On Fri, 2011-12-30 at 16:39 -0800, Mojo wrote: > On my Legolas I have 36/50 chainrings and the 12-36 Shimano > 9speed cassette that Rivendell sells. That gives me a low gear of > 36X36 = 27inches. As an unloaded bike I haven't run into anything I > can't climb with that gear, or its too technical dirt for me and that > bike anyway. I have triples on my load carrying bikes. >
Personally, for grades over 12% that go on at that steepness for a mile and a half or two miles, I like to have a 22" gear. I might not stay in it for the whole distance, but it sure is nice to have it. 24 front, 30 rear will give it to me. This is on a 24/36/46 110/74 triple that most of the time is used as though it was a compact double (that just happens to have a third granny ring). It's easy to get good gearing with 9 speeds. It's a bit more difficult with 10, or at least it was until recently. In the past year or two, SRAM has released the Apex system which has 10 speed cassettes that go to 32, 34 and maybe even to 36. google results are inconclusive: I can find 12-36 for sale, allegedly, but can't find a listing on SRAM's site for them and nobody can tell me what sprockets come on it. It's also curious what sprocket combinations you do find. The 11-32's gears are reasonably well spaced, except that the 11 is too high; but the 12-32 has a gap between the largest and next to largest sprockets that's large enough to fall into and get lost. I know Shimano has some 10 spd Mtb cassettes now, but can't find out much about them: are they in fact compatible with road shifters or with "old" Shimano MTB rear derailleurs? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
