hkboy313

Hi all, I have a triple, 52/41/3? (full shimano sora setup), I'm looking to upgrade to a 53/39 (full sram rival setup) but not sure if its appropriate. I have a 11-25 cassette. I dont use the small gear in front either, thats the reason why I was looking at a double now...

I know there are compact cranks, but if I were to get the 53/39, is there a cassette that would make it equivalent to the current set up I have now? of should I look for a compact?

If you know of any kind I'd like to know what setup that would be.

Many thanks for this forum!

echappist

nothing that'll cover the low end that you'll get on the 30x25 unless if you get a 11-32 cassette (which will have very wide spacings)

a 34x25 is pretty close to a 39x28, so you could give the 11x28 a try

umd

If you don't ever use the small ring in front, just keep the same cassette. The 39 is close enough to the 41, you will have a slightly lower gear but it won't be a huge difference and you probably wouldn't want to switch to a 23, which would be a slightly higher gear.

hkboy313

ok great! i'll probably look at the 27/28, but how much of a difference can an extra tooth make in this gear? i want to be on the safe side say if i ever have actual hills to climb, i'd like to bike up them w/o ever having second thoughts of making it to the top.

my initial idea is to have just one cassette to stick with, avoid any switching.

my next question is should i get the ultegra or just stick with the rival cassette? i read that sram in general is a little louder than shimano. are people talking about the noise issue from the shifting or from the chain while pedaling? also read its the combination of cassette/crank and chain... any suggestions? i'd prefer a quiet drivetrain but if its just the shifting thats an issue with others i dont think i'd mind it.

thanks for all yalls help, much appreciated.

echappist

my entire drivetrain is sram. it runs pretty quiet. ymmv. also, you may want to play with Sheldon Brown's gear calculator

simonaway427

same boat as you.

Currently Shimano 2300 triple (52/42/30 and 12-25). I'm going with Force 52/39 and 11-26. Its pretty flat where I am.

rangerdavid

I'm also going from a Tiara triple to a stamp double, probably with a 12-27 or 12-26 cassette. Lots of hills here though.

sijray21

I would just use the same cassette you currently have, unless you just want something different. A 39-25 as opposed to your current 41-25 will get you up the hill easier. If you're looking for smaller gaps between gears you could try an 11-23, but it could be a little more difficult on steeper hills.

hkboy313

thanks guys for your replies. i was looking at the sram site. im looking at the 12-27 but also 11-28. i'm not exactly sure what the difference is where i should pick one over the other.

i know 28 may be easier to climb, and 11 could be nice for downhills? but looking at sheldron browns site, it seems close enough where i can still have fun. the only bad thing i could see is the teeth difference on the 11-28...24-28? i know i shouldnt be picky but wanted a nice smooth transition, unless it is?? 12-27 seems more that way... thats what im debating right now.

my other reason for the cassette is to stick with one set of wheels and being able to take on a variety of terrain, even if i'm not in nyc.

pilechko

I really wouldn't worry too much about 11 vs. 12, unless you're racing you're not likely to need them much anyway.

I have one bike with a standard 53/39 double. It came with a 12/25, which I replaced with a 12/27 to give me an extra gear for some of the tougher hills around here (I've got a few 15 to 20% climbs -- not long ones, but they can be painful if your easiest gear is 39/25). My other bike is a 50/34 compact with an 11/26 cassette, so it's not drastically different. To be honest, most of my rides are more rolling hills than anything else, so I'm generally in the midrange gears. I'm able to ride comfortably and avoid cross chaining with both setups. The compact probably gives me a little more help, but it's not a huge difference.

One thing to look at is where the jumps are on the wider ranging cassettes. They're usually in the lowest gears, which means they have minimal impact on most of your riding, but give you quick help when you need it most.

ls0725

you probably dont need to change the cassette unless there are monster hills in your area. i live in a hilly place it's 53/39 matched with 11-25, does the job well going up hills or flat run.

hkboy313

thanks for the input! i cant really categorize myself as 'fit' or casual...but i think i'd be more than normal fit compared to some of my older friends. so i'm a little skeptical about the 12-25... are the 2 extra teeth a huge difference? on sheldon browns...39/25 ratio is 3.1 39/27 is a 2.8 (not sure what the numbers boil down to)

as worst case scenario, my current triple smallest is 30( only used it once after a 60 mile ride and there were hills like 7-8% i believe but not long ones). a 30/25 is 2.4, which is much less? than the 39/25 or 39/27. i guess my real concern is the 2 extra teeth make the difference?

thanks!