Larger cassette or smaller front chain ring?

I changed my 36 front ring for a 34, and put a 11/32 cassette on. If they made a 11 /34 I would have that too.

If you change your cassette, you might also need a new/longer chain.

Enoch,

I recently added in the Lindarets Road Link and switched to an 11-36 SRAM 11 spd cassette after several years of using Shimano 11-32's. I don't need it all the time, but for long steep climbs, it helps!

http://www.lindarets.com/roadlink/

I got the SRAM 11-36 to work with a 50/34 front and an Ultegra GS 11-sp w/o the RoadLink.  Just had to tighten the B-screw a bit.  But the RoadLink is a very nice item and also nice to have in reserve if you need the extra clearance.

As stated earlier, it's sure nice to have that 36 at times.  In fact, I've been using it a lot.

I also read that other people have gotten the GS's to work with 36's by adjusting the B-screw, but figured the $20 was worth it for peace of mind while deep in the woods, that I wouldn't rip something off :-)

Now people with the Lindarets are doing the same adjustment on the B-screw and getting the GS's to work with a 40T! 

I've got a RoadLink - just in case.  I may put it on just to try it and then back off the B-screw and see if it shifts even better.

There are times when a 40t sounds pretty good too.

thanks everyone!

I went from 11-28 to 11-32 and the difference is amazing. I really wouldn't want a lower gear ratio or it would be faster to get off and push the bike. Pretty sure my small ring up front is 36.

I had the same setup as the OP.  On Saturday I swapped in a Road Link, a new 105GS (my original 105 was the short cage) and a new Shimano MT8000 11spd 11-40.  I already had a spare chain. 

I followed the posting on Gravel Cyclist http://www.gravelcyclist.com/bicycle-tech/tinkering-attempting-the-impossible-part-2-lindarets-roadlink-review/

I had no issues with the install and had everything shifting well on the stand.  Last night I did a test run before this weekend's Redlands Strada Rossa.  I'd say the new combo shifts 95% as well as the original.  I might do some fine tuning with the barrel adjuster today. 

The 36 and 40 feel great and my knees will love me come Saturday......and Sunday & Monday.


I couldn't agree more - I'm all for lower gearing on a gravel bike. Let your legs decide which gear works best for them and not the terrain and restrictions of your drive train.

While it was apart I took the time to repair my rear TYP Spyre caliper that took a huge mud bath a few weeks ago.  I found a thread from a Euro site that helped greatly.  My unit was packed with sand and now it works great.  I'll post some pictures later.

I definitely prefer to sit and spin a higher cadence than mash a hard gear.  Thanks for all the input!!!

I tend to ride quite a bit of singletrack on my gravel rig and like having a granny gear.  If you are using a MTB 10spd cassette you could swap on a 40 or 42t cog... If you combine that with a 46/34 crank (just swap the 36t out) you've got some serious granny gear loving.  Depending on your derailleur you may want the road link.....  Sure you'll lose some of the fine mid-ranges but its always give/take.  

I did both. There are lots of punchy climbs and some long and steep ones on the gravel roads I ride and I like having very low gearing options. On my AWOL with 10 speed SRAM Force shifters, I'm running a Sugino OX601D crankset with 46/30 chainrings. In the rear I'm running a 12-36 cassette and a SRAM XG medium cage MTB RD. Works great for me on the roads I ride.

I'm curious.... with a 40t in the rear do you find the rear derailleur can take up enough chain slack when in the small rings, say 11/34?  

Also, do you set the chain length so that it will work for the 40t and large front chain ring?  Or do you just avoid that cross chaining situation all together?  

Appreciate your insights.  

Jbiehn wrote:I'm curious.... with a 40t in the rear do you find the rear derailleur can take up enough chain slack when in the small rings, say 11/34?  

Also, do you set the chain length so that it will work for the 40t and large front chain ring?  Or do you just avoid that cross chaining situation all together?  

Appreciate your insights.  

\n \nYou have an 11t chainring? \n \nThe front gear always comes first, 34X11, which is a combo you should not be using in any case. Poor chainline, inefficient gear sizes, and the ratio is available and all-round better on the big ring.

it's a 2x 10 speed.  front crank 46/34.  Thanks!

[QUOTE=Jbiehn]Also, do you set the chain length so that it will work for the 40t and large front chain ring?

 Or do you just avoid that cross chaining situation all together?  

QUOTE]

I set my chain length using both large sprockets and adding a link per some other threads.  After four rides I'm sure it could be a little shorter and still work fine.  Even though I don't cross-chain on purpose, I have had it get there twice since the swap.  No funny sounds or chain hop.  I just shifted out of it when I cleaned he hill.

Performance wise, this is the best upgrade I've ever done.  My knees are so happy that I can now spin up the steeps.  Coming from a MTB background, the ratios between shifts feel very normal.

Bike is all Shimano 11-speed but for some recent mountainous travel, I used a 46/34 up front and SRAM 36/11 on the back. B-Screw was almost all the way in on the longer cage Ultegra RD. Worked great.

I've had the same issue. Realize that small changes in the cog teeth have a much greater effect on gear ratio, than do changes in chainring teeth. Also, in a 2x system, I like to have lots overlap between the gear ranges available on the large and small chainrings. For that reason, I really like the 46/36 chainrings on my new GG, and have ordered a IRD 11-36 11 speed cassette to replace the stock 11-32 Ultegra. Even though the medium caged 105 rear derailleur is spec'd to a max of 32 teeth, it can be tweaked to handle a 36 by fully engaging the b-screw or if necessary using a wolf tooth adapter. If this doesn't give me a low enough gear, then I will also replace the 36 inner ring with a 34. Frankly, I would prefer a 1x mountain bike setup -- 12-40 cassette with a 38 or 42 single in front. The problem is getting a rear derailleur to work with 11 speed brifters.

The HMTL5 Gear Calculator is a huge help for figuring out gear ratios. As mentioned above, it's important to not look at the number of teeth jumped between two gears but the percentage difference.

Here's an example comparing a 1x setup (38 tooth chainring with a 10-42 cassette), and a wide range mountain double with more a conventional cassette (28/42 with an 11-32). They have a similar range, but adding the front derailleur gives you smaller steps between the gears.