needing a chain with a couple extra links...well of course that is if the current setup has the chain sized properly.

Ostuni - all you need is the cassette and a properly sized chain. FD and RD will be fine. Another route would be a 34t inner ring on that compact and you could probably get away with a 12-25 if you do that. Again you shouldn't need anything other than the cassette, ring and chain in this case too.

Depends on how the chain is sized in the first place. I routinely change between 11-21, 11-23, and a 12-27 on a bike with D/A 10 with no problems. You could probably make the chain smaller, for just the 11-21. But the derailleur has more than enough capacity to wrap the extra chain if it sized for the 27.

Unless the the chain is already pretty short, the difference in 4 extra teeth is not going to be a big deal, particularly if you avoid the big/big combination, which you don't want to be in anyway.

thanks guys - that's what i was hoping to hear....

and as the bike in question is due for a new chain and is still in an early build-stage, now might be a good time to do the cassette swap...

might be nice to have that 36/27 option if i find myself in crisis somewhere between marion and mitchell... meanwhile, will do as many hills as possible in the biggest gears possible and hopefully make it up there on d-day without losing too much blood....

I was thinking of switching to the Campy 13-29 from the 12-25 on my Cannondale R900. I have a standard 39-53 up front and would rather have a gear I don't use (ha ha) then not enough!