# What cassette are you riding on flat roads?



## Mark 1 (Feb 22, 2006)

Currently running an 11-28, I was wondering about chaging to an 11-23. Riding nothing but flat roads. Riding 4 times a week with one group ride at 22.5 average. It just seems the 11-28 is over kill on the flats. Any opinions?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

you can answer this yourself...what cogs do you ride in? do you ever use the 25 or the 28? there's your answer.


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## ProjectX (Nov 8, 2011)

It's pretty damn flat along most of our bike trail here in Sacramento, and 11-23 is perfect for it. If you're really staying on flat ground, I do think that 11-28 is overkill as you probably never really go past the 23t cog.


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## frankdatank1337 (Jul 25, 2010)

Just buy a used 11-23 cassette and give it a try (you can find em for cheap). If you dont like it put it up for sale on Craigslist. Although, Im sure you'll like it. :thumbsup:


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## Hiro11 (Dec 18, 2010)

11-25, 53-42 up front. I never leave the big ring once we get rolling and I don't think I've ever shifted lower than the 21. Really, really flat around here, biggest hills are maybe a 2 minute effort.


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## QQUIKM3 (Apr 20, 2008)

*Quite flat here too. .*

I run a 12-23 and a 52/42 up front. Works very well as it's almost a total straight block setup.


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## JackDaniels (Oct 4, 2011)

I train and race on11/28-54/39 because all the flat roads around here eventually turn uphill. I'm not sure what overkill means because 54/11 and 39/28 both get used.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

It's all relative.I used to use a 53-39 and 13 - 23 8-speed setup that was really nice for the flats of the Texas Gulf Coast. Then I read that Andy Hampsten preferred that gear set when winning the Giro in the mountains.


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## Donzo98 (Oct 1, 2008)

53/39... 12-23


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## cyclusaddictus (Dec 8, 2011)

My ride came stock with 50/34 x 12-25 but I don't like it. 34x25? What is it, a mountain bike? I may go for a 11-21 cassette or change rings.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

I run a compact up front with 11-23 in the back. Good combo for speed and rolling terrain. 

No problem on a 10% grade.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

It all depends on what you are going to do.

For a road race with "bumps", a 12-23 is fine
For a fast group ride, that has some rollers, a 12-25 will get you over them, in the big ring.
For a ride with friends, I use a 13-25. (The 13 limits me to speeds of 36-38 mph)


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## Whats_it_to_ya (Aug 3, 2011)

14-25 junior gearing!


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## Guest (May 27, 2012)

Mark 1 said:


> Currently running an 11-28, I was wondering about chaging to an 11-23. Riding nothing but flat roads. Riding 4 times a week with one group ride at 22.5 average. It just seems the 11-28 is over kill on the flats. Any opinions?


What chainrings do you have now? 

I use a 11-28 w/ 50-36 chainrings. I use the 50/11 about as much as I use the 36/28 (for riding downhill with a tailwind, or uphill into headwinds, respectively)

If I were riding on the flats I would likely _never_ use the 11 -- so I'd probably elect for something like a 12-23 in that case.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Mark 1 said:


> Currently running an 11-28, I was wondering about chaging to an 11-23. Riding nothing but flat roads. Riding 4 times a week with one group ride at 22.5 average. It just seems the 11-28 is over kill on the flats. Any opinions?


Better off answering yourself. If you're doing 22.5 average you've obviously been riding so know better than us; do you use those gears or not?

My initial reaction was that no reasonably fit rider would use a 28 (or 11 for that matter) on the flats so go with something much tighter......but some flat areas do have wicked wind so there very well could be a use for a 28.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

Whats_it_to_ya said:


> 14-25 junior gearing!


Hey that's what I use but for me it's senior gearing. And with a 50t it gives me a 32mph top speed. As the OP is "Riding nothing but flat roads" and only averaging 22.5mph in a group, why would he need an 11? Or a 12 or 13 for that matter. Pro gearing at non-pro speeds = wasted gears IMO. But then I only fit realistic gearing.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

I've got one of those on my 9 speed bike. I only use that wheel when I ride with friends who don't race. It's good to 32-33 mph.
.
.


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## ocean-ro (Nov 23, 2009)

12-23 with a 50-36. No need for bigger cogs in South Florida


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

11-23 on my disc wheel (50/34 - going to a 55/42 soon)
12-25 or a 12-27 on my road wheels (53/39)


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## nagge (Jan 6, 2012)

50/34 and 11-23, gets me up most hills in the big ring and i can still turn out a +60km/h on the flats which a much better selection of gears as opposed to using a 11-25 that is missing the 16t which is right in the sweet spot for me.


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## irishdb (May 25, 2012)

53/39 11/28 on training wheels, 11/25 on my racing wheels - Good for my North Texas routes.


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## Zachariah (Jan 29, 2009)

Get 11-21....they look much sleeker.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I used to live in flatter than flat VA Beach. I rode a standard crankset and a 12-23 or a 11-23. On a flat road, I never touched the 11 but I did learn an expensive lesson. I ride campy but shimano DA and campy record cassettes have the same issue, the biggest four cogs are titanium to save weight. With the flat roads and lots of tight turns, I found myself shifting onto the Ti cogs going into corners to accelerate out the other side. The Ti cogs would wear much faster than the steel ones making the cassette useless in only a few months. Now I only ride Chorus all steel cassettes which are available in 12-25, 12-27, and I believe a 12-29. With 11 speed, a 12-25 is the same as an 12-23 with a 25.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Flat to rolling:
50/34 and 11-23 11 speed. That's straight to 19. Bliss.

And I use Chorus cassettes with a Super Record group.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Flats 11-23
Rolling 12-25
Hills 12-27

obviously with a 53/39


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Flats 11-23
> Rolling 12-25
> Hills 12-27
> 
> obviously with a 53/39


Which one do you obviously race with?


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## Matador-IV (Aug 2, 2010)

Flats 11-23
Rolling 11-23
Hills 12-32

obviously with a 50/34


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*The simple kind*


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

JCavilia said:


>


Lolz.

I had been riding SS a lot (> 50% of rides) and a friend (stronger rider than me) bought an All City Nature Boy for commuting. It comes with 42x16 with like 30mm tires. That's a pretty good all around pavement gear and I was running a very slightly easier 46x18. Anyway, after a couple rides he told me he tops out at 19mph.

I said he needed to learn how to spin.

We did a few lunch time rides from work where we rode our singles and a few other folks rode geared bikes. He learned pretty quick that 19mph was no limit.

Gearing depends a lot on fitness and terrain. But riding single speed a lot has changed my perceptions about what gears I "need". These days, my geared road bike has 53/39 and a 12-25. I race it, I ride steep hills with it, I ride casually with it. I have been considering swapping in a 12-27 for the steeps however I rationalize that the 12-25 makes me stronger.

I used to have a 50/34 with an 11-23. I *loved* that combo but didn't care for the 16t throw.


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## tcmers (Mar 12, 2011)

I will qualify my selection with this: I am 51, about 195 lbs. Most of my riding is solo with average speeds in the 17-20mph range for longer rides. I typically do a weekly group ride where the averages are usually 22ish mph. My style is to spin at a fairly high cadence. Current setup is a 50/36 with a 14-25 cassette. Works well for me on flat rides, and I only feel under geared on long downhills in the group.


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## abstrack (Feb 15, 2006)

11-23, with a 50-34 in front. Works for most places that I ride. When I am headed for the mountains for an extended ride, I switch to the 12-29 cassette.


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