Race wheels - gearing?

[Susie]

I have a cousin who is a bike mechanic and is helping me out with new-to-me race wheels for my road bike.  The last remaining decision is the cassette. 

I currently have a compact double chain ring (50x34) with an 11-28t cassette.  I pretty much only use the 28t cog for seated climbs, generally on training rides.  If I'm racing, I'm standing to climb, and likely using a smaller cog on the cassette.  This is the only road bike gearing I've ever had.

My cousin wants to know whether I want to stick with 11-28t for my race wheels, or go to 25t, just for my race wheels.  Since I haven't tried anything else, I feel like I'm making the decision kind of blind.  Any thoughts that might help?

ETA:  tagging sadlebred reginaphalange72 trigal joenali kams gumi katandkevin katinthehat hope some of you guys see this and can help me decide!

[trigal]

Consider terrain and what you're used to. I have an 11-27 and compact cranks (50-36). I like having the 27 in long triathlons to save my legs for the run, but I really don't use it much. Also, some cassettes have bigger jumps between gears (for example, going from a 21 to a 24. That bugs me, so I avoid that.

I have the same cassette on my road bike as on my tri bike.

[sadlebred]

Will you be riding courses that are as hilly in races as in training? If so, stick to the same gearing. If not, you can go with the 25 since the terrain will be flatter. Personally, I run the same cassette on all of my road bike wheels. Since the cassettes will be the same speed (ie. same number of cogs), you can always swap them out if you don't like one or just replace it if you don't like it and sell the one you don't like.

On my road bike I run a 38-52 up front and a 12-27 10 speed cassette. This is considered standard (non compact) gearing.

If you want to play with gear ratios or understand what they are, here are two good sites.

sheldonbrown.com/gears/ or www.bikeschool.com/tools/gear-calculator

[reginaphalange72]

I know nothing about this stuff and am completely useless. :-(

*** Sits on the couch and waits for enlightenment. ***

[joenali]

Jul 8, 2013 11:36:47 GMT -5 reginaphalange72 said:

I know nothing about this stuff and am completely useless.

*** Sits on the couch and waits for enlightenment. ***

Ditto!!

Except I do know that I do love the compact gearing I have. I wouldn't change that if you are going to be on a hilly course!!

[Susie]

Jul 8, 2013 11:09:26 GMT -5 trigal said:

Consider terrain and what you're used to. I have an 11-27 and compact cranks (50-36). I like having the 27 in long triathlons to save my legs for the run, but I really don't use it much. Also, some cassettes have bigger jumps between gears (for example, going from a 21 to a 24. That bugs me, so I avoid that.

I have the same cassette on my road bike as on my tri bike.

Thanks.

The cassette that I have is

11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-28

so I have that 21-24 jump that you mentioned (and 24-28).  I guess I never had anything else to compare it to!

The 11-25t that I'd be looking at is:

11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25

so that closes up those gaps a little.

There is also a 12-25 and a 12-27, but I don't think I want to give up the 11.  I use that a lot more.

So, either the 11-25 for smoother, smaller steps, or 11-28 for exactly what I'm used to.  Hmm.

As far as terrain... the steepest stuff that I seem to ride is on my training routes.  I don't know if you ever come south to ride, but the Helderbergs provide some pretty good hills!  I don't tend to pick races with the most gruelingly hilly bike legs though.  I don't mind climbing, but since my accident I tend to brake on descents, and I lose too much ground doing that.  I'm much more competitive on flatter courses where I don't instinctively brake, so I try to pick those.  That would also direct me toward the 11-25.  Maybe?

[reginaphalange72]

Jul 8, 2013 11:37:49 GMT -5 joenali said:

Jul 8, 2013 11:36:47 GMT -5 reginaphalange72 said:

I know nothing about this stuff and am completely useless.

*** Sits on the couch and waits for enlightenment. ***

Ditto!!

Except I do know that I do love the compact gearing I have. I wouldn't change that if you are going to be on a hilly course!!

Is it bad that I honestly don't even know what gearing I have?  I should go home and count.

[joenali]

Jul 8, 2013 11:48:33 GMT -5 reginaphalange72 said:

Jul 8, 2013 11:37:49 GMT -5 joenali said:

Ditto!!

Except I do know that I do love the compact gearing I have. I wouldn't change that if you are going to be on a hilly course!!

Is it bad that I honestly don't even know what gearing I have?  I should go home and count.

It should say on the cassette! You don't even have to count!!

[reginaphalange72]

Jul 8, 2013 11:50:54 GMT -5 joenali said:

Jul 8, 2013 11:48:33 GMT -5 reginaphalange72 said:

Is it bad that I honestly don't even know what gearing I have?  I should go home and count.

It should say on the cassette! You don't even have to count!!

Beautiful!

[katinthehat]

how far out are you from your race again? because my instinct is to say stick with what you know.

[kams]

I'm flattered that I'm tagged, because I'm sitting on the couch next to Regina

[Susie]

I have tri's coming up on August 3 and 31.

[sadlebred]

That soon. Get the same cassette on your road bike. Get the other one in a month or two and try it out over the winter.

[perkyderky]

I'm assuming you mentioned it in another post and I missed it--which wheels did you end up getting?

[Susie]

Jul 8, 2013 14:28:33 GMT -5 perkyderky said:

I'm assuming you mentioned it in another post and I missed it--which wheels did you end up getting?

Shimano DA WH7700 clinchers, circa the early 2000s.  Not the lightest or the most aero option I could find, but well reviewed, and a huge improvement from what I have.  My cousin had a set available, so the price was very right.

[Susie]

Jul 8, 2013 13:46:54 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

That soon. Get the same cassette on your road bike. Get the other one in a month or two and try it out over the winter.

Makes sense.  Thanks!

[katandkevin]

Jul 8, 2013 11:36:47 GMT -5 reginaphalange72 said:

I know nothing about this stuff and am completely useless.

*** Sits on the couch and waits for enlightenment. ***

I'm sitting on this couch too. Any time I have bike questions, I ask my friend that is super knowledgeable. Sorry I can't help.

[sadlebred]

Enjoy the new wheels!!!!

[reginaphalange72]

I'm a little slow to respond, but I appear to already have a compact crank (50/34) and a 25/12 cassette. So I think I'm in good shape.

For those of you that were on the clueless couch with me, I thought this video was useful:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=fYJmfqebesc&autoplay=1&desktop_uri=%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DfYJmfqebesc%2526autoplay%253D1