The logic behind dinner plate's, 50t+ cassette's

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
some logical answers there, but I suppose my question is why such a large toothed cog? I'm 120kgs but can still climb ok with my old stumpy with 1x9 with 30-34t yes it's easier on the merida which is 32-40 but I don't often use the granny gear as the torque and my lack of ability will often see me spin the back wheel.
When is having such a massive gear really that necessary other than up a sealed road?
How much elevation do you normally do on a ride?
 

nathanm

Eats Squid
How much elevation do you normally do on a ride?
back when I was fit, which even then was below average, could ride from GMBP to the springs which is around 800m over a dozen or so kilometres.

My point is more do you really need a cassette with that range? Who really needs a 50t cog? what's the difference in ration between 22-32 and 32-50?

Surely 30/32-42 is more than enough. Any more than that and is it really that effecient or are you just spinning for the sake of it?
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
I refuse to ride with people running front Derailleurs, both for noise, and in principal.
Oh, fahn hell Moorey. I wanted to bring down my 3x Heckler to Buninyong for a Moorey ride one day.

Now it looks like I'll have to sit out at the end of the driveway and shed huge amounts of tears about 3x from getting a talk to the hand from the Orange Meister.

I rarely have dropped chains and either 3x or 1x. Clutched mechs are awesome and do make a big difference in drivetrain sanity.

I don't see why the big hate for a front mech since they have been set and forget items for me in the past. Sure you get some noise when it gets chunky but not a big deal for me.

I have a 30/46t on the TRC and it works well and very quiet which is its main winning point for me plus having a 0.65 ratio as a bailout gear. Larger sized mid range cassettes are just stupidly heavy unsprung weight. Let's see if 13 speed arrives and how heavy it will be.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
back when I was fit, which even then was below average, could ride from GMBP to the springs which is around 800m over a dozen or so kilometres.

My point is more do you really need a cassette with that range? Who really needs a 50t cog? what's the difference in ration between 22-32 and 32-50?

Surely 30/32-42 is more than enough. Any more than that and is it really that effecient or are you just spinning for the sake of it?
I run 32- 11-50 and I do admit it's very rare I get into the 50 but I do use the 46 a fair bit around here. Especially on long, drawn out pinchy, techy climbs where I'm seated and slow. We have a lot of loose, sandy shit here
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Question for @Halo1 and/or @droenn, what size chainring are you typically running with your 42T/46T and are you on 27.5 or 29 wheels?
Normally a 30T on a 29er.

Duel Sus bike is a 29er and I have only run 30t Front and 46T Rear
HT with a Sus fork I run 30T Front 42 Rear - I was running a 34t Front when I had the Rigid carbon fork and this was fine.
Fat bike - 26er 30T Front and 42T Rear I was running at 32 but the 30T is a nicer ride. I will probably go 46T rear on the fatty next cassette.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
Normally a 30T on a 29er.

Duel Sus bike is a 29er and I have only run 30t Front and 46T Rear
HT with a Sus fork I run 30T Front 42 Rear - I was running a 34t Front when I had the Rigid carbon fork and this was fine.
Fat bike - 26er 30T Front and 42T Rear I was running at 32 but the 30T is a nicer ride. I will probably go 46T rear on the fatty next cassette.
I can relate to some of that, Eagle on two bikes, both with 32t, 29er dually and a 27.5+ HT. Even with moderate fitness I can stay off the 50t on the HT, but the combination of 32t, rear suspension and slightly larger wheels on the dually make it a lot harder to avoid the granny.

I’d be keen to try Shimano 1x12 with the 10-45t cassette and a 30t chainring; whether spreading that 450% range over 12 cogs as opposed to 11-46 on the 11-speed would justify the cost though...?
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Oh, fahn hell Moorey. I wanted to bring down my 3x Heckler to Buninyong for a Moorey ride one day.

Now it looks like I'll have to sit out at the end of the driveway and shed huge amounts of tears about 3x from getting a talk to the hand from the Orange Meister.

I rarely have dropped chains and either 3x or 1x. Clutched mechs are awesome and do make a big difference in drivetrain sanity.

I don't see why the big hate for a front mech since they have been set and forget items for me in the past. Sure you get some noise when it gets chunky but not a big deal for me.

I have a 30/46t on the TRC and it works well and very quiet which is its main winning point for me plus having a 0.65 ratio as a bailout gear. Larger sized mid range cassettes are just stupidly heavy unsprung weight. Let's see if 13 speed arrives and how heavy it will be.
I've really never had a lot troubles with front mechs other than in lots of mud and a few adjustments, some frames might be more problematic than others though. It's always great to know you can drop it down a cog and give the legs a break on long extensive climbs.
 

DeBloot

Feeling old
I’d be keen to try Shimano 1x12 with the 10-45t cassette and a 30t chainring; whether spreading that 450% range over 12 cogs as opposed to 11-46 on the 11-speed would justify the cost though...?
I didn't think so and don't regret my decision
30t and 11-46 all XT and shifts like a dream including into the 46t
I just couldn't justify the extra cost and have never felt like I needed more/ less gears at either end
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Nitpicking.
Oranges only make up a small part of my riding fleet.
I refuse to ride with people running front Derailleurs, both for noise, and in principal.
Yeah a beginner on and old rig came down some semi chunky stuff while we were out the other day and I think @T-Rex commented that the chainstay must be nearly worn through. Never again.

34/46 can get rough when I'm a bit flogged, if I was doing longer rides where I want to go quick uphill for the whole ride I'd look at more rear teeth.
 

teK--

Eats Squid
can't see how going 1x deter's someone from stealing your chain?

In seriousness, if we're talking about chain drop 1x has been far worse in my experience requiring nw chainrings and guides whereas the front derailleur used to do the same job. Chain suck on 2/3x now there's a different story.
Only ever had chain drop once with 1x in over 6 years! And that was when the ring was well worn after around 2000kms.

Don't miss the extra bulk and complication of 2x at all.
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
Oops 34/46 In case you read before I edited. I didn't have chain troubles on 2x10 with the clutch, agree with @Mr Crudley but I still prefer the simplicity. 27 speeds. What were they thinking?
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Yeah a beginner on and old rig came down some semi chunky stuff while we were out the other day and I think @T-Rex commented that the chainstay must be nearly worn through. Never again.
I think I need to qualify that the ye olde Heckler having an elevated chainstay removes much of the chainslap by design anyhow.
It is cheating a bit that way like an unfair advantage of having a winged keel on an America's Cup yacht.

I do get a bit of chain ting on the front mech only is faster choppy stuff but fortunately I'm mostly slow and nancy so have a quiet ride :)
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
I love these these threads(heavy sarcasm)
“I don’t need a dinner plate why should anyone else”
Or 1x or a dropper or a steep sta or ridiculously slack head angles or..... list goes on.

I have a 10-42. Does most what I need.
but I rode a bike with an eagle in derby and it was awesome. I don’t have the need to go out and buy one but it was great for where I was and that’s the point.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I love these these threads(heavy sarcasm)
“I don’t need a dinner plate why should anyone else”
Or 1x or a dropper or a steep sta or ridiculously slack head angles or..... list goes on.

I have a 10-42. Does most what I need.
but I rode a bike with an eagle in derby and it was awesome. I don’t have the need to go out and buy one but it was great for where I was and that’s the point.
There's so many variables with bikes themselves and then some people like to spin up hills others grind up.

I decided to take my full rigid for a trail ride the other week in a long time, lowest gear I have on that is 28f 32r and I managed ride most inclines as I have with the other bikes but going down I thought I was almost going to break my wrists.
 
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