Great Video Katie. I think the beat way to explain the various gearing combination is by using ratios. On your GRX you said your smallest ring is 30T and the largest cog on the cassette is 34T. Therefore that gives you a ratio of 30/34= 0.88 which means for every full revolution of pedal stroke, your wheels will make 0.88 turn. The difference between number of teeth doesn’t mean anything. Similarly, on your Shimano Ultegra setup your smallest ring is 34T and the largest cog is 40T, resulting in a ratio of 34/40=0.85. if you had a 42T cog instead, that would provide you with even a lower ratio of 34/42=0.81. And you’re right, for the 40T cog you could get away without the Wolftooth RoadLink but definitely would need it for the 42T. Also the existing link on the derailleur is not quite as long as the Wolftooth RoadLink. The few extra millimeters does make a difference otherwise you wouldn’t need it. The same applies for the new R7000 Shimano 105s. The old Shimano Ultegra (R6800) and 105 (R5800) Derailleurs didn’t come with any built-In link and so they definitely needed the RoadLink. In this case the old RoadLink was a full addition. For the new Ultegra and 105 series, the existing link is replaced with the new RoadLink which is called RoadLink DM. Happy climbing.
I am a dude and on my trekking bike I installed a 22T Chainring. With my 32 cog in the back, this feels very comfortable on longer climbs for me. I honestly don't know how people climb high mountains with ratios that are much higher than 1:1.
Age is catching up (67 years) with me and at 195 lbs., my knees are suffering doing steeper and longer climbs. This was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
Hello Katie: I cycle in Charleston, West Virginia (USA) and have to deal with a lot of short, steep climbs. I also use low gear ratios to spare my knees. My set up is a 10 speed, triple chain-set with 52/42/30 chain rings combined with a 12-30 cassette. An easy way to think of these gear ratios is to create a fraction with the number of teeth on Chain-ring in the numerator and the number of teeth on the cog in the denominator. So, my set up gives me 30/30 = 1. That is a 1 to 1 gear ratio and it means that every time my crank-set makes one revolution, my back wheel also makes one revolution. Calculating your gravel bike set up, it is 30/34 = .88. Every time your crank-set makes one revolution, your rear wheel turns 88% of one revolution. I love your videos and I wish I could ride with you. If you ever get to WV, let me know and I will give you the Grand Tour. Please check out the "Cycling Scenic WV" website at (cyclingscenicwv.com). Search by County and check out Monroe County.
Great video Katie and well done for promoting these lower gears. The earlier comment of a 52/36 and 32-11 is fine if you are a one day eventer of have the build of Alberto Contador but if you are doing really long rides it is no good for the knees. On the TransAtlantic Way race last year (which is notorious for knee injuries) I opted to convert my gravel bike with Shimano 105 from 11-32 to a 11-34 at the back and BlackOval Chain rings at the front with a 46/30 and on a multiday event could spin up anything
I have a Trek Domane sl7 with Ultegra DI2 groupset. I run an 11/40 XTR cassette on my medium cage with no road link. Works perfect with no adjustment other than chain length.
It should work fine , my friend , On my giant Revolt gravel bike I put a 11-43 10 speed Shimano casset on , the front chainring is a 48x32 the only change was I put a 11 speed chain on . as the casset looked thinner steel on the sprockets . E very body told me it would never work , but the result can only be said to be fantastic , tried on steep climbs, , and do not know why but the exeleration is super , like you I lke to sit and spin, as my rieds over summer are multy day where I travel light and carry my tiny tent sleeping bag ground sheet and 2 0r three meals , enjoy your bikes , dont worry I am 80 years old in three months , so as long as you love your bikes , and get excitted about them , you can and will, Im sure cycle for ever, untill you go on that big ride , to meet with your maker take care you hear
I am planning on experimenting with a 22 on the front and a 42 on the back. I want a bike where I don't have to "work" to get up anything unless I want to. That and I just enjoy tinkering with gear ratios and torque multiplication. The idea of being able to nibble away at a hill fascinates me. Just like you can lightly turn the pedals and the hill is gradually dawdled away, (and see if my own mother can make it all the way up the drive of her house) she made it half way with a 22/34 (I've climbed it in gears higher than unity and I could probably do it if I inhabited her body as I'm willing to push myself psychologically more). Racing wise, these gears wouldn't get used much on anything under 20-25% and short enough to power up. But often I don't always want to go as fast as I can. It's the same thing with riding on city roads vs bike paths. Sometimes I just want to noodle along, but I feel "pressurized" into riding faster due to the pace of traffic. I may just be on a Saturday morning recovery or relaxing ride and there's a big hill and I have to put in a lot of force on the pedals no matter the cadence if the bottom gear isn't low enough. I used to spin up bathwick hill in a 22/32 or 22/34. I could probably just about sustain reasonable cadence in a 34/28 (bottom gear of most road bikes) but it would be at near maximum effort. The 22/34 can turn a mile of 10% into a relaxing 15 minute ride.
Try it, I have 22 front and 50 back. Wasn't a very expensive upgrade, around 100$ USD for the cassette, derailleur and shifter. It's very appreciated on many hills in my city, they go up to around 17%, many are around 15%.
I've just bought a Merlin G2P which came with a compact 34/50 and 11-32 and to be honest... I'm really happy with it. Seems to climb ok with the hills by me in the midlands, but also flies when I want it to :)
I agree with your gear ratio set up. My Giant Contend SL1 with Shimano 105 groupset - 50/34 chainring and 11-34t cassette. I found the ratios to low and big jumps. I fitted a 11-32 cassette and this has closed the gaps between ratios, especially at medium to fast speeds, without sacrificing hill climbing capability. More lower end road bikes are being sold with 11-34t cassette these days.
The latest ultegra derailleur is rated for 34 teeth which doesn’t mean it won’t work with a larger cog by turning the B screw in but may have shifting difficulty. I’ve heard of people using a XTR or XT 11 speed mountain bike derailleur for larger cassettes. If you have DI2 I’m not sure the XTR electronic derailleur is compatible. It seems that the GRX group set is perfect for those who prefer low gearing. I think I would consider it for a road bike if I don’t care about having a really big gear. Spin to win Katie. I liked your climbing video. You look really good on the bike!
You can combine ultegra/dura-ace and grx DI2 shifters with the XTR DI2 rear derailleur no problem, but only in a 1x setup. it worked with 2x, but shimano soon blocked that via firmware updates.
A 40t definitely works with the RX derailleur... I have just put together a Di2 setup on my gravel bike that has a 52 front and 40 rear. Basically it can climb anything while still being able to match road bikes on a straight. The Di2 can be set up in a way that stops big/big and small/small combos from happening. (Not that its a problem in either of those, but it does mean that there's much less scope for cross chaining) I do love tinkering and coming up with 'interesting' set ups. The gaps in between gears aren't as harsh as you may think either... but then i'm not really bothered about maintaining a perfect cadence.
Agreed. With bike set up, it's personal. I run Ultegra on my synapse with 46/30 absolute black oval rings with an 11 speed 11/34 at the back. Quick enough for me on the flat and spin up the mountain.
Hi, Katie as I mentioned in your last video I have a 11/40 on my road bike to tackle those hills in Thailand while I was there. I am a light built rider and cannot grind the only thing with spinning is you need a good respiratory system this is the key. Great video keep them coming. Cheers
Little does she know that 2 years later , people and do 1x10 set up with a 32t front and a 11-48t in the back for a 32÷48 = giving a .66 ratio for steep climbs
Watched an earlier video you did on gearing and bought a road link for my 2015 giant defy to use with shimano xtr 11 40. When I upgraded to the 2019 giant defy the long cage ultegra did not need the road link and I'm still using the mtb cassette 11 40. Keep spinning up them hills.
Paul Frey The challenge here is the shifters. You probably have a flat handlebar with MTB shifters which would work with your 36-22T Crankset. You wouldn’t be able to fit this Crankset onto a road bike as the shifters and Derailleurs have a different pull ratio than the MNB Derailleurs do.
Mason Danner yes I know. Goatlink is for Mountain bikes. So I have to assume he has flat bars not drop bars. And judging from his crankcase it has to be, as road bikes can’t handle such small rings.
I'm 195 lbs and want to get into bike packing when I retire in a couple yrs. Gonna definitely change my gearing in the near future. being 195 lbs I suck at climbing.
I know this is an old post but if you really want low gearing set it up with a 40-30-22 chainring and use a 11-34 cassette I have this setup on my touring bicycle and I can climb any hill with a heavy load with no problem at all. And I am a small guy. You can spend all you like without being tired.
Yeh, I confirm it works even without the wolf tooth HANGER extension on my wife’s enigma gravel bike that has Ultegra 8000 RD gs. I’ve slapped on a Shimano 12-40 with the little spacer ring on first, adjusted the b screw, and seems to work fine. Yes there is a weight penalty (about50g) over an 11-36 but there are times (eg touring with panniers or very steep ascents) when you might choose to go for it.
Forty years ago I had a purpose built Harry Hall Super Tourist (until it got nicked). I had a triple chainring with ultra low gearing. It got me up anything, literally anything. I always remember the sneers from the club cyclists at the cafe stops when they saw my gearing set up, then the irritation when I caught them up and went spinning past them on the steep hills.
Great advise Katie I run compact chainring and 11-34 cassette on the back and I find that is a great combination for steep climbs 12% and steeper are so much easier to spin up now, and to a point we're I'm spinning to much I have to change to a lower gear going up the climb.👍
30 CR x 34 RW = 24 gear inches, this is good for climbs, for bike packing/ touring though, you want to be closer to 20 gear inches depending on how much you carry
On my canyon al endurace I have managed to lower the front mech and have a mtb bb holowtech with double chainset 38/26 sram force 11 speed on the back a road link with 11/36 cass. It works fine. Some will say oh thats too extreme, but it works for me, as I am getting on a bit at 60. Love your vids all the best.
Make total sense, uphill you don't have gravity momentum at all, and the best you are gonna get is to re-use the little remaining momentum of your previous spin, which is slightly better than just using a 1:1 ratio. My freewheel is 42/16, which I use for flat roads/mild slopes. But the place I live have so many hills that I end using some PAS while commuting.
Thanks! Watching this after being frustrated with choosing what's right for my entry level gravel bike - I'd like to ask you something. The bike (decathlon triban 100) came with a (1x) 44 x 28-12 and I recently swapped out the 44t crankset with a 40t. Noticed massive improvements, enough to make me try gentle hills. Still felt pretty tired so now considering an even smaller crankset (32 or a 36). 32 would be a mtb crankset and I'm doubtful it would fit on my road/gravel style bike. Any suggestions please?
I had a road bike with a 24 granny on the front and a 34 on the back. It could climb almost anything. By far the best way to climb is to drop weight off your body, which applies to me far more than it does to you.
I have compact 50/34 and will use a cassette 11-28 this year since I am a little stronger now. I not live in that very steap hilly area and mostly use the big ring in my climb but will try spin and grin as Katie do with a higher cadence see how that work.
Dear Katie, I’m always very impressed, when you’re climbing. I live in Bavaria (Alps) and I HATE climbing! The smallest hill is the hell ☠️. I’m just not made for this! It is not because of less power in my legs, it is because I’m immediately out of breath after a few meters.
It does not extend the cage. It brings down the whole derailleur to improve the angle between the upper jockey wheel and the teeth of largest cog. The downside of this shift is that your chain will no longer wrap around as well on the smaller cog (because the upper jockey is now too low). However, most non racers do not use that cog often, so many find it to be an acceptable compromise. The cage length is really there to take up the slack chain that comes about by introducing a large difference in teeth at the cassette or chainrings. If the difference were small but you had still very low gearing, you wouldn’t need it.
I love your channel because i always learn something new. One can tell that you’re not just plugging something all the time and your videos are only as long as they need to be 😊. Please continue your great work
i love having the lowest gears possible too i have a 24 to 42 at the front and a 50t at the back and 152mm cranks for hauling shopping i can never go back
52-36 on the front with a 32-11 on the rear, I found that build muscle first then use that muscle for spinning up the really steep hills . Also oval front rings help with the climbing
I have a 52/36 w/ 11-32 on my lightweight road bike. It's fast and climbs well but it leaves a bit to be desired on really steep climbs above 10 percent grades. I just bought classic style stainless steel frame that is 3 lb.s heavier and it has a 50/34 compact chainring with an 11-34 cassette. I can't wait to do some climbs on it. Gearing choices have really expanded for the better.
Also bear in mind, as as bikes get heavier, the gearing also needs to change. With disc brakes and certain brands designing and force feeding us complete nonsense, bikes are getting heavier. Bikes with recognised standards, rim brakes and good, lightweight wheels, will help with climbing... over pretty much any 2019 or 2020 off the peg bike. My ride? A 2017 Kinesis Aithein with Campag Record 12 speed and Behind Bars wheels on it. 6.7kgs.
Thanks for sharing your "spinny gear" configurations. I normally get up most hills on my steel rando bike (bar bag, rear bag etc) with a 28-38-48 on front and 11-32 (7-speed) on the back. However, I've now discovered a 11-34 (8-speed) cassette which I'm hoping will get me through Pure Peak Grit later this year (not as many hill-friendly 7-speed cassettes out there as there used to be) with slightly less effort and more spinning! Love the vlogs Katie - keep them coming :)
I am using an 11/40 in the rear on my GRX with a 46/30 front combo with no issues. Required no modifications at all and there is still plenty of B Screw, FWIW. Not sure why Shimano says it will only clear a 34 max...
Mason Danner Shimano is pretty conservative. And it does actually slightly affect the shifting even though most people might not perceive it. The chain doesn’t fully wrap nicely all around the big cog and you even adjusting the B screw still takes a balancing act between too much space between the Jockey wheel and the cassette or too loose of a chain when on the smallest cog. But still that’s better than not being able to climb. Also, good idea to have a chain catcher installed at the Crankset just in case you cross chain by mistake. You don’t want to damage the frame or worse take a fall.
@@Tchairdjian Yeah - everything you say is all true. I have Di2 so it doesn't allow me to cross chain. The shift to the smallest cog, will on occasion be...not especially smooth. A well tuned, to spec system probably hits that shift cleaner more consistently. This was my first electronic groupset and I expected perfection, but probably cause it's not to spec, it's only as good as a well tuned mechanical with less maintenance. I will take that "compromise" for the low gears. Thing is, since I ride to power, I know how important that low gear is for the style of riding I do, which is fast, self-supported, mixed surface adventure rides - I am lucky enough to live near significant mountains for this.
Mason Danner excellent. I think I said this in one of my comments below but I’ll say it again. I have 11-42T cassette on my aero bike with Ultegra Di2 and I love it. Not only it won’t let me cross chain but I can see what gears i am into on my Garmin 530. I have installed the Wireless Unit to be able to do that. I live in Calgary in Canada and we have lots of mountains and hills around me without my 11-42T I wouldn’t even be able to come home from any ride as I live up on a hill with 8% average grade with some small sections as bad a 20-30%.
Shimano says the new Ultegra and 105 GS rear derailleurs can go up to a 34 tooth sprocket, but they can actually kind of sort of handle a 40. Shimano just doesn’t want it to “kind of sort of” work, which is understandable, but I would appreciate wording such as “not recommended” instead of “not compatible” in these cases. I even mix and match sprockets from different cassettes, and that’s apparently a big no-no in some circles. You lose hyperglide shifting for that one shift, but people used to live without hyperglide for quite a few decades just fine.
Hirnant Pass from Bala then back over the other side from lake vyrnwy back to bala with a 36/28t was definitely grinding for me 😂 im changing to a 36/32t
gjc your easiest gear ratio here is only 30/32=0.94 which is not as low as Katie’s 0.88 and 0.85 on her two new bikes. But that’s maybe enough for you.
FWIW: The RD-8000 spec maxes out at 34T, my road bike came with 11-32 and I don't doubt the limit (comfortable now on 12-30). Another vlogger suggested the RD-4700 would handle overspec 11-36, and it "did" but Roadlink make it livable, however, the chain slap was unbearable; now on RX-400 and all's well there.
thanks for sharing all that Katie. Lots of cyclists I ride with have utilized 36 - 40 cogs but no one has the 46 - 30 chain rings.. There are lots of 6 to 12 kilometer climbs here in northeren calif, all of them having plenty of sections with double digit gradients, but not many with over 20% like you do. I agree with you that climbing is where it's at!
I still love my Shimano 2x12 drivetrain 22/36 front 10-45 cassette. 623% range let me do serious climbs fully loaded in walking speed with little tradeoff at top speed (2020 Stevens Sentiero ). There's not a single 1x that could rival this. My dream setup is to have 26/46 in the front with a 10-52 cassette 😎
I remember years ago to calculating gearing using imperial measurement where you take the wheel size Multiply it by the number of teeth on the chain wheel then divide it by the number of teeth on the rear Sprocket which gave you inch in gearing example 28 inch wheel x 48 tooth chain ring divided by 11 tooth Rear sprocket = 122 inch gearing. If I’m wrong then I stand corrected
Strictly speaking you need to account for the wheel size but for comparison purposes between different gears on the same bike, all you need is to he simple gear ratios: ring size divided by cog size. In Katie’s case her ratios are 30/34=0.88 vs 34/40=0.85. For a standard Crankset of 50/34T and a standard cassette of 11-32T her lowest gear ratio would have been 34/32=1.06. Which is a lot harder than 0.85 or even 0.81 with a 42T cog.
I like to spin on climbs as well, and still be able to push a high gear on a downhill to get the wind blowing through what's left of my hair. That versatility is why I will never buy into the 1X fad.
@@devacore477 No, actually it doesn't. And do you pick only one third of the gears in your car to use, and not the others? It IS a fad, just like the incredibly stupid idea of fixies is.
@@devacore477 You may be right. Next time I go mountain climbing, I'll strap on leg up so my heel is on my butt and hop up the mountain on the other leg. It's BOUND to be better that way.....................whoooo-oooooh. Duh.
Thanks for the in-sight! Getting ready for an 11day bike packing trip averaging 70 miles a day and 4500-5500 ft of club a day. I have a compact w/11/34 cassette and have been wondering about option. Would you opt for swapping the 34 for a 40 or swapping the crank? Thx!!
Check out the channel Path Less Pedaled, Russ on there has a series called "The Cave of Bad Ideas". He's been experimenting with what he calls mullet gearing, using different adaptations for trying the lowest gears possible.
@@KatieKookaburra Yep, I enjoy watching some of his little experiments with gearing hacks. I figure one day I may have to make a change to my bike when I am older (53 yrs old now). Currently running a compact crankset (50/34) and 11-28 cassette, which is fine for 90% of the hills we have here in Oklahoma. Not too many are over 12%, most are just 3-8% avg.
Yes, Russ has some good ideas. I've been running the RoadLink on my RD for 3 years now: th-cam.com/video/2hhGlwSeFSI/w-d-xo.html Currently running an 11-42 cassette and hope to bump up to an 11-45 later this year. That's coupled with a 42-32-20 crankset. I do a lot of climbing in dirt and gravel as well as paved roads. Low gearing FTW!
Katie, my new CGR is coming with the GRX 400 too. Do you find the 34 rear adequate, or do you wish you could go higher? I heard and seen people use 36 or even a 40 with the GRX 2x setups; and would love to hear your input
@@KatieKookaburra well, if you do and it works; I'd love to see a video on it. I live on the North Wales coast, and theres some mega hills around here I want to be able to get up (namely the Gwaenysgor hill at 33%) Maybe head this way if you love hills and mountains 😉
I have a compact at the front and 11/29 in the back, what would be more important for me to change for easier uphill climbs, the chainring or the cogset?
You've commented that you can't climb except sitting down. I'm the same and can only get off the saddle is to be in a slightly longer gear giving a bit more pedal resistance allowing me to stand. Maybe your 'big gear' philosophy is the reason you can't get out of the saddle if only for a break in the climb.
I'll have to admit I'm a grinder when it comes to climbing! 😎🚲 I like to feel my muscles at work and push through it to get to the peak, at least as far as it is possible. I guess that's my natural tendency, maybe it would be wise to veer somewhat to a more balanced way of climbing, mixing both grinding and spinning 😃🚵♂️
Sure, It’s great now.. But your joints are going to hate you later on down the road 😜. Even with substantial leg muscle, Grinding while climbing puts a lot of wear and tear on your joints.
Good advice for anyone wanting to do long climbs. I'm doing climbs to help build strength for sprints/speed in the flat when I don't have access to weight lifting gear (hello Covid-19!), so only interested in "mashing" up my hill repeats. Using 52-36 with a max 25 cassette, just what I need ☺️
I have a compact crank, and my cassette is a 12-29, so I certainly feel that I'm grinding on hills above 7%, but unfortunately if I want higher cogs it seems that i need to change my whole groupset
Mason Danner it sounds like he has a SRAM system. Not sure the road link will work with his. I think sram mountain rear derailleurs can handle bigger cassettes and still work with SRAM road shifters as the pull ratio for the 2 shifters are the same. For Shimano you can’t mix MTB components with Road components except for the cassette. The RoadLink only helps by lowering the RD so that the chain can properly wrap around the cog and also the jockey wheel can clear the cogs.
GRX 812 1x11 will take a 42 cassette, 10 speed the lowest sprocket officially supported by Shimano is 36 but they are always conservative so a 40 should work
There are more than one GRX derailleurs. The 810 is for 2x11 and officially supports 34 tooth, the 812 is for 1x11 and officially supports 42 tooth (however many people happily use the 11-46 cassette). The 810 will sometimes shift 40 tooth fine without wolftooth, that depends on your bike frame (chainstay length und derailleur hangar) and what you use up front. The DI2 versions of both derailleurs are identical in their shifting abillities. there is also an RX400 for 10 speed that officially supports 36 tooth, but should work with 40.
Digi20 thanks for the confirmation. Was able to find a video that explained that, I’m interested in the 2x so thanks to Shimano looks like I can easily go to 40T.
@@Tchairdjian Sounds like overkill for a sportive rider. Big gaps and too many rarely used cogs (until you don't ride flats at 35mph and climb 25% steep hills, or do bikepacking). A I'm average fitness rider in mixed area and my lowest gearing is 33/30, highest 46/12. Seldom I wish to have a small reserve on both sides 🙂
@@michalgnap5930 Curious if you ride with a power meter? I am a "good" fitness rider based on FTP and the Coggan Power Index www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/power-profiling/ and I certainly do not find that type of gearing overkill and think most sportiff riders would hugely benefit from it- I find it just right. But I do live in a mountainous area.
Michal Gnap Sounds like you use SRAM. In any event, if your front chain rings are 46/30 and your cassette is 12-33T then you’re not too far from what 50/34 front and 11-42T cassette would do... in your case your lowest gear ratio is 30/33=0.91 and the other is 34/42=0.81. Some people use a 11-40T cassette and their lowest gear would be 34/40=0.85. In my case I can’t ride without the 11-42 cassette as I’d never be able to get up the hills to get back home. I live in a mountainous area. And on downhills I’m usually spinning out at the highest gear of 50/11. I’m also 61 years old and I’m not very strong.
@@Tchairdjian It's 46t (Praxis) + 33t (TA) chainring on five arm 110bcd cranks paired with 10s Ultegra 12-30 cassette. Not best for fast descends, but I'm ok with 60-70km/h. I'll bet your power/weight ration is much higher than my. The only advantage I have in hills is probably my fly weight and 30 years difference :) I start thinking, that road triple chainset was far better solution, than these modern ultra wide range, super compact, xy speed things... It's always huge upgrade and lot of thinking how to make a non-custom road bike more "useable" for all sportives🙄 Enjoy riding! 🙂
I race B grade crits in Melbourne, do the North Road Ride and Hell Ride, 3 Peaks, Tour Down Under etc with a compact 50/34 with 11/32 cassette. Never had an issue with gearing. It's crazy how people's ego get in the way.
@@KatieKookaburra yes, but it's expensive and time consuming to try something that doesn't exist on the market. And if it's not useful it's just a waisted effort. That's why am asking. My goal is 24/60 but it will be difficult
Using a small tooth cassette is no different than an angry old man talking about how single speed bikes were so much more superior and that nobody should have gears
God damn, should we all be worried? This woman loves climbing! Well I get it, its fun when you finish a climb, but who in the world likes climbing? Lol, do you also sleep with no pillow?
Great Video Katie. I think the beat way to explain the various gearing combination is by using ratios. On your GRX you said your smallest ring is 30T and the largest cog on the cassette is 34T. Therefore that gives you a ratio of 30/34= 0.88 which means for every full revolution of pedal stroke, your wheels will make 0.88 turn. The difference between number of teeth doesn’t mean anything. Similarly, on your Shimano Ultegra setup your smallest ring is 34T and the largest cog is 40T, resulting in a ratio of 34/40=0.85. if you had a 42T cog instead, that would provide you with even a lower ratio of 34/42=0.81. And you’re right, for the 40T cog you could get away without the Wolftooth RoadLink but definitely would need it for the 42T. Also the existing link on the derailleur is not quite as long as the Wolftooth RoadLink. The few extra millimeters does make a difference otherwise you wouldn’t need it. The same applies for the new R7000 Shimano 105s. The old Shimano Ultegra (R6800) and 105 (R5800) Derailleurs didn’t come with any built-In link and so they definitely needed the RoadLink. In this case the old RoadLink was a full addition. For the new Ultegra and 105 series, the existing link is replaced with the new RoadLink which is called RoadLink DM. Happy climbing.
I’ve got a medium cage 11 speed ultegra R8000 - would that work with the 40 cassette without using a road link or would I need a long cage?
@@kelvinhandley3392 yes definitely.
You really know your stuff!
I am a dude and on my trekking bike I installed a 22T Chainring. With my 32 cog in the back, this feels very comfortable on longer climbs for me. I honestly don't know how people climb high mountains with ratios that are much higher than 1:1.
Age is catching up (67 years) with me and at 195 lbs., my knees are suffering doing steeper and longer climbs. This was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
Hello Katie: I cycle in Charleston, West Virginia (USA) and have to deal with a lot of short, steep climbs. I also use low gear ratios to spare my knees. My set up is a 10 speed, triple chain-set with 52/42/30 chain rings combined with a 12-30 cassette. An easy way to think of these gear ratios is to create a fraction with the number of teeth on Chain-ring in the numerator and the number of teeth on the cog in the denominator. So, my set up gives me 30/30 = 1. That is a 1 to 1 gear ratio and it means that every time my crank-set makes one revolution, my back wheel also makes one revolution. Calculating your gravel bike set up, it is 30/34 = .88. Every time your crank-set makes one revolution, your rear wheel turns 88% of one revolution. I love your videos and I wish I could ride with you. If you ever get to WV, let me know and I will give you the Grand Tour. Please check out the "Cycling Scenic WV" website at (cyclingscenicwv.com). Search by County and check out Monroe County.
Great video Katie and well done for promoting these lower gears. The earlier comment of a 52/36 and 32-11 is fine if you are a one day eventer of have the build of Alberto Contador but if you are doing really long rides it is no good for the knees. On the TransAtlantic Way race last year (which is notorious for knee injuries) I opted to convert my gravel bike with Shimano 105 from 11-32 to a 11-34 at the back and BlackOval Chain rings at the front with a 46/30 and on a multiday event could spin up anything
I have a Trek Domane sl7 with Ultegra DI2 groupset. I run an 11/40 XTR cassette on my medium cage with no road link. Works perfect with no adjustment other than chain length.
It should work fine , my friend , On my giant Revolt gravel bike I put a 11-43 10 speed Shimano casset on , the front chainring is a 48x32 the only change was I put a 11 speed chain on . as the casset looked thinner steel on the sprockets . E very body told me it would never work , but the result can only be said to be fantastic , tried on steep climbs, , and do not know why but the exeleration is super , like you I lke to sit and spin, as my rieds over summer are multy day where I travel light and carry my tiny tent sleeping bag ground sheet and 2 0r three meals , enjoy your bikes , dont worry I am 80 years old in three months , so as long as you love your bikes , and get excitted about them , you can and will, Im sure cycle for ever, untill you go on that big ride , to meet with your maker take care you hear
I am planning on experimenting with a 22 on the front and a 42 on the back. I want a bike where I don't have to "work" to get up anything unless I want to. That and I just enjoy tinkering with gear ratios and torque multiplication. The idea of being able to nibble away at a hill fascinates me. Just like you can lightly turn the pedals and the hill is gradually dawdled away, (and see if my own mother can make it all the way up the drive of her house) she made it half way with a 22/34 (I've climbed it in gears higher than unity and I could probably do it if I inhabited her body as I'm willing to push myself psychologically more).
Racing wise, these gears wouldn't get used much on anything under 20-25% and short enough to power up. But often I don't always want to go as fast as I can. It's the same thing with riding on city roads vs bike paths. Sometimes I just want to noodle along, but I feel "pressurized" into riding faster due to the pace of traffic. I may just be on a Saturday morning recovery or relaxing ride and there's a big hill and I have to put in a lot of force on the pedals no matter the cadence if the bottom gear isn't low enough. I used to spin up bathwick hill in a 22/32 or 22/34. I could probably just about sustain reasonable cadence in a 34/28 (bottom gear of most road bikes) but it would be at near maximum effort. The 22/34 can turn a mile of 10% into a relaxing 15 minute ride.
Try it, I have 22 front and 50 back. Wasn't a very expensive upgrade, around 100$ USD for the cassette, derailleur and shifter. It's very appreciated on many hills in my city, they go up to around 17%, many are around 15%.
I've just bought a Merlin G2P which came with a compact 34/50 and 11-32 and to be honest... I'm really happy with it. Seems to climb ok with the hills by me in the midlands, but also flies when I want it to :)
I agree with your gear ratio set up. My Giant Contend SL1 with Shimano 105 groupset - 50/34 chainring and 11-34t cassette. I found the ratios to low and big jumps. I fitted a 11-32 cassette and this has closed the gaps between ratios, especially at medium to fast speeds, without sacrificing hill climbing capability. More lower end road bikes are being sold with 11-34t cassette these days.
The hills are alive with the sound of gearing!
The latest ultegra derailleur is rated for 34 teeth which doesn’t mean it won’t work with a larger cog by turning the B screw in but may have shifting difficulty. I’ve heard of people using a XTR or XT 11 speed mountain bike derailleur for larger cassettes. If you have DI2 I’m not sure the XTR electronic derailleur is compatible. It seems that the GRX group set is perfect for those who prefer low gearing. I think I would consider it for a road bike if I don’t care about having a really big gear. Spin to win Katie. I liked your climbing video. You look really good on the bike!
You can combine ultegra/dura-ace and grx DI2 shifters with the XTR DI2 rear derailleur no problem, but only in a 1x setup. it worked with 2x, but shimano soon blocked that via firmware updates.
A 40t definitely works with the RX derailleur... I have just put together a Di2 setup on my gravel bike that has a 52 front and 40 rear. Basically it can climb anything while still being able to match road bikes on a straight. The Di2 can be set up in a way that stops big/big and small/small combos from happening. (Not that its a problem in either of those, but it does mean that there's much less scope for cross chaining)
I do love tinkering and coming up with 'interesting' set ups.
The gaps in between gears aren't as harsh as you may think either... but then i'm not really bothered about maintaining a perfect cadence.
Agreed. With bike set up, it's personal. I run Ultegra on my synapse with 46/30 absolute black oval rings with an 11 speed 11/34 at the back. Quick enough for me on the flat and spin up the mountain.
My wife has a 40 on the back and managed the Zoncalon on it. She'd never have been able to climb it without. Great advice Katie.
What's on the front?
Hi, Katie as I mentioned in your last video I have a 11/40 on my road bike to tackle those hills in Thailand while I was there. I am a light built rider and cannot grind the only thing with spinning is you need a good respiratory system this is the key. Great video keep them coming. Cheers
Little does she know that 2 years later , people and do 1x10 set up with a 32t front and a 11-48t in the back for a 32÷48 = giving a .66 ratio for steep climbs
Watched an earlier video you did on gearing and bought a road link for my 2015 giant defy to use with shimano xtr 11 40. When I upgraded to the 2019 giant defy the long cage ultegra did not need the road link and I'm still using the mtb cassette 11 40. Keep spinning up them hills.
I have a 46-30T up front and 11-42T and a Wolftooth Goatlink on the rear for 'everyday', and I switch to a 36-22T up front for EXTREME climbing.
Paul Frey The challenge here is the shifters. You probably have a flat handlebar with MTB shifters which would work with your 36-22T Crankset. You wouldn’t be able to fit this Crankset onto a road bike as the shifters and Derailleurs have a different pull ratio than the MNB Derailleurs do.
@@Tchairdjian He's using a goatlink to make the road rear derailleur and road shifter compatible with the MTB cassette.
Mason Danner yes I know. Goatlink is for Mountain bikes. So I have to assume he has flat bars not drop bars. And judging from his crankcase it has to be, as road bikes can’t handle such small rings.
I'm 195 lbs and want to get into bike packing when I retire in a couple yrs. Gonna definitely change my gearing in the near future. being 195 lbs I suck at climbing.
I am looking at a Domane with a 34/50 front and a 34t rear. It would give me a 1 to 1 lowest gear. Enough for hills?
I know this is an old post but if you really want low gearing set it up with a 40-30-22 chainring and use a 11-34 cassette I have this setup on my touring bicycle and I can climb any hill with a heavy load with no problem at all. And I am a small guy. You can spend all you like without being tired.
Merida silex 400, 48/32 and 11/34 you can reach any greek summit with confidence.
Katie nice presentation as usual...
Yeh, I confirm it works even without the wolf tooth HANGER extension on my wife’s enigma gravel bike that has Ultegra 8000 RD gs. I’ve slapped on a Shimano 12-40 with the little spacer ring on first, adjusted the b screw, and seems to work fine. Yes there is a weight penalty (about50g) over an 11-36 but there are times (eg touring with panniers or very steep ascents) when you might choose to go for it.
Forty years ago I had a purpose built Harry Hall Super Tourist (until it got nicked). I had a triple chainring with ultra low gearing. It got me up anything, literally anything. I always remember the sneers from the club cyclists at the cafe stops when they saw my gearing set up, then the irritation when I caught them up and went spinning past them on the steep hills.
Great advise Katie I run compact chainring and 11-34 cassette on the back and I find that is a great combination for steep climbs 12% and steeper are so much easier to spin up now, and to a point we're I'm spinning to much I have to change to a lower gear going up the climb.👍
30 CR x 34 RW = 24 gear inches, this is good for climbs, for bike packing/ touring though, you want to be closer to 20 gear inches depending on how much you carry
On my canyon al endurace I have managed to lower the front mech and have a mtb bb holowtech with double chainset 38/26 sram force 11 speed on the back a road link with 11/36 cass. It works fine. Some will say oh thats too extreme, but it works for me, as I am getting on a bit at 60. Love your vids all the best.
Make total sense, uphill you don't have gravity momentum at all, and the best you are gonna get is to re-use the little remaining momentum of your previous spin, which is slightly better than just using a 1:1 ratio.
My freewheel is 42/16, which I use for flat roads/mild slopes. But the place I live have so many hills that I end using some PAS while commuting.
Katie my caad8 has 5700 105 10 speed shifters and 5700 105 medium cage rear derailleur, would a 10 speed 40 tooth cassette work with my components ?
you need the roadlink
Thanks! Watching this after being frustrated with choosing what's right for my entry level gravel bike - I'd like to ask you something. The bike (decathlon triban 100) came with a (1x) 44 x 28-12 and I recently swapped out the 44t crankset with a 40t. Noticed massive improvements, enough to make me try gentle hills. Still felt pretty tired so now considering an even smaller crankset (32 or a 36). 32 would be a mtb crankset and I'm doubtful it would fit on my road/gravel style bike. Any suggestions please?
I had a road bike with a 24 granny on the front and a 34 on the back. It could climb almost anything. By far the best way to climb is to drop weight off your body, which applies to me far more than it does to you.
I have compact 50/34 and will use a cassette 11-28 this year since I am a little stronger now. I not live in that very steap hilly area and mostly use the big ring in my climb but will try spin and grin as Katie do with a higher cadence see how that work.
Dear Katie, I’m always very impressed, when you’re climbing. I live in Bavaria (Alps) and I HATE climbing! The smallest hill is the hell ☠️. I’m just not made for this! It is not because of less power in my legs, it is because I’m immediately out of breath after a few meters.
I've just changed my front crankset to the grx for climbing did you change your front derailleur also or just adjust via the top screws
I learn something today. No need for long cage for RD if you need bigger cassette. Get a 'wolf tooth'. Thanks Katie.
It does not extend the cage. It brings down the whole derailleur to improve the angle between the upper jockey wheel and the teeth of largest cog. The downside of this shift is that your chain will no longer wrap around as well on the smaller cog (because the upper jockey is now too low). However, most non racers do not use that cog often, so many find it to be an acceptable compromise.
The cage length is really there to take up the slack chain that comes about by introducing a large difference in teeth at the cassette or chainrings. If the difference were small but you had still very low gearing, you wouldn’t need it.
I love your channel because i always learn something new. One can tell that you’re not just plugging something all the time and your videos are only as long as they need to be 😊. Please continue your great work
i love having the lowest gears possible too
i have a 24 to 42 at the front and a 50t at the back and 152mm cranks for hauling shopping
i can never go back
I also love the challenge of a climb but, as a heavier cyclist, I quickly run out of gears. I can only dream of spinning up a long climb!
Leonard, you are breaking the 4th TH-cam wall by posting on another video I subscribe to!
Paul O’ Brien this!
Paul O’ Brien Is that a thing?
leonardmlee it is now! Ha ha
52-36 on the front with a 32-11 on the rear, I found that build muscle first then use that muscle for spinning up the really steep hills . Also oval front rings help with the climbing
Nobody uses gears that hi anymore that's ancient
@@matthewnorwell5353 yes I have changed I now use 53-39 on the front and 32-11 on the back
I have a 52/36 w/ 11-32 on my lightweight road bike. It's fast and climbs well but it leaves a bit to be desired on really steep climbs above 10 percent grades. I just bought classic style stainless steel frame that is 3 lb.s heavier and it has a 50/34 compact chainring with an 11-34 cassette. I can't wait to do some climbs on it. Gearing choices have really expanded for the better.
Also bear in mind, as as bikes get heavier, the gearing also needs to change. With disc brakes and certain brands designing and force feeding us complete nonsense, bikes are getting heavier. Bikes with recognised standards, rim brakes and good, lightweight wheels, will help with climbing... over pretty much any 2019 or 2020 off the peg bike. My ride? A 2017 Kinesis Aithein with Campag Record 12 speed and Behind Bars wheels on it. 6.7kgs.
Thanks for sharing your "spinny gear" configurations. I normally get up most hills on my steel rando bike (bar bag, rear bag etc) with a 28-38-48 on front and 11-32 (7-speed) on the back. However, I've now discovered a 11-34 (8-speed) cassette which I'm hoping will get me through Pure Peak Grit later this year (not as many hill-friendly 7-speed cassettes out there as there used to be) with slightly less effort and more spinning!
Love the vlogs Katie - keep them coming :)
Good move Katie. This guy approves 💯
I am using an 11/40 in the rear on my GRX with a 46/30 front combo with no issues. Required no modifications at all and there is still plenty of B Screw, FWIW. Not sure why Shimano says it will only clear a 34 max...
Mason Danner Shimano is pretty conservative. And it does actually slightly affect the shifting even though most people might not perceive it. The chain doesn’t fully wrap nicely all around the big cog and you even adjusting the B screw still takes a balancing act between too much space between the Jockey wheel and the cassette or too loose of a chain when on the smallest cog. But still that’s better than not being able to climb. Also, good idea to have a chain catcher installed at the Crankset just in case you cross chain by mistake. You don’t want to damage the frame or worse take a fall.
@@Tchairdjian Yeah - everything you say is all true. I have Di2 so it doesn't allow me to cross chain. The shift to the smallest cog, will on occasion be...not especially smooth. A well tuned, to spec system probably hits that shift cleaner more consistently. This was my first electronic groupset and I expected perfection, but probably cause it's not to spec, it's only as good as a well tuned mechanical with less maintenance. I will take that "compromise" for the low gears. Thing is, since I ride to power, I know how important that low gear is for the style of riding I do, which is fast, self-supported, mixed surface adventure rides - I am lucky enough to live near significant mountains for this.
Mason Danner excellent. I think I said this in one of my comments below but I’ll say it again. I have 11-42T cassette on my aero bike with Ultegra Di2 and I love it. Not only it won’t let me cross chain but I can see what gears i am into on my Garmin 530. I have installed the Wireless Unit to be able to do that. I live in Calgary in Canada and we have lots of mountains and hills around me without my 11-42T I wouldn’t even be able to come home from any ride as I live up on a hill with 8% average grade with some small sections as bad a 20-30%.
Nobody uses gear inches anymore?
Shimano says the new Ultegra and 105 GS rear derailleurs can go up to a 34 tooth sprocket, but they can actually kind of sort of handle a 40. Shimano just doesn’t want it to “kind of sort of” work, which is understandable, but I would appreciate wording such as “not recommended” instead of “not compatible” in these cases. I even mix and match sprockets from different cassettes, and that’s apparently a big no-no in some circles. You lose hyperglide shifting for that one shift, but people used to live without hyperglide for quite a few decades just fine.
I use a 44 elliptical on the front and an 11x36 on the back which equals a 34 on front and 28 on the back. Mounted on a Wilier 101.
Hirnant Pass from Bala then back over the other side from lake vyrnwy back to bala with a 36/28t was definitely grinding for me 😂 im changing to a 36/32t
Katie did you mean the 5800 105's?....because the new R7000 105's is very similar to the new Ultegra.....
my cube peloton triple gets me up most climbs 50 39 30 and 11 32
Epic gearing that!!!
gjc your easiest gear ratio here is only 30/32=0.94 which is not as low as Katie’s 0.88 and 0.85 on her two new bikes. But that’s maybe enough for you.
FWIW: The RD-8000 spec maxes out at 34T, my road bike came with 11-32 and I don't doubt the limit (comfortable now on 12-30). Another vlogger suggested the RD-4700 would handle overspec 11-36, and it "did" but Roadlink make it livable, however, the chain slap was unbearable; now on RX-400 and all's well there.
thanks for sharing all that Katie. Lots of cyclists I ride with have utilized 36 - 40 cogs but no one has the 46 - 30 chain rings.. There are lots of 6 to 12 kilometer climbs here in northeren calif, all of them having plenty of sections with double digit gradients, but not many with over 20% like you do. I agree with you that climbing is where it's at!
I still love my Shimano 2x12 drivetrain 22/36 front 10-45 cassette. 623% range let me do serious climbs fully loaded in walking speed with little tradeoff at top speed (2020 Stevens Sentiero ). There's not a single 1x that could rival this. My dream setup is to have 26/46 in the front with a 10-52 cassette 😎
Hi Katie. Love your films thank you. Question: did you buy a longer chain to accommodate the bigger cassette or it works fine even big to big? 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I remember years ago to calculating gearing using imperial measurement where you take the wheel size
Multiply it by the number of teeth on the chain wheel then divide it by the number of teeth on the rear
Sprocket which gave you inch in gearing example 28 inch wheel x 48 tooth chain ring divided by 11 tooth
Rear sprocket = 122 inch gearing. If I’m wrong then I stand corrected
Seems correct
Strictly speaking you need to account for the wheel size but for comparison purposes between different gears on the same bike, all you need is to he simple gear ratios: ring size divided by cog size. In Katie’s case her ratios are 30/34=0.88 vs 34/40=0.85. For a standard Crankset of 50/34T and a standard cassette of 11-32T her lowest gear ratio would have been 34/32=1.06. Which is a lot harder than 0.85 or even 0.81 with a 42T cog.
Greetings from Dii Suthep.
Front chain ring ÷ rear cog x wheel size.
Hate climbing but I'm old and fat lol
Hi Katie, Thanks for uploading this topic. Really good and concise. All the best.
I use a 48 16 on my single speed. Just about get's up any local hill,but I'm thinking of fitting an 18.
I like to spin on climbs as well, and still be able to push a high gear on a downhill to get the wind blowing through what's left of my hair. That versatility is why I will never buy into the 1X fad.
@@devacore477 No, actually it doesn't. And do you pick only one third of the gears in your car to use, and not the others? It IS a fad, just like the incredibly stupid idea of fixies is.
@@devacore477 You may be right. Next time I go mountain climbing, I'll strap on leg up so my heel is on my butt and hop up the mountain on the other leg. It's BOUND to be better that way.....................whoooo-oooooh. Duh.
I use a Rohloff so I had very little understanding of shimano gearing. Interesting and understandable, thanks! Great view with DR btw!
Hi Katie, Any plans to ride the Bealach Na Ba? Thatll test out your gearing! Cheers, mark
Do you have a favourite climb? And what’s the hardest climb you’ve done? And lastly any climbs on your bucket list?
Thanks for the in-sight! Getting ready for an 11day bike packing trip averaging 70 miles a day and 4500-5500 ft of club a day. I have a compact w/11/34 cassette and have been wondering about option. Would you opt for swapping the 34 for a 40 or swapping the crank? Thx!!
Either or works :)
Dave lane. Could I us a wolf road link on the new 12 speed shimano ultegra . And what 12 speed cassette with about11/ 40 range could I use
I've sent you an email back :)
Check out the channel Path Less Pedaled, Russ on there has a series called "The Cave of Bad Ideas". He's been experimenting with what he calls mullet gearing, using different adaptations for trying the lowest gears possible.
Yes I know that channel - some great reviews on there!!
@@KatieKookaburra Yep, I enjoy watching some of his little experiments with gearing hacks. I figure one day I may have to make a change to my bike when I am older (53 yrs old now). Currently running a compact crankset (50/34) and 11-28 cassette, which is fine for 90% of the hills we have here in Oklahoma. Not too many are over 12%, most are just 3-8% avg.
Yes, Russ has some good ideas. I've been running the RoadLink on my RD for 3 years now:
th-cam.com/video/2hhGlwSeFSI/w-d-xo.html
Currently running an 11-42 cassette and hope to bump up to an 11-45 later this year. That's coupled with a 42-32-20 crankset. I do a lot of climbing in dirt and gravel as well as paved roads. Low gearing FTW!
@@The4Crawler Russ suffers from the 1X disease. Put a mountain bike tripple on and be done with it.
You should do the Wicklow 200 Katie in June in Ireland
I have a 1x11 drivetrain and its a 36T in the front and 46T in the back. I just got the bike. How does that compare to yours?
With the different rear cassette set ups, when you run the 40 do you put extra links on your chain compared to when you run the 34?
Hi Katie my E bike with such poor legs and for touring, so its a 32 front 40 rear mountain bike gearing lol .
Amen, Katie....love the low gears too and love to climb. Learned a few things from you .! Tx
High cadence for the win up the hills!
A 32 cassette with 36 chainring is great for the Northern brutes but the gaps are too big for Continental climbs
Katie, my new CGR is coming with the GRX 400 too. Do you find the 34 rear adequate, or do you wish you could go higher?
I heard and seen people use 36 or even a 40 with the GRX 2x setups; and would love to hear your input
The 34 is great but I am thinking of chucking a 40 on it :)
@@KatieKookaburra well, if you do and it works; I'd love to see a video on it.
I live on the North Wales coast, and theres some mega hills around here I want to be able to get up (namely the Gwaenysgor hill at 33%)
Maybe head this way if you love hills and mountains 😉
I have a compact at the front and 11/29 in the back, what would be more important for me to change for easier uphill climbs, the chainring or the cogset?
If you want lower gearing, get a cassette with more range. A cassette with l largest chainring of at least 32 or 34 is advisable.
You've commented that you can't climb except sitting down. I'm the same and can only get off the saddle is to be in a slightly longer gear giving a bit more pedal resistance allowing me to stand. Maybe your 'big gear' philosophy is the reason you can't get out of the saddle if only for a break in the climb.
Hi KK, you are looking very well.
Very informative, thanks.
So with the wolflink and the right cogs you do away with having to consider a triple setup, does that make sense?
Yes, exactly.
changed my gearing this year for less fatigue on hilly rides. Lets see!
good stuff
I'll have to admit I'm a grinder when it comes to climbing! 😎🚲 I like to feel my muscles at work and push through it to get to the peak, at least as far as it is possible. I guess that's my natural tendency, maybe it would be wise to veer somewhat to a more balanced way of climbing, mixing both grinding and spinning 😃🚵♂️
Sure, It’s great now.. But your joints are going to hate you later on down the road 😜. Even with substantial leg muscle, Grinding while climbing puts a lot of wear and tear on your joints.
Good advice for anyone wanting to do long climbs. I'm doing climbs to help build strength for sprints/speed in the flat when I don't have access to weight lifting gear (hello Covid-19!), so only interested in "mashing" up my hill repeats. Using 52-36 with a max 25 cassette, just what I need ☺️
Great advice 👍
I have a compact crank, and my cassette is a 12-29, so I certainly feel that I'm grinding on hills above 7%, but unfortunately if I want higher cogs it seems that i need to change my whole groupset
@@Cloud007. - what is that?
@@Cloud007. - just saying "why not get a road link" doesn't provide much info, that's why i asked
@@rrosomasa Road link allows your road rear deraileur to work with an MTB cassette.
Mason Danner it sounds like he has a SRAM system. Not sure the road link will work with his. I think sram mountain rear derailleurs can handle bigger cassettes and still work with SRAM road shifters as the pull ratio for the 2 shifters are the same. For Shimano you can’t mix MTB components with Road components except for the cassette. The RoadLink only helps by lowering the RD so that the chain can properly wrap around the cog and also the jockey wheel can clear the cogs.
@@Tchairdjian Principe is the same for all RD. Move it farther from rear axle to allow handle more cogs 🙂
Will the GRX rear derailleur take a 40/42 cassette without Wolftooth though?
GRX 812 1x11 will take a 42 cassette, 10 speed the lowest sprocket officially supported by Shimano is 36 but they are always conservative so a 40 should work
Derek Clegg thanks for that! Cheers.
There are more than one GRX derailleurs. The 810 is for 2x11 and officially supports 34 tooth, the 812 is for 1x11 and officially supports 42 tooth (however many people happily use the 11-46 cassette). The 810 will sometimes shift 40 tooth fine without wolftooth, that depends on your bike frame (chainstay length und derailleur hangar) and what you use up front. The DI2 versions of both derailleurs are identical in their shifting abillities.
there is also an RX400 for 10 speed that officially supports 36 tooth, but should work with 40.
Digi20 thanks for the confirmation. Was able to find a video that explained that, I’m interested in the 2x so thanks to Shimano looks like I can easily go to 40T.
Yes
I am so lost! Lol. Just a plain old 21 gear bike here. Best get to reading I suppose!
Cycling is causing me knee pain. Is this because my bike isn't fitted?
11-42 xt cassette paired with compact crankset on the road bike?
Michal Gnap yes. It works very well. You will need the RoadLink or RoadLink DM.
@@Tchairdjian Sounds like overkill for a sportive rider. Big gaps and too many rarely used cogs (until you don't ride flats at 35mph and climb 25% steep hills, or do bikepacking). A I'm average fitness rider in mixed area and my lowest gearing is 33/30, highest 46/12. Seldom I wish to have a small reserve on both sides 🙂
@@michalgnap5930 Curious if you ride with a power meter? I am a "good" fitness rider based on FTP and the Coggan Power Index www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/power-profiling/ and I certainly do not find that type of gearing overkill and think most sportiff riders would hugely benefit from it- I find it just right. But I do live in a mountainous area.
Michal Gnap Sounds like you use SRAM. In any event, if your front chain rings are 46/30 and your cassette is 12-33T then you’re not too far from what 50/34 front and 11-42T cassette would do... in your case your lowest gear ratio is 30/33=0.91 and the other is 34/42=0.81. Some people use a 11-40T cassette and their lowest gear would be 34/40=0.85. In my case I can’t ride without the 11-42 cassette as I’d never be able to get up the hills to get back home. I live in a mountainous area. And on downhills I’m usually spinning out at the highest gear of 50/11. I’m also 61 years old and I’m not very strong.
@@Tchairdjian It's 46t (Praxis) + 33t (TA) chainring on five arm 110bcd cranks paired with 10s Ultegra 12-30 cassette. Not best for fast descends, but I'm ok with 60-70km/h. I'll bet your power/weight ration is much higher than my. The only advantage I have in hills is probably my fly weight and 30 years difference :) I start thinking, that road triple chainset was far better solution, than these modern ultra wide range, super compact, xy speed things... It's always huge upgrade and lot of thinking how to make a non-custom road bike more "useable" for all sportives🙄 Enjoy riding! 🙂
You can create a 48/30 with a 36 on the back
Katie only found this out 1/12 ago when I finally ran into a gearing nerd like me who was a bike mechanic!
Always loved 53 and 39 or even 42 but what makes cycling fun is best great vlog Katie 🏅🏆✨✨x
Thir-ee = Thirty. Love the Brits.
All you need as an easiest gear is 3430 or 3632, maybe 3634. Anything lower and you are just crawling.
Nah I think go as low as you can go!
@@KatieKookaburra I was fine with 34 30 in the Pyrenees, but you're definitely right with Lake District (Hardknott and Honister eg.)!!!
Grinding = pray for more gears
You don't need all those granny gears or a dinner plate cassette unless you are going up Ventoux
I race B grade crits in Melbourne, do the North Road Ride and Hell Ride, 3 Peaks, Tour Down Under etc with a compact 50/34 with 11/32 cassette. Never had an issue with gearing. It's crazy how people's ego get in the way.
How low is too low? is 0.53 ok? what about 0.5? 0.46 anyone?
Go low as you want :)
@@KatieKookaburra yes, but it's expensive and time consuming to try something that doesn't exist on the market. And if it's not useful it's just a waisted effort. That's why am asking. My goal is 24/60 but it will be difficult
😂 I didn’t understand any of that!
is that an actual name ?
36 46 and a 46 cassette get up any hill on that
Hey sugar 😁 how much sugar do you put in a litre of water?
Using a small tooth cassette is no different than an angry old man talking about how single speed bikes were so much more superior and that nobody should have gears
God damn, should we all be worried? This woman loves climbing! Well I get it, its fun when you finish a climb, but who in the world likes climbing? Lol, do you also sleep with no pillow?