gears...what does this mean?

[madscot13]

Hey Deb, I have a Roubaix with a 11-27 cassette. Can I get one with more gearing (correct term?) for steep climbing?

9 or a 10 speed?

I think 27 is as high as it goes for 10 speeds.

[Tuckervill]

I got all that part, but what confuses me is the word SPEED.

I rode 10-speeds in high school. I don't think it's the same thing anymore, right?

Karen

[xeney]

Well, it sort of is, except in the 70s they were talking about the total number of gear combinations, and now it refers just to the rear cassette.

Your 10-speed then had a total of ten total gear combinations available -- probably a double up front and a five-speed in the back. Now the 9 versus 10 speed designation refers only to the rear cassette: so if you have a triple chain ring up front and a 10-speed cassette in the rear, that means you have a total of 30 gear combinations available. If you have a double chain ring in the front and a 9-speed cassette in the rear, you have 18 gear combinations.

But 18-speed and 30-speed sound sort of ridiculous so the terminology has changed. I do see Craigslist ads advertising "27-speed women's bike," though.

[Kalidurga]

...so if you have a triple chain ring up front and a 10-speed cassette in the rear, that means you have a total of 30 gear combinations available. If you have a double chain ring in the front and a 9-speed cassette in the rear, you have 18 gear combinations.

Except that, to complicate things even further, you really don't have 30 gear combinations available, unless you intend to cross-chain and wear your components out prematurely. With a triple up front and 10 in the rear, you really only have (you more knowledgeable folks correct me if I'm wrong here) 15-20 gear combinations you can (should) actually use. Doesn't that make this even more fun?

I'm the Queen of Cross-Chaining. Thank goodness I have a compact crank and only 8-speeds

[tulip]

Kinda makes me want to get a fixie.

[Tuckervill]

Well, it sort of is, except in the 70s they were talking about the total number of gear combinations, and now it refers just to the rear cassette.

That's the most forthright and direct explanation I've ever read. THANKS.

I know about cross chaining so I get why you don't have ex. 30 total gear combos.

whew, I can sleep tonight!

Karen

[mudmucker]

SRAM has an 11-28 cassette for 10 speeds in their Force group. No 11-28 for 9 speeds. You'd have to go to a mountain cassette after that. Ilima describes the setup in the OP wonderfully.

[sundial]

9 or a 10 speed?

I think 27 is as high as it goes for 10 speeds.

SRAM OG-1070, 10-speed 11-28t

[SadieKate]

Actually, IRD makes a 10 spd cassette to 34 but you need a rear derailleur with the capacity for it.

[Grog]

Chain close to you as you pedal: easier pedaling (you're in the small chainring at the front and big cog at the back).

Chain away from you: harder pedaling (you're in the big chainring at the front and small cog at the back).

[Kalidurga]

Here's what I don't get about the way cog sets are put together:

There's a small differential between the higher gears, say 11 through 17. When you get into the lower gears, 19 through 27 or 28 or 34 or whatever, there's a much bigger jump between gears, which makes for more difficult shifting under load. Wouldn't it make sense to have closer gears for the situations in which it's more difficult to shift, and spread the gears out more for the range in which it's easier to shift?

Or is that logical only to my own wacky, hill-challenged mind?

[dachshund]

Here's what I don't get about the way cog sets are put together:

There's a small differential between the higher gears, say 11 through 17. When you get into the lower gears, 19 through 27 or 28 or 34 or whatever, there's a much bigger jump between gears, which makes for more difficult shifting under load. Wouldn't it make sense to have closer gears for the situations in which it's more difficult to shift, and spread the gears out more for the range in which it's easier to shift?

Or is that logical only to my own wacky, hill-challenged mind?

That's a good point. I'm considering the 11-34 IRD cassette that SadieKate mentioned. 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-28-34. That's a big jump into the spinner gear. I haven't tried it "in person" yet.

[ilima]

That's a good point. I'm considering the 11-34 IRD cassette that SadieKate mentioned. 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-28-34. That's a big jump into the spinner gear. I haven't tried it "in person" yet.

If you currently have a 'road' rear derailleur, you'll need to get a mountain rear derailleur to use that cassette.

Shimano road derailleurs--even if they are the long cage for a triple up front--only can handle 27 teeth max, so that's why the biggest road cassettes from Shimano go to 27. SRAM goes to 28. Now, as far as your wheel hub goes, Shimano and SRAM are interchangeable (not true of Campy). And I have heard that a Shimano RD can be pushed to 28.

For more teeth, like a cassette with 32 or 34 teeth, you must use a mountain derailleur. As far as shifting under load, one thing you can do is get a 'low-normal' RD. This will make the moving to easier gears (bigger cogs) easier, but it will change your right STI (controls the rear) to a configuration opposite of a road or top normal mtn derailleur.

[Kalidurga]

As far as shifting under load, one thing you can do is get a 'low-normal' RD. This will make the moving to easier gears (bigger cogs) easier, but it will change your right STI (controls the rear) to a configuration opposite of a road or top normal mtn derailleur.

Can you clarify what you mean by "it will change your right STI (controls the rear) to a configuration opposite of a road or top normal mtn derailleur"? "Low normal" and "top normal" are terms I don't think I've heard before.

Thanks

[dachshund]

If you currently have a 'road' rear derailleur, you'll need to get a mountain rear derailleur to use that cassette.

Shimano road derailleurs--even if they are the long cage for a triple up front--only can handle 27 teeth max, so that's why the biggest road cassettes from Shimano go to 27. SRAM goes to 28. Now, as far as your wheel hub goes, Shimano and SRAM are interchangeable (not true of Campy). And I have heard that a Shimano RD can be pushed to 28.

For more teeth, like a cassette with 32 or 34 teeth, you must use a mountain derailleur. As far as shifting under load, one thing you can do is get a 'low-normal' RD. This will make the moving to easier gears (bigger cogs) easier, but it will change your right STI (controls the rear) to a configuration opposite of a road or top normal mtn derailleur.

The IRD 11-34 is also supposed to work with a Campy compact 34-50 and a medium cage derailleur.